CAPE TOWN — When my family pulled up to our son’s study-abroad housing in Cape Town, South Africa, the last thing I expected was for it to be surrounded by a tall cement wall topped by live wire and to have a 24-hour guard sitting inside the courtyard behind the locked gate.

The unfortunate reality is that the disparity between the black and the white people post-apartheid is still vast. I am reminded that it is barely a generation since Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and change is a gradual process.

But appearances can be deceiving. Cape Town, like most cities, not only has much for everyone to learn from its storied past, but center and outlying areas are awash with spectacular natural beauty of which few urban areas can boast. And with only six days to visit during February school vacation, there was much to try and see.

Cape Town is wrapped around its crown jewel — Table Mountain. The mountain, which is often shrouded by clouds, is South Africa’s most iconic landmark. Although many choose to hike to the top, a late start forced us to take the cable car, and we were not disappointed. Just as we neared the top, the setting sun came into view, eliciting a collective gasp from the riders. From the peak, we could see the colorful show of golds, blues, and oranges as the sun dipped into the horizon along the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the lights twinkling from the neighborhoods of Cape Town Central along the other. And as darkness set in, we took at moment before rushing back to catch the last cable car to steal a glimpse at the stars, including our first look at the Southern Cross. It was easy to forget that we were actually in a city with stars so bright in the sky.

A trip to Cape Town is not complete without taking a drive down the peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope, the southwesternmost tip of the African continent. But there is much to see along the way.

The eastern peninsula runs along False Bay, named because sailors coming from the East would round the tip of Cape Point thinking they were heading north and found themselves stuck in the bay. Many remained in these parts and now the coastline is dotted with small fishing villages and towns filled with shops and restaurants. Our first stop was Kalky’s Fish & Chips in Kalk Bay for large seafood platters and a look at the sea lions swimming nearby.

Then we headed to Simon’s Town to explore some local bookstores and shops.

We continued down the peninsula and stopped at Boulders Beach, which is part of Table Mountain National Park and is home to a colony of endangered African penguins. As the boardwalk snakes through the sandy dunes, we got an up-close look at the penguins in their natural habitat. Much to our delight, as the beach area came into view, so did dozens of penguins lazing and sunning themselves on the sand.

You have to venture several hours outside of Cape Town to get a look at Africa’s “Big Five’’ – the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. But as we neared Cape Point, a nature reserve within Table Mountain National Park, various wildlife was visible along the side of the road, including ostriches and antelope, and signage warned to beware of baboons as we trekked to the lighthouse at the highest part of the peak. The lighthouse, built in 1859, affords sweeping views across the Atlantic and is the centralized monitoring point for all lighthouses in South Africa.

As we returned along the western coast of the peninsula, we took a detour along Chapman’s Peak Drive. This is a must for anyone who is passionate about spectacular scenery or likes to torture someone (in this case, me) with a drive along a twisty mountain pass. The 9-kilometer route road, which stretches from Noordhoek to Hout Bay, winds its way along a road with 114 curves, complete with sheer cliff drops to the sea below and mountains rising before one’s eyes (although I’ll admit, mine were often closed).

Back on level ground, the drive continues to the Camps Bay area and a stunning stretch of beaches within a short drive of Cape Town Central. Camps Bay beach is set at the foot of The Twelve Apostles Mountain and if it’s too windy down on the sand, beachgoers can find shelter in any number of good restaurants that provide sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Although a drive along the coast should not be missed, Cape Town Central is a perfect city to explore on foot. We spent an afternoon walking from our villa in one of the neighborhoods to Greenmarket Square – the Faneuil Hall of Cape Town – where locals sell touristy wares from jewelry to African tribal masks. We strolled through The Company’s Garden, a tree-lined path adjacent to Parliament, and discovered hidden gems like The Company’s Garden Restaurant – an indoor/outdoor café where we enjoyed fresh juice and bobotie roti (a meat-filled spring roll served with chutney) and played chess on an over-sized board. Seeking shelter from the heat, we ducked into the South African National Gallery and took in some local art exhibits for only 30 rand ($3).

While there are many beautiful natural sights, the city has much to offer for visitors interested in learning about its history such as taking a trip to Robben Island to see the prison where Mandela was held for 27 years or visiting the District 6 Museum. District 6 was a neighborhood in Cape Town where black residents used to live. During the apartheid years most were relocated against their will to townships (like Masi) well outside the city.

We spent a morning touring the township of Masiphumelele about 45 minutes outside the city where our guide, Mandy, showed us how much of the black and colored population is currently living after being removed from the city after gaining their “freedom.’’ My son was able to witness one important step toward equality while studying at the University of Cape Town – the removal of the Rhodes statue prominently located on campus. Cecil John Rhodes, who donated the land on which the university sits and who is the benefactor of the Rhodes scholarship, was instrumental in developing much of Cape Town but was also infamously oppressive toward black people. It was a day for celebration when ongoing protests finally convinced administrators to take down the statue.

We discovered Cape Town to be a land that offers a unique combination of immense beauty, urban amenities, and cultural activities, but one that still has a long way to go in the fight against injustice. And although it was a long way to travel for just a week to visit our son during his study abroad semester — and it was definitely a worthwhile learning experience for the rest of my family as well.

Colleen Dumont can be reached at colleen.dumont@globe.com.