Cape Town Guide

Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa due to its year round climate, natural setting and well developed infrastructure. It is also considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, fondly known as the ‘Mother City’, Cape Town is the perfect place to start your South African adventure. Made up of many leafy suburbs and regions that spread beyond Table Mountain, Cape Town is a unique city combining natural beauty and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. It is also steeped in cultural history and is home to a number of world renowned tourist sites including Table Mountain, The Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Robben Island to name a few. Cape Town is the capital of the Western Cape, and offers guests easy access to regions including The Garden Route and South Africa’s finest wine regions such as Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.

Table Mountain dominates much of Cape Town’s skyline and a visit to Cape Town wouldn’t be complete without a trip on the Cableway to the top which offers incredible views over the sprawling city below.

Table Mountain National Park is home to a variety of animal species including a wonderful birdlife, flora, indigenous forest and fauna and reaches from Table Mountain to The Cape of Good Hope. The Cape Of Good Hope, is a region that was once considered to be Africa’s southern most point, but it is actually the point where the waves from the Atlantic Ocean collide with the soft breakers from the Indian Ocean.

Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is one of the city’s most popular tourist sites, this sheltered beach is made up of inlets between granite boulders, hence the name. Located not far from Cape Town, it is often referred to as Boulders Bay. In 1982 a colony of African Penguins made this rocky beach their home and have lived here ever since, their numbers have increased to over 3000 in recent years.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is located in Cape Town’s historic heart, this is South Africa’s most visited destination and it is easy to see why. Overlooking a yacht filled marina and Table Mountain, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront offers a large selection of harbour front restaurants with local entertainment and the Marina Wharf shopping centre. The V&A Waterfront as it is often referred to is also home to the Nelson Mandela Gateway that offers boat trips to Robben Island and Two Oceans Aquarium, home to species from both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, a natural bay in the Atlantic Ocean that is overlooked by Cape Town. The name Robben Island is Dutch and translates to ‘Seal Island, this oval shaped island is just over 3km long and only a few meters above sea level and is the result of ancient erosion event. The former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on this tiny island for 18 of the 27 years he spent behind bars.

Governors House Robben Island

You will be spoilt for choice when deciding how to spend the days, from roaming Cape Town with its cafés, heritage buildings and shopping or relaxing on one of the cities many beaches. A foodies paradise, dining in Cape Town is a wonderful experience that offers an exciting mix of influences from the European settlers, Asian slaves and African immigrants ensuring that you can sample many local dishes. Local specialties include Cape Malay bobotis or roties, superlative Indian restaurants, fine continental dining, South African fusion meals and local African delicacies.

British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow in 11 hours, South African Airways operate via Johannesburg both on a daily basis.