Cape Town, A gem in the land of Western cape
Set on a rocky neck of land between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans with iconic Table Mountain as its backdrop, the city of Cape Town sits in one of the world’s most spectacular settings. But the scenery isn’t restricted to the city alone: short drives take visitors to white sandy beaches, traditional fishing villages and wild mountain ranges while must-see destinations such as Cape Point, the Cape Winelands and the whale-watching capital of Hermanus are easy day trips. With so many beautiful places to explore, you only have to visit Africa’s favorite city once and you’ll probably be planning your next Cape Town travel holiday before your tan’s had time to fade.
Cape Town will appeal to just about anyone in the mood for a holiday: romantics and honeymooners will love the exquisite accommodation and idyllic views; families with children can share a beach with inquisitive penguins; adventure lovers will relish the chance to discover the secrets of Table Mountain – one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World! – and gourmets shouldn’t miss out on South Africa’s finest food and wine experiences, served up at an affordable price.
It’s a multi-faceted destination that deserves to be explored. Naturally, there are dozens of scheduled tours on offer but many visitors prefer to travel to Cape Town and discover this friendly and slow-paced city at their own pace: take some time to browse African craft markets in the walkably compact city centre, visit the colourful Cape Malay suburb of Bo Kaap, lounge on its best beaches and stroll around the ever-popular V&A Waterfront with its shops, restaurants and luxurious hotels.
There’s no worrying about getting the right kind of accommodation for your vacation either: our wide range of Cape Town accommodation is a hand-picked selection of stylish guest houses, romantic boutique hotels, private villas overlooking the ocean and family-friendly hotels with expansive lawns for kids to run around on.
And finally, what makes Cape Town such a great place to travel to is that it’s so easy to combine with other amazing destinations. With our selection of Cape Town holiday packages, you can hire a car and drive to the nearby Whale Coast before tacking your way down the splendidly scenic Garden Route, or fly to the Kruger Park – one of Africa’s greatest game reserves – or how about thundering Victoria Falls? Simply chat to your well-travelled Africa safari expert: they’ve tried and tested all the options and will help you put together the perfect Cape Town holiday.
Table Mountain – a Mountain rising from the sea; It is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Table Mountain is home to a large array of fauna and flora, most of which is endemic
It is much more than a scenic photograph background or a place from where you can take a breathtaking photo of Cape Town.
There are about 2,200 species of plants found on Table Mountain and 1470 floral species. Many of these plants and flowers are endemic to this mountain.
With so much scenery to explore, the best place to panoramic views of Cape Town on an abbreviated schedule is from Signal Hill, located next to Lion’s Head in Table Mountain National Park. The drive from Lion’s Head to Signal Hill is quick—about five minutes—and exceptionally pretty. From the flat-topped hill, you’ll find uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean, the harbor, Robben Island, and the entire city. Spend a few minutes exploring the peak, as each spot offers a different angle of the city and the peninsula.
3. Boulders Bay
The beautiful Boulders Beach is one of Cape Town’s most visited beaches and the only place in the world where you get close to African Penguins.
Want to save money on sightseeing? Get hold of a City Pass for generous discounts on Cape Town’s top attractions.
Cape Town definitely has no shortage of amazing beaches, but Boulders Beach in False Bay offers something extra special – a colony of African Penguins in all their smartly dresses, waddling glory, right under your nose. In fact, it’s the only place in the world where you can get close to African Penguins.
4. Victoria & Alfred waterfront
The Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront in Cape Town is situated on the Atlantic shore, Table Bay Harbour, the City of Cape Town and Table Mountain. Adrian van der Vyver designed the complex.
Situated in South Africa’s oldest working harbor, the 123 hectares area has been developed for mixed-use, with both residential and commercial real estate.
The Waterfront attracts more than 23 million visitors a year.
5. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
Kirstenbosch is an important botanical garden nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The garden is one of ten National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa’s six different biomes and administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Prior to 1 September 2004, the institute was known as the National Botanical Institute.
When Kirstenbosch, the most famous of the gardens, was founded in 1913 to preserve the country’s unique flora, it was the first botanical garden in the world with this ethos. Kirstenbosch places a strong emphasis on the cultivation of indigenous plants.
The garden includes a large conservatory (The Botanical Society Conservatory) exhibiting plants from a number of different regions, including savanna, fynbos, karoo and others. Outdoors, the focus is on plants native to the Cape region, highlighted by the spectacular collections of proteas.
6. Cape Point – Cape of Good Hope
Cape Point is a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, which is a mountainous and scenic landform that runs north-south for about thirty kilometres at the extreme southwestern tip of the African continent in the Republic of South Africa. Table Mountain and the city of Cape Town are close to the northern extremity of the same peninsula. The cape is located at 34°21′26″S 18°29′51″ECoordinates: 34°21′26″S 18°29′51″E, about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 mi) east and a little north of the Cape of Good Hope on the southwest corner.[1] Although these two rocky capes are very well known, neither cape is actually the southernmost point of the mainland of Africa; that is Cape Agulhas, approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) to the east-southeast.
7. Clifton Beach
Clifton is the heart of Cape Town’s beach scene, pulsating with the energy of the bronzed and beautiful. It’s a place to see and be seen, with itsy-bitsy bikinis, g-strings and designer sunglasses the order of the day. While topless tanning is not frowned upon, total nudity is best saved for Sandy Bay. Just offshore, a few yachts lying at anchor in the clear blue waters add to the exotic flavour. Clifton’s four dazzlingly white beaches, separated by outcrops of granite rock, are the most sheltered in Cape Town.
8. Stellenbosch
One of the biggest tourist attractions in the Western Cape
Stellenbosch is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, situated about 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Cape Town, along the banks of the Eerste River at the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountain. It is the second oldest European settlement in the province, after Cape Town. The town became known as the City of Oaks or Eikestad in Afrikaans and Dutch due to the large number of oak trees that were planted by its founder, Simon van der Stel, to grace the streets and homesteads
9. Long Street
Long Street is a major street located in the City Bowl section of Cape Town, South Africa. It is famous as a bohemian hang out and the street is lined with many book stores, various ethnic restaurants and bars. Restaurants include African restaurants such as Zula, and Indian restaurants such as Masala Dosa. Long Street exhibits a diversified culture and attracts tourists from all over the world. It also has a number of youth hostels which provide accommodation to an international roster of guests. Several theatres which showed anti-apartheid plays were located on the street during the 1970s and 1980s, although most have now closed and been replaced by restaurants or stores.
10. Camps Bay
One of the most vibrant and popular suburbs in Cape Town, Camps Bay lies just beyond the four beaches of Clifton an exceptionally beautiful setting amongst the Twelve Apostles and Lion’s Head, on the other side of Table Mountain.
The beachfront of Camps Bay is a long stretch of white, palm tree-lined sand and along its length is a boulevard that forms part of a series of pavement cafes, bistros and restaurants specializing in Mediterranean fare that has earned Camps Bay its trendy and cosmopolitan character. It hums all day and in particular at night when Cape Town’s trendier set come out to play.
Homes in Camps Bay fetch a few cool million with ease and staying in the much sought after suburb has become something of a practice for many visitors, who return again and again to soak up the sun and mingle with the pavement culture.
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