Cape Town
Here are some ideas to guide you:
Camps Bay, Glen and Clifton Beach
Cape Town's many clean, natural beaches are considered among the most beautiful in the world, spectacularly situated between sea and mountain, from False Bay to the Atlantic Coast. Sun-worshippers, nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts alike are spoilt for choice! Just 10 minutes from the city centre, Clifton and Camps Bay are sheltered from the southeaster wind, and are perfect for sunbathing, swimming, beach walks and sundowners. Surfing spots abound, as well as excellent spots for scuba diving, boardsailing and fishing. For those afraid to brave the invigorating sea temperatures of the Atlantic coast, a scenic drive to False Bay offers warmer waters at popular Muizenberg, Kalk Bay or Simonstown. For 'naturalists' wanting to get a little closer to the elements, Sandy Bay, a nature reserve, is also an unofficial nudist beach. With the exception of Boulders Beach in False Bay, home to the African Penguin, entrance to all Cape Town's lovely beaches is free.
V&A Waterfront
Loved by locals and tourists alike for its unique beauty as a working harbour, complemented by qualities such as designer clothing stores, expansive views and harbour edge dining, the V&A Waterfront is Africa’s most visited tourist destination. A veritable tourist’s paradise, featuring over 400 stores, award-winning restaurants, boat trips, 14 cinemas, an amphitheatre and much more, the V&A Waterfront offers something to suit everyone’s taste and style.
The Red Shed Craft Market
The Red Shed Craft Market is attached to the Victoria Warf Shopping Centre, and it’s easy for visitors to stop in without leaving the building. The Red Shed features the crafts of various artists, including purse-maker Annegret Ross, home furnishings and jewellery. You are more likely to find handmade crafts here than at any other market and given its indoor location, you can shop even in unfavorable weather.
Table Mountain and the Cable Car
A World Heritage Site and Cape Town's most unique identifying landmark, its summit soars 1086m above sea level and can be reached by means of a revolving cable car. Visitors can marvel at the awe-inspiring 360° view of Cape Town while enjoying a meal or refreshing drink at the restaurant, or wandering the rocky trails lined with beautiful fynbos. A must do when the weather allows!
Lion's Head
Lion’s Head is a very popular local hiking route to the summit of Lion’s Head, offering exquisite views of Camps Bay, Signal Hill and Cape Town.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
A world famous garden, set on 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest.
The Castle of Good Hope
Built between the years 1666- 1679 is situated in the heart of Cape Town, and is the oldest building in South Africa. It is a pentagonal fort with a moat and bastions at each corner, each named after the titles of the Prince of Orange. The Castle houses a military museum with three linked themes: the military history of the Cape, the military history of the Castle and the history of the Cape regiments past and present. It also houses the William Fehr Collection of paintings and antiques, and visitors can dine or relax with a refreshing drink at a restaurant on the premises. - Company Gardens - Situated off Upper Adderley Street in the city centre, the oldest garden in South Africa was established by Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 as a vegetable garden to supply fresh produce to passing ships. Today it contains a wide variety of indigenous and exotic plants, shrubs and trees, an aviary and a restaurant. Its sundial dates back to 1787 and its bell tower to 1855. Below the restaurant is a saffron pear tree, the oldest cultivated tree in South Africa and believed to have been planted shortly after Van Riebeeck established a settlement here.
Green Market Square
Formerly the site of a slave market, Greenmarket Square is now a good place to find African curios, clothes, bric-a-brac and other souvenirs. The cobblestone streets are worth tottering over, and the bordering Old Town House art museum (built in the late 1700s), restaurants, cafes, hotels and other shops merit a look inside. This outdoor market is open from Monday to Satruday only, closed on Sundays.
Robben Island
A national monument, Robben Island is one of the most significant historical sites in South Africa. First used by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a refreshment station, it later became an asylum and leper colony. The Island was then controlled by the Army and Navy, after which it fell into the hands of the Department of Correctional Services in 1960. It gained notoriety as a gaol for those considered dangerous to the previous government, including its most famous prisoner, Nelson Mandela, for whom the island was 'home' for over two decades. A limited number of tourists can now visit Robben Island every day, with guided tours of the prison and a museum as well as walking and cycling tours for a closer look at the wildlife and the splendid views of Cape Town from the island.
Two Oceans Aquarium
The southern tip of the African continent is the meeting place of two mighty and bountiful oceans, the Indian and the Atlantic. The Two Oceans Aquarium on the V&A Waterfront is ideally positioned to showcase the incredible diversity of marine life found in these two oceans. The Aquarium boasts over 3000 living sea animals, including sharks, fishes, turtles and penguins can be seen in this spectacular underwater nature reserve.
Groot Constantia
The Cape's oldest homestead - the farm originally allocated to Governor Simon van der Stel. At the Manor House, visitors can admire furniture and antiques dating to the mid-1700s, and, in the Wine Museum, a rare selection of wine drinking and storage vessels dating from between 500BC and the 19th century. Visitors can also enjoy cellar tours, purchase wine from the Estate and dine here.
Hout Bay
Traditional, working harbour with rustic fishing boats and the constant activity of fishermen plying their trade, is at 22km from Cape Town city centre. The Hout Bay harbour boasts the world-famous Mariners' Wharf, comprising a harbour front emporium of live lobster and fish markets, seafood bistros and restaurants, shell, souvenir, art and nautical-style shops, and old wine and liquor store, and a pearl-in-an-oyster outlet. Visitors can enjoy round-the-bay boat trips, watch the antics of the cape fur seals in the summer months and enjoy the moon shaped beach of Hout Bay.
Good Hope Nature Reserve
Situated on the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve boasts 7 750 hectares of indigenous flora and fauna. Visitors can look out for baboon, bontebok, zebra, Cape grysbok, steenbok, grey rhebok, eland, springbok, grey mongoose and over 150 species of bird. In the reserve, at the end of the Table Mountain chain, is world-famous Cape Point, the dramatic and visually awe-inspiring promontory, and a restaurant where one can dine in style where the two oceans are said to meet.
Boulders Penguin Colony
Home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and there is also a new information centre. Children will love the penguins and their antics and Boulders Beach is also worth a stop for safe and enjoyable swimming. Situated just outside Simonstown on False Bay, a visit to Boulders Beach is easily combined with you Cape Point Tour.
District Six Museum
District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867. Originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, labourers and immigrants, District Six was a vibrant centre with close links to the city and the port. By the beginning of the twentieth century, however, the history of removals and marginalisation had begun. In 1966, it was declared a white area under the Group areas Act, and by 1982, the life of the community was over. 60 000 people were forcibly removed to outlying areas known as the Cape Flats, and their houses in District Six were flattened by bulldozers. The District Six Museum, established in December 1994, works with the memories of these experiences and with the history of forced removals more generally.
Gold of Africa Museum
The Gold of Africa Museum, located in the historic Martin Melck House in the heart of Cape Town, is dedicated to the history and artistry of African gold. The museum contains the world-renowned collection of West African gold artefacts originally from the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva, as well as artefacts from the ancient gold civilisations of southern Africa. The power and wealth of the gold-rich kingdoms of Africa is a little easier to comprehend once the museum’s collection of exquisitely crafted objects has been viewed.
