Visit Cape Town welcomes you to the complete tourist information, travel and destination guide to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town – also known as the Mother City of South Africa.
Cape Town is one of the most vibrant, diverse and unique cities in the whole world.
When you visit Cape Town you will soon feel right at home and part of the “family” – and you won’t feel like a visitor to this beautiful city at all.
One of the first things that you will see when visiting Cape Town, is the impressive presence of Table Mountain which stands proud above the city.
If/when you visit Table Mountain on a clear day you will be able to see as far as the West Coast of South Africa and even the Cape Winelands.

Cape Town is also known as Kaapstad in the local, Afrikaans language.
Cape Town is the second most populous urban area in South Africa after Johannesburg, but due to the impressive presence of Table Mountain (the city is built around the mountain), you never quite get the feeling that Cape Town is that big.
As the seat of Parliament of South Africa, it is also the legislative capital of the country.
It also forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.
The City of Cape Town is famous for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floral Region and for well-known landmarks as Table Mountain, Cape Point, Robben Island, the Cape Wine Routes, sandy beaches and many more.
For most seasonal travellers across the globe it is not a question of if, but rather when they will visit Cape Town to enjoy its natural beauty.
Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa, but Africa as a whole.
It seems like everyone wants to visit Cape Town and is always asking for tourist information on this amazing city.
This is due to its good climate, natural setting and well developed infrastructure.
More and more international carriers are flying direct (not stop) into Cape Town and well-known airlines such as British Airways (BA) and Emirates each offer 3 flights per day to the city.

The City of Cape Town has several well-known natural features that attracts tourists, most notably Table Mountain which forms part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl area.
Reaching the top of Table Mountain can be achieved either by hiking up or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway.
Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula.
Many tourists also drive along Chapman’s Peak Drive (when open), a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay, for the views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains.
It is also possible to either drive or hike up to Signal Hill for breathtaking views of Cape Town City and Table Mountain – especially at sunset.

Many tourists also visit Cape Town’s beaches, which are popular with local residents and some of the most beautiful in the world.
Due to the city’s unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere.
Beaches located on the Atlantic Coast tend to have very cold water due to the Benguela current which originates from the southern ocean, whilst the water at False Bay beaches may be warmer by up to 10 degrees.
Both coasts are equally popular, although the beaches in affluent Clifton and elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast are better developed with restaurants and cafés, with a strip of restaurants and bars accessible to the beach at Camps Bay.
The Atlantic seaboard, known as Cape Town’s Riviera, is regarded as one of the most scenic routes in South Africa.
From the majestic slopes of the Twelve Apostles to the unspoilt boulders and white sandy beaches of Llandudno (with the route ending in Hout Bay) – this part of Cape Town is a diverse bustling suburb with a harbour and a seal island.
The fishing village of Hout Bay is flanked by the luscious Constantia Valley and the picturesque Chapman’s Peak Drive.
Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town is known for its colony of African penguins.

A Short History on Cape Town
The earliest known remnants in the region were found at Peers Cave in Fish Hoek and dates between 15 000 to 12 000 years ago.
Little is known of the history of the region’s first residence, since there is no written history from the area before it was first mentioned by Portuguese explorer Bartholomeus Dias in 1486 who was the first European to reach the area and named it “Cape of Storms” (Cabo das Tormentas).
It was later renamed by John 2 of Portugal as “Cape of Good Hope” because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of the sea route to India and the East.
Vasco da Gama recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497.
In the late 16th Century Portuguese, French, Danish, Dutch and English ships regularly stopped over in Table Bay en route to the Indies.
They traded tobacco, copper and iron with the Khoikhoi people in exchange for fresh meat.

In 1652, jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company were sent to the Cape to establish a way-station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies and the Fort de Goede Hoop (later replaced by the Castle of Good Hope was established.
The settlement grew slowly during this period, as it was hard to find adequate labour.
This labour shortage prompted the authorities to import slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar.
Many of these became ancestors of the first Cape Coloured communities.
Under Van Riebeeck and his successors as VOC commanders and later governors at the Cape, an impressive range of useful plants were introduced to the Cape – in the process changing the natural environment forever.
Some of these, including grapes, cereals, ground nuts, potatoes, apples and citrus, had an important and lasting influence on the societies and economies of the region.

British forces occupied the Cape in 1806 following the Battle of Blaauwberg.
In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Cape Town was permanently ceded to Britain.
It became the capital of the newly formed Cape Colony, whose territory expanded substantially through the 1800’s.
With expansion came calls for greater independence from Britain, with the Cape attaining its own parliament in 1854 and a locally accountable Prime Minister in 1872.

Suburbs of Cape Town City
Cape Town’s urban geography is influenced by the contours of Table Mountain, its surrounding peaks, the Durbanville Hills and the expansive lowland region known as the Cape Flats.
These geographic features in part divide the city into several commonly known groupings of suburbs (equivalent of districts outside of South Africa), many of which developed historically together and share common attributes of language and culture.

1. City Bowl
The Cape Town City Bowl is a natural amphitheatre-shaped area bordered by Table Bay and defined by the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak.
The area includes the central business district of Cape Town, the harbour, the Company Gardens and also the residential suburbs of De Waterkant, Devil’s Peak, District Six, Zonnebloem, Gardens, Bo-Kaap, Higgovale, Oranjezicht, Schotsche Kloof, Tamboerskloof, University Estate, Vredehoek, Walmer Estate and Woodstock.

2. Atlantic Seaboard
The Atlantic Seaboard lies west of Cape Town and Table Mountain and is characterised by its beaches, cliffs, promenade and hillside communities.
The area includes, from north to south, the neighbourhoods of Green Point, Mouille Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay.
The Atlantic Seaboard has some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa particularly on Nettleton and Clifton Roads in Clifton, Ocean View Drive and St Leon Avenue in Bantry Bay, Theresa Avenue in Bakoven and Fisherman’s Bend in Llandudno.
Camps Bay is home to the highest concentration of multi-millionaires in Cape Town and has the highest number of high-priced mansions in South Africa with more than 200 residential units exceeding R20 million.

3. Southern Suburbs
The Southern Suburbs hug the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, southeast of the CBD.
This area has mixed languages but is predominantly English-speaking and includes, from north to south, the neighbourhoods of Rondebosch, Pinelands, Thornton, Newlands, Mowbray, Observatory, Bishopscourt, Claremont, Landsdowne, Wynberg, Plumstead, Hout Bay, Ottery and Bergvliet.
West of Wynberg lies Constantia which, in addition to being a wealthy neighbourhood, is a notable wine-growing region within the greater City of Cape Town.
Constantia not only offers a luscious suburban living lifestyle, but also attracts tourists for its well-known wine farms and Cape Dutch architecture.

4. South Peninsula
The South Peninsula is generally regarded as the area south of Muizenberg on False Bay and Noordhoek on the Atlantic Ocean – all the way to Cape Point.
Until recently quite rural, the population of the area is growing quickly as new coastal developments proliferate and larger plots are subdivided to provide more compact housing.
It includes Capri Village, Clovelly, Fish Hoek, Glencairn, Kalk Bay, Kommetjie, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Ocean View, Scarborough, Simon’s Town, St James, Sunnydale, Sun Valley and Steenberg.
South Africa’s largest naval base is located at Simon’s Town harbour and close by is Boulders Beach, the site of a large colony of African penguins.

Festivals and Events in the Cape Town Region
When you visit Cape Town you will find that there is always something going on of interest.
To name but a few, the following Festivals and Events in and around Cape Town might be well worth planning your visit around.

The Constantia Gift Fair
Community Chest Twilight Team Run
Festival of Chariots
Cape Town Minstrel Carnival
Cape Town Art Fair
First Thursday’s – Cape Town Central
Cape Town Pride Festival
Cape Argus Cycle Tour
Cape Town Carnival
Two Oceans Marathon
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show
Cape Homemakers Expo
Hobby-X Cape Town
Street Food Festival
Constantia Harvest Festival
Cape Town Jazz Festival
Cape Town Waterfront Dragon Boat Festival
Whisky Festival Cape Town
World Travel Market Travel Show Cape Town
Meetings Africa
10’s Rugby Tournament
7’s Rugby Tournament

Weddings and Conferences in Cape Town
Cape Town have become the meetings and conference capital of South Africa in a very short time.
Over the years Cape Town have become the meetings and incentives gateway to Africa.
It’s the type of place where (even while working) you feel as if you are on holiday.
The beautiful City of Cape Town offers visitors many world-class conference venues to choose from, not least the impressive Cape Town International Convention Centre with Table Mountain as its backdrop.
When you visit Cape Town for business purposes you are almost always within a short stroll of mouth-watering restaurants, bars, café’s, beaches, night clubs and many more.
It is worth noted that Cape Town is also the incentive travel capital of Africa with world-class hotels, resorts, activities, beaches, wine, food and service.

For those guests that wishes to visit Cape Town for their romantic wedding rest assure that this beautiful city have some amazing wedding venues ranging from beach venues to lavish resort function and reception venues.
Not only is Cape Town ideal for your destination wedding, but the city also excels as a premier honeymoon destination with the Cape Winelands close by.
Our TOP TIP would be to keep in mind that the Cape Town Wedding Venues are sometimes booked out two years in advance during the summer season.
Get on it and book your wedding venue as soon as possible.
Remember that your guests will also require accommodation and they also need to plan and book well in advance. Please contact us at info@central-reservation.net should you require any assistance with guest accommodation.

Accommodation in Cape Town
Cape Town is the most hip, vibrant and multi-cultural city in South Africa.
This beautiful city always features on the top lists op cities that you MUST visit.
For this reason it often happens that Cape Town is booked out months in advance.
The accommodation in Cape Town includes hotel accommodation, accommodation in guest houses, bed and breakfasts and self-catering accommodation including holiday houses, luxury apartments, suites, villas and even cottages.
The accommodation in Cape Town is ideal for holiday and business travellers alike.
If you are looking to visit Cape Town you are spoilt for choice as to where in Cape Town you want to stay.
You may be interested in staying in a hotel with sea views or a luxury guest house with full views of Table Mountain – whatever your decision, you are sure to find any type and style of accommodation to suit your needs and budget.
Almost all accommodation in Cape Town offers free Wi-Fi.

Day Tours from Cape Town
Cape Town is close to magnificent mountains, beaches, wine areas, natural wonders, UNESCO Heritage Sites and so much more, so when you visit Cape Town you can choose a different day tour for everyday of the week and beyond.
Cape Town is ideally positioned for you to take various interesting guided tours as well as non-guided Driver Services.
With the city being quite central to beaches, rural landscapes and the Cape Winelands we would advise you to sit back, relax and not worry about driving at all.
After all, you are here to relax and enjoy the beautiful, jaw-dropping scenery.
With the restaurants all offering some of the Cape’s best wines you also don’t want to drink and drive after a lush lunch.
There are so many delightful tours to choose from. To name but a few you can do the Table Mountain and City Tour, the Cape Peninsula Tour, various half day tours, private tours and various wine tours including the famous Mystery Wine Tour by La Rochelle Tours, the Chocolate, Cheese, Olive and Wine Tour, the Cape Gourmet Delights Tour and so much more.
Top Tip: Should you plan to stay a couple of nights in the winelands areas of Franschhoek or Stellenbosch we would recommend that you do your wine tour while staying there as it is (1) cheaper and (2) you don’t have to sit 2 hours on the road just getting to and from the winelands.

Restaurants in Cape Town
Cape Town has become known as the Gourmet Capital of Africa with some of the best restaurants on the continent, even better than Morocco.
You will definitely find the top restaurants in South Africa right here.
Representing some of the best in local and international cuisine, Cape Town offers a wide selection of restaurants, café’s and gastro-pubs to suit every palate, budget and mood.
We would suggest that you book your table well in advance to avoid disappointment.

We trust that you will visit Cape Town in the very near future to experience all the hidden gems of the region.