Cape Town Information
Cape Town also known as the Mother City, situated in the Western Cape of South Africa is regarded as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. On of South Africa's top tourist attractions. The city is bursting with a diverse range of culture resulting from the amalgamation of Dutch, British, French and German settlers as well as the local Bantu, Hottentot and Busman Tribes. Cape Town was founded in 1652 when Jan van Riebeek was sent to the Cape to establish a way station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies. The “Fort de Goede Hoop” was built which today is known as The Castle of Good Hope. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost and became the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony.
Cape Town is known for its floral kingdom as well as famous landmarks such as Table Mountain and Cape Point, and is South Africa’s most popular tourist destination. Cape Town is also officially recognized by Forbers as one of the 10 most beautiful cities in the world .
Table Mountain’s impressive presence looms proudly above the city. The Cape Peninsula is framed by beautiful sandy beaches and majestic mountain ranges. Slightly inland you will find the world famous Cape Winelands Routes.
Cape Town offers the tourist multitudes of entertainment. From a roaring nightlife to lazy days in the sun as well as many cultural activities. A shopping paradise , from numerous stylish shopping malls to haggling with vendors at many outdoor flea markets. Cape Town boasts a huge variety of cuisine catering for everyone’s taste from fast food outlets to the very up market and chic restaurants reflecting its diverse culture.
Cape Town holiday accommodation has something on offer for everyone, whether it be Cape Town Hotels or Cape Town guest houses, bed and breakfast or Cape Town self catering accommodation, you will find accommodation in this beautiful city of Cape Town which suites your every need.
Cape Town Climate
Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate receiving most of its rain during the winter months ranging from June to August. Cold fronts sweep across the Atlantic and bombard the Peninsula with rain and gale force winds a reminder of why early settlers referred to Cape Town as the Cape of Storms. Cape Town Winters are fairly cool with an average daytime temperature of 15.5”C. Summer ranging from December to February is warm to hot with average temperatures of 25.9”C. For more information on the weather please visit Weathersa
Places of Interest and Activities
Table Mountain
Since the first person laid eyes on Table Mountain, it has exerted its powerful and charismatic pull, enchanting and any and all who fall under its spell. This tourist attraction is a must. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company has been providing visitors with a world-class experience since October 4, 1929. The company operates in a National Park and World Heritage site.The five-minute ascent to the top of Table Mountain offers a 360° view of Cape Town, the ocean and the neighbouring peaks. Once at the top visitors enjoy spectacular views of Cape Town and the peaceful feeling of being over one thousand metres above the city below. The area at the top of the mountain is surprisingly large so leave enough time to stroll along the paths, enjoy the viewing platforms and soak up the vistas. For more information on Table Mountain
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
Situated at the foot of Table Mountain, within a stone’s throw from the Cape Town Stadium and in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour, the V&A Waterfront offers the visitor an abundance of unforgettable experiences. Indoor shopping and entertainment venues seamlessly merge with ocean vistas and mountain views and the fresh sea breeze and warm African sun add zest to a cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere. More than 80 restaurants bring a fusion of international food, from rustic al fresco fish and chips to starched table-cloth cuisine. Come and spend the day with us – there is just so much to do, so much to discover. For more information on V&A Waterfront
Two Oceans Aquarium
The Two Oceans Aquarium opened in November 1995 and is recognized as one of the top tourist attractions in Cape Town. It has established itself as a key player in raising environmental awareness through its high-quality exhibits, conservation and education programmes. The Aquarium is rapidly gaining recognition as a leading environmental education centre in South Africa. It is also respected internationally for its high standards of animal husbandry and the expertise of its staff in collecting and transporting live animals. For more information on Two Oceans Aquarium
The Company’s Garden – Government Avenue
The Company's Garden is one of Cape Town’s premier tourist attractions in Government Avenue - a green jewel in the heart of a vibrant, bustling metropolis. The garden was formally established in 1652 by Dutch settlers and rich in cultural history. It is abutted by numerous important landmarks, including the lodge house for the slaves who built large parts of the historic city, the present day Houses of Parliament, the Iziko SA Museum and Planetarium, St George's Cathedral (which is the seat of the Anglican church in SA), the National Library of SA, the SA National Gallery, the Great Synagogue and Holocaust Centre and Tuynhuys, which is used by the President on State occasions.
The Cape of Good Hope Castle
Built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a maritime replenishment station, the Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa.
From 1678 it was the centre of civilian, administrative and military life at the Cape, until the settlement grew and some functions and activities moved away from the Castle. Today the Castle is the seat of the military in the Cape, and houses the Castle Military Museum and Iziko Museums of Cape Town (William Fehr Collection). The Castle of Good Hope is a service orientated public entity, striving to optimize its tourism potential and accessibility to the public and to preserve and protect its cultural and military heritage. For more information on The Cape of Good Hope Castle
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain. It is the first botanic garden in the world to be included within a natural World Heritage Site.
The Garden covers 36 hectares in a 528 hectare estate that contains protected mountainside supporting natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. There are over 7000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species. Summer concerts are held in Kirstenbosch's very own ampitheatre. For more information on Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
Robben Island
From the 17th to the 20th centuries, Robben Island served as a place of banishment, isolation and imprisonment. This is where Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s very first Democratic President was incarcerated, from 1964 to 1982. Today Robben Island is a World Heritage Site and Museum. Ferries depart daily at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm, weather permitting, from Nelson Mandela Gateway, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. For more information on Robben Island
Cape Point
This south-westerly tip of the African continent has some of the most spectacular breathtaking ocean and mountain scenery in the world. Two of the planet’s mighty oceans meet here – the cold Atlantic Ocean on the west coast and the warm Indian Ocean on the east. It falls within the 22 100ha of the Table Mountain National Park, a World Heritage Site.
The Two Oceans Restaurant offers world-class cuisine and the most spectacular vistas over False Bay. A funicular railway is on hand to whisk visitors to a viewpoint at the old lighthouse. The area is of rich cultural and historical significance and includes monuments to early explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartholomeu Dias.
There are great swimming spots, picnic sites and walks at the Bordjiesrif and Buffels Bay tidal pools. The Point is home to approximately 1100 indigenous plant species, some of which occur nowhere else on Earth. Whales can be seen on their annual migration past the Point, between May and November. More than 250 bird species are found on the Point, from large ostriches to tiny sunbirds. The vulnerable Cape mountain zebra lives here, along with a host of other antelope species and smaller indigenous creatures such as the mongoose and dassie. The treacherous rocky reefs surrounding the Point are home to 26 recorded shipwrecks and many more that lie undiscovered. It boasts one of the highest sea cliffs in the world, at 249m above sea level. Cape Point represents a unique corner of the African continent. It truly is one point with a million points of view!
The park offers fantastic outdoor sporting options, whether you want to go scuba diving or sea kayaking there is an activity to get your adrenalin pumping. This is where the legendary ghost ship – the Flying Dutchman – has been seen by many over the years, ploughing through the ocean in full sail. For more information on Cape Point
Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach, situated near Simons town on the False Bay coast with its superb scenery and the Indian Ocean offering warmer waters. Boulders is famous for its penguin colony where you can watch penguins in their natural habitat. Breeding season is in September and you can see penguins hatching out of their eggs. The black and white African penguins rule the beach. Picnic on the beach, swim with the Penguins or enjoy a walk on the boardwalks taking you over the dunes that thread their way through the colony of birds.
Chapmans Peak Drive
Chapman’s Peak Drive winds its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay. Situated on the Atlantic Coastline, at the south-western tip of South Africa, it is one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world. The 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman's Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg. The drive offers stunning 180° views with many areas along the route where you can stop and take in the scenery or sit down for a relaxing picnic. For more information on Chapmans Peak Drive
The Cape Winelands
The Cape Winelands – unsurpassed scenery with mountains, vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture, a region for all seasons. Award-winning wines, magnificent wine farms, the culinary capital of South Africa. The Cape Winelands is vast and filled with events and happenings, so make sure you set enough time aside to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, taste wine, pick strawberries and participate in numerous events hosted by the various regions. For more information on the Cape Winelands
