Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa and its legislative capital. It is located in the south-west part of the country close to the Cape of Good Hope and from the renowned Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.

Cape Town is a big metropolis, with an energetic lifestyle, and adding to that, also has a very rich cultural heritage. Some of the most important attractions in the whole country, such as the Table Mountain; Robben Island; the Cape Town Wine Routes; the V&A Waterfront and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are to be found in this city.

REASONS TO GO

A magnificent city with a troubled past and still a difficult present.

The overwhelming landscape and climate.

The amazing Wine Routes and Garden Route.

TO AVOID

Crime is especially high in Seapoint, Greenpoint, Salt River, Observatory, Mowbray, and the Cape Flats.

ORIENTATION

The centre of Cape Town is situated at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a remarkable background to the City Bowl, with its high; it is delimited by sheer vertical cliffs, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. The peninsula consists of a spectacular mountainous vertebrae extending southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point. Many of the suburbs of Cape Town are located on the large plain of the Cape Flats, which connects the peninsula to the mainland.

BEST TIME TO GO

Being positioned between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, Cape Town has mild winters and pleasant summers. Most tourists visit Cape Town during summer, which is from November to February.

Spring (September and October) and autumn (April and May) are the best times to visit the city, as the weather will be pleasant and the nature will be at its best.

HOW TO GET THERE

Cape Town International Airport is the second largest airport in South Africa and is situated only 17km from the city centre.

Shuttle services and taxis operate from kiosks in the International and Domestic Arrivals halls at the airport.

All major car hire companies operate from the airport and have city depots.

TRAVELLING AROUND

The city centre is small enough to explore on foot, but if you want to get around, the best to do is to rent a car or travel by taxi. Public transportation services are not very efficient.

A train service and also a bus service operate across the main areas of the city. However, this is mainly directed to commuter transport.

A great way to see the city is on the City Sightseeing bus. You can hop on and off as you wish along the route between many of the city’s main attractions.

There is also a convenient bus aimed at backpackers, called the Baz Bus. This service offers hop-on, hop-off fares between Cape Town and the Cape Garden Route as well as the rest of South Africa.

INFO

http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za

http://www.capetown.travel/