Nordic House Cape Town

15/10/2026

Another award for Cape Town? We might need a bigger trophy cabinet!

Cape Town International Airport has been named Best Airport in Africa for the 11th consecutive year, alongside another win for Best Airport Staff Service in Africa!

With the summer tourism season already underway and a packed calendar of international business, cultural and sporting events ahead in 2027, this recognition could not come at a better time.

More visitors, more business, more investment and more opportunities for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

At Nordic House, we are proud to play our part in connecting the Nordics with Southern Africa.

Congratulations to everyone involved in keeping Cape Town connected to the world!

The world is coming to Cape Town, and we are ready to welcome it!

09/10/2026

Well, that was quite a Nordic takeover! 🇩🇰🇫🇮🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪

Last night we filled Planet Bar at the beautiful Mount Nelson to the brim. And then some!

What a lovely evening, surrounded by so many wonderful people from our Nordic community.

For some reason, the Swedes made up about 90% of the flock last night. Clearly, someone forgot to tell them they are supposed to be the reserved ones!

We even adopted a Norwegian guest staying at the hotel, who could hardly believe her eyes when she suddenly found herself surrounded by Scandinavians.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us. We really do have something rather special going on here in Cape Town.

And a very special thank you to Benson and his fabulous team at Planet Bar for always looking after us so beautifully.

Next Nordic Second Thursday: 12 November!

Same wonderful Nordic spirit, hopefully a slightly more balanced representation of the five nations this time! 😉🇩🇰🇫🇮🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪

06/10/2026

Cape Town, it is time for another Nordic Second Thursday. 🇩🇰🇫🇮🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪🇿🇦

This Thursday, we are back at The Planet Bar at Mount Nelson for an easy evening of good conversation, new connections and familiar faces.

Nordic Second Thursdays is about bringing people together. Whether you are part of the Nordic community, connected to it through business or friendship, or simply curious to meet some interesting people, you are very welcome.

🗓️ Thursday, 8 October
🕕 From 18:00 onwards
📍 The Planet Bar at Mount Nelson, 76 Orange Street, Cape Town
💬 Free entry; simply pay for what you eat and drink

No presentations. No formal networking. No agenda.

Just come as you are, alone or bring someone along, grab a drink and see who you meet.

See you Thursday!

https://www.nordichouse.co.za/events

04/10/2026

03/10/2026

From our Founder Laura Lykkegaard …

There is something profound about what happens when damn good people from the Nordics get together.

Last night, four of the Nordic Consuls in Cape Town did exactly that. And once we started talking, the ideas just kept coming. All being rather entrepreneurial!
- Investment into the Cape.
- Who to bank with.
- Business opportunities in many different fields.
- Our enormous combined networks, and how we can do more together.
- And w**e farming, obviously. 🍷

As you know, I love what we do.
And I love it even more when we add a generous pinch of South African business sense, entrepreneurial energy and grit.
Because this is not about the Nordics arriving with all the answers.
South Africa has extraordinary people, businesses, expertise, innovation and ambition of its own. The interesting part is what happens when we connect the two.

Right now there is a lot of energy across the Nordics around competitiveness, investment, innovation, resilience and stronger international partnerships.
Here in South Africa, we see opportunities everywhere. So perhaps we should be talking to each other even more.

And then there is trust. We may each represent a different Nordic country, but we, the Nordic Consuls, have also been close friends for years. That makes the conversations frank, practical, occasionally unruly, fun, and very productive.

We left the table last night with considerably more ideas than we arrived with. A few conversations now need to happen. And then we get working.
We missed you, our Icelandic colleague Ruth Gylfadóttir 🇮🇸

For Nordic House, this is exactly what we are here for.
Connecting Nordic and South African businesses, people, knowledge and opportunity.
There is a LOT more we can do together.

NordicBusiness Investment Business

30/09/2026

Cape Town named Africa’s Leading Cruise Port for the fourth consecutive year!

A fantastic achievement for Cape Town and the Western Cape, recognised once again at the 2026 World Travel Awards.

At Nordic House, we celebrate this milestone and Cape Town’s continued growth as an international destination for tourism, business and investment.

The cruise industry plays an important role in connecting South Africa with the world, supporting local businesses and creating opportunities across tourism, hospitality and the wider economy.

As an organisation dedicated to strengthening connections between the Nordic countries and South Africa, we recognise the value of international connectivity and collaboration in driving sustainable economic growth.

Congratulations to our friends and partners at Wesgro, Cruise Cape Town, the City of Cape Town, the V&A Waterfront and everyone involved in this achievement.

Here is to continued growth, stronger international connections and many more visitors discovering our beautiful city!

24/09/2026

🇿🇦 Happy Heritage Day, South Africa!

Today we celebrate unity in diversity, the cultures, histories, traditions and people that make South Africa so extraordinary.

At Nordic House, heritage is also at the heart of who we are. We celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, alongside the many cultures and communities of South Africa.

Our connections stretch across borders and generations, through business, diplomacy, innovation, culture, friendship and family. They remind us that while our histories and traditions may differ, there is enormous value in bringing them together, learning from one another, and building something stronger through those connections.

Today, we celebrate our individual heritage, our shared heritage, and the relationships that continue to grow between the Nordic countries and South Africa.

Happy Heritage Day from all of us at Nordic House. 🇿🇦 🇩🇰 🇫🇮 🇮🇸 🇳🇴 🇸🇪

22/09/2026

So great to see so many of our Nordic House members at this far-from-boring event! And we also celebrate our own Laura Lykkegaard in her role as Honorary Consul to Denmark, as the key speaker for the evening :-)

Embassy of Denmark in South Africa

13/09/2026

A lovely Memorial for King Harald V of Norway was held today. ❤️🇳🇴

Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria Sjømannskirken i Afrika Geir Tellefsen

11/09/2026

THREE YEARS of Nordic Second Thursdays! 🇩🇰🇫🇮🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪

Three years, every single month, and not one Nordic Second Thursday missed!

Last night we celebrated this very special milestone at The Planet Bar at Mount Nelson, surrounded by familiar faces, newcomers, great conversations and the wonderful community that makes these evenings what they are.

We really do have a very special group of Nordics here in the Mother City, part of what has grown into the largest Nordic network in Africa. A huge thank you to everyone who has joined us, supported us, and helped build this community over the past three years.

37 Second Thursdays and counting :-) Here is to many more!