Plan
for 2010
World Cup Picnic
up Table Mountain Visit
Robben Island Shop
at the V&A Waterfront Browse
objets d'art at Kalk Bay Eat
a seafood lunch at Hout Bay Do
a walking tour of Bo-Kaap Go
wine tasting in Stellenbosch Visit
the Convention Centre Go
sailing in Table Bay Climb
up Lion's Head Laze
in the sun at Clifton Beach Go
kitesurfing at Blouberg Strand
Cape Town, Jewel of Africa, and South Africa's
oldest city is the hub of the Western Cape travel experience.
Nestled in a natural amphitheatre surrounded by mountain
peaks, this cosmopolitan city blends French, Dutch,
English and San history with a unique combination
of modern hotels, five-star restaurants, shopping,
music venues, theatre and nightlife that will make your visit an
unforgettable experience.
And around every corner you will see the spectacular views
of oceans, mountains and beaches that make this city a photographer's
paradise and nature lover's dream.
Cape Town is one of the South African host
cities for the FIFA
2010 soccer world cup and features one of
the best selections of accommodation anywhere
in the country. A wide range of 3-5 star hotels,
guest houses, bed and breakfasts, backpackers and boutique
hotels cater
to all travel styles and budgets.
Among Cape Town's many attractions is the famous Table
Mountain, a 1000m high sandstone buttress flanked by Lion's
Head and Devil's Peak. Access to the mountain
is only a few minutes from the city centre and the top
can be reached by cable car or hiking trail.
The Table Mountain National Park stretches
from the mountain itself some 40km, over the mountains
of Constantiaberg
and the Silvermine Reserve, past Kommetjie and Scarborough,
down to the Cape
Point Nature Reserve. Here you will experience fynbos at
its best and be able to visit the lighthouse, restaurant
and Dias Beach - a pristine stretch of white sand alongside
The Cape of Good Hope.
A short boat trip into Table Bay will take you to Robben
Island, where Nelson Mandela spent many years
in prison during the Apartheid era. The island
with its small harbour is also a haven for penguins, marine
mammals and wildlife.
The Victoria
and Alfred Waterfront is a bustling entertainment centre
and one of the best developments of its kind anywhere in
the world. Shop for high fashion, gold and diamonds,
adventure gear or local arts and crafts. Dine
at one of the many seafood restaurants, bistros or steakhouses
or enjoy a glass of fine Cape Chardonnay at the water's
edge. Included in the Waterfront complex are cinemas, luxury
hotels, yacht mooring facilities, and tour companies offering
helicopter flips and sunset cruises.
Take a day trip around the peninsula and you could visit Kalk
Bay with its quaint harbour and antique shops, Simonstown's
museums and Naval Base, Cape Point - where the
Indian and Atlantic Oceans are said to meet. Noordhoek
Beach is a place of solitude where romantics often
wander along the kilometers of white sand while the ice
blue waves of the Atlantic crash onto the shore.
If you've worked up an appetite, Mariner's Wharf at Hout
Bay will serve you a delicious seafood lunch while
you watch the sailboats tack against the towering backdrop
of Chapman's Peak. Just around the corner is 'Dungeons'
- location of the annual Red Bull Big Wave Challenge where
surfers come from all corners of the globe to test their
skill on the gigantic waves.
In the heart of Cape Town's southern
suburbs lies the historic estate of Groot Constantia which
today still produces wines of excellent quality. The
beautiful
Cape Dutch homestead, once the home
of Simon van der Stel, houses some finest examples of
furniture,
couture and paintings from the colonial era.
Cape Town's city centre
also features much of historical interest. The Malay
Quarter or Bo-Kaap is home to a thriving, colourful
Muslim community. The cobbled streets, colourful terraced
houses and
traditional eateries create an eastern atmosphere reminiscent
of the
early days of the Cape colony.
The central city also features a rich architectural
heritage with buildings reflecting Victorian,
Edwardian and Art Deco influences.
Most of these grand edifices have been lovingly
restored over the years and now host local businesses, restaurants,
loft apartments, coffee shops and specialist stores.
For travelers seeking outdoor
adventure, Cape Town's many tour operators will take
you to the best locations for mountain
biking, sea kayaking, paragliding, rock climbing, shark
diving, whale watching and 4x4 trips. The
diverse geography of the region make adventure day
trips easy to fit into
your itinerary.
Cape Town is consistently rated as one
of the top
travel destinations in the world. The combination
of luxurious accommodation, stunning natural beauty,
variety
of attractions, world-class shopping and cuisine, and
delicious Cape wines makes this beautiful
city at the tip of Africa a place that everyone should
visit at least once in a lifetime.
Plan
for 
Freestate 
