The Pretty Cities of Instagram: 10 picturesque portraits of Port Elizabeth

port elizabeth

As much as Instagram’s a great platform for cat pictures and brunches, it’s also rather great for couch travellers. Speaking of which, welcome to our new feature entitled Pretty Cities of Instagram, where each week, we’ll take a look at some of the best snaps of cities as seen from the lenses of Instagram users across the world.

We’re heading back to the coast this week to visit one of South Africa’s oldest cities — Port Elizabeth. Founded in 1820, The Bay, iBhayi or the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is home to over a million of the friendliest people in South Africa (or so its other nickname has it).

Although the city is further south than Cape Town and more easterly as well, it generally enjoys warmer waters but trades that comfort for windier skies.

Still, Instagram snappers do well to showcase the city’s immense coastal, cultural and historical beauty.

Sitting on the south-eastern coast of Cape Recife jutting out into Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth’s love of both the sea and sky is pretty self explanatory. Image: Daphne Marx.

Although generally regarded as one of the sleepiest cities in South Africa, Port Elizabeth is by no means ugly at night. Image: Elmar – The 9th Sky.

The now-namesake of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Area, South Africa’s former president is immortalised in one of the most modern ways possible — street art. Image: Peter John Yuill.

Definitely not natural, these sleeping policemen (or dolosses) were actually invented up the road in East London. Now used all over the world, they find prominence in Port Elizabeth, where tides play havoc near the city’s national highway. Image: Janette Bennett.

Port Elizabeth is one of South Africa’s principal port cities and boasts two harbours (although Coega is often considered beyond PE borders). The sea is life in this part of the world. Image: Johan Jacobs.

#logoshope #worldslargestbookfair #nelsonmandelabay #portelizabeth #portelizabethharbour #sundayafternoon

A photo posted by Johan Jacobs (@johan_7_52_365) on

The Pier at the Boardwalk is one of the more popular venues in the city for tourists and locals alike. And one can definitely see why. Image: Diary of Megan.

The warm waters of Algoa Bay also attracts its fair share of surfers. Notably, just an hour’s drive west, the famous surfing town of Jeffrey’s Bay lies in wait. Image: Boardtalk.

One of PE’s latest landmarks is the sunflower-like Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the stadium lies between two bodies of water and is called home by the Southern Kings rugby team. Image: Eat by Max & Pete.

Port Elizabeth’s also well known for its iconic architecture. The City Hall is one such example, built between 1858 and 1863. Notably, that clock tower was only added 20 years later. Image: Jaco Vermaak.

City Hall so magestic #nelsonmandelabay #sharethebay #portelizabeth

A photo posted by Jaco Vermaak Photography (@justjakesphoto) on

And how better to finish off this week’s edition with a sunrise? Pretty damn perfect for a Monday morning. Image: Aarti Narotam.

Do you want your snaps of your city or town to be featured in this series? Be sure to tag us on Instagram using our @BurnMedia handle.

Feature image: flowcomm via Flickr

Andy Walker, former editor
More

News

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest in digital insights. sign up

Welcome to Memeburn

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest in digital insights.