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Cape Town, Mother City of Africa, and the Western Cape, is an area which is regarded as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. The City is a rare cultural gem, resulting from the amalgamation of Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and German settlers, the local Bushman and Hottentots tribes and the Bantu tribes from the north.
Cape Town’s central city area is relatively small, compared to the sprawling expanse of suburbs which extends around and far beyond Table Mountain. The impressive presence of Table Mountain, flanked by the legendary Devil’s Peak and historical Signal Hill, stands proudly above the city. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, vleis and dams and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands, green in summer and red-gold in autumn.
Cape Town boasts a multitude of entertainment, ranging from outdoor activities and adventures in the sun to a roaring night life under neon signs. The vast range of shopping opportunities includes haggling with shop holders at Greenmarket Square Flea Market, as well as breezing through sophisticated and stylish shopping malls. The huge variety of restaurants reflects the multicultured history of the Cape and caters for everyone’s taste, from fast-food outlets and casual to the chic to the very elegant.
Cape Town provides a setting for many scenic wonders, magnificent seascapes and panoramic vistas. The beautiful coastal areas of Camps Bay, Clifton, Llandudno, Bantry Bay, Hout Bay and Blouberg surround the breathtaking tranquility of the winelands, Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franshhoek.
Cape Town is a city of culture, built on a history that reflects in the architecture, cuisine, music and dance. Together with a warm summer and temperate winter climate and a friendly community, the Western Cape and the Mother City are an ideal holiday destination throughout the year.
Major Attractions
Often described as magical and mystical, Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most prominent feature and a world famous landmark. This majestic mountain is visible from almost everywhere in Cape Town and is often used as a beacon by which to find direction.
The mountain is sculpted from sandstone and rises 1086 metres at its highest point, Maclears Beacon, above the bay. Its flat summit measures nearly 3km and provides breathtaking views over the city and its beaches. The panorama stretches from Table Bay to False Bay and around the mountain to the Hout Bay Valley and Kommetjie. On a clear day one has a magnificent view across the Cape Flats to the Hottentots Holland Mountains.
Table Mountain is home to a rich fauna and flora, many species of which are endemic and survive only in the unique ecosystem which is contained on the mountain. There are approximately 1470 species of plants, including over 250 different species of daisies! Examples of endemic plants are the rare Silver Tree and the wild orchid Disa Uniflora. Animals such as baboons and porcupines live here freely, as well as furry rodents called Rock Dassies. These little creatures look like plump rabbits without ears - incredibly, their closest living relative is the elephant! The Table Mountain Ghost Frog is an example of an animal found in no other place on the world.
The exhilarating ascent of Table Mountain in the cable car is a definite must for any visitor. Even the locals are awed time and again by the 360º view of Cape Town from the cable car. The cable car was first opened in 1929 and today conveys some 600,000 people to the summit annually. On the summit there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop, from which letters bearing the Table Mountain postmark can be sent. Short walks from the cable station take visitors through the splendor of the flora of Table Mountain, punctuated by occasional sightings of Dassies and framed by the surrounding azure of the Atlantic Ocean.
For those athletic and energetic types, there are some 350 recognized paths to the summit, some undemanding and suitable for children, and some extremely difficult. It is not advisable that visitors climb the mountain without an experienced guide. The mountain can be deceptive and it is strongly recommended that visitors contact the Mountain Club of South Africa on 021-4653412 before embarking on a hike or climb.
Table Mountain is flanked on the east by the legendary Devil’s Peak. As the story goes Van Hunks, a pirate in the early 18th century, retired from his eventful life at sea to live on the slopes of Devil’s Peak. He spent his days sitting on the mountain, smoking his pipe. One day a stranger approached him, and a smoking contest ensued which lasted for days. The smoke clouds built up and a strong wind blew them down towards the town. When Van Hunks finally won the contest, the stranger revealed himself to be the Devil (hence Devil’s Peak), and the two disappeared in a puff of smoke. Legend says that the cloud of smoke they left became Table Mountain’s tablecloth - the famous white cloud that spills over the mountain when the south-easter blows in summer.
Of course, the phenomenon is also supported by a meteorological explanation. The moisture-laden south-easter blows against Table Mountain from over the False Bay and rises. At a height of approximately 900 meters the winds reach the colder layers of air and thick clouds form. These clouds roll over the mountain and down towards the City Bowl. The characteristic tablecloth forms when the clouds reach the warmer, lower air layers and dissolve once more.
To the right of Table Mountain, Kloof Nek is linked to the aptly named Lion’s Head. The spiral walk up Lion’s Head passes through silver trees and spring flowers, and provides a 360º view of the Cape Peninsula as you go round the mountain. The walk is not terribly challenging, and is a popular family outing. At the top, you are rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view, and birds scramble for the crumbs left behind by numerous picnic baskets.
Lion’s Head in turn is connected by a lion’s body to the rump known as Signal Hill. Signal Hill derives its name from the time when it was used as a semaphore post for communication with ships at sea. It is from here that the noon cannon is still fired every day. After dark, the hill is a popular scene for couples who enjoy the romantic sight of the sparkle of the city lights with the backdrop of a floodlit Table Mountain.
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront isan energetic working harbor and one of South Africa’s most popular tourist attractions. Today the V&A Waterfront attracts more than 20 million visitors each year - locals and international tourists alike. With over 400 stores and 45 different restaurants and bars to offer, an arts and crafts centre, the IMAX cinema, an internationally renowned aquarium, a children’s science exploratium and a museum - it’s not difficult to see why!!
Since its origin in 1860, the Port of Cape Town provided an important haven along the Eastern trade routes. By the time Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s second son, tipped the first load of stone into the sea to initiate the construction of Cape Town’s harbor, the city had already been transformed into a hive of seafront activity. Even today many exotic and diverse products can be found here. The discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa necessitated an elaboration of the existing harbor section.
The two harbor basins were constructed between 1860 and 1920, and the area is noted for its heritage buildings which retain the charm of Victorian industrial architecture and a harbor built for sail and the early days of steam travel. Redevelopment of this famous site began in 1988 and continues today around the original Victoria and Alfred basins.
Robben Island is situated about 12km into the sea in the middle of Table Bay. Separated from the Cape mainland by a narrow channel of seawater, the island is a remote place, considered inaccessible for centuries. The author Lawrence Green described Robben Island as "The Island of Exiles", an appropriate title, given that the island has been used primarily as a prison ever since the Dutch settled at the Cape in the mid-16th century.
For 400 years, Robben Island served as a place of exile, beginning as a leper colony. From 1846-1931, the island harbored a hospital for leprosy patients, and the mentally and chronically ill. During this time, political and common-law prisoners were still kept on the island, and the island was as much a prison to them as to the patients, for whose ailing there was no cure and little effective treatment available.
During World War II (1939-1945) the Island was a training and defense station, and in 1961 it was converted to a maximum-security prison. African and Muslim leaders, Dutch and British soldiers and civilians, and even women were all imprisoned on the island. South Africa’s first democratic President, Nelson Mandela and the founding leader of the Pan African Congress, Robert Sobukwe, are among the more well known political figures who served their prison sentence on Robben Island during the Apartheid era.
The last political prisoner was released in 1991.
Robben Island not only holds historical remnants of an era considered to be one of the most important learning curves of South Africa; it also tells us about ’the indestructibility of the spirit of resistance against colonialism, injustice and oppression’. Overcoming opposition from the prison authorities, prisoners on the Island after the 1960s were able to organize sporting events, political debates and educational programs. By asserting their right to be treated as human beings, with dignity and equality, these prisoners contributed to establishing the foundations of South Africa’s modern democracy.
Much has been done to restore the island’s ecological haven to what it used to be before the intervention of man. In 1991 Robben Island was included in the SA natural heritage program and the northern part of the island was declared a bird sanctuary. Springbuck, ostrich, rabbits, Jackass penguins and Cape Fur seals are among the wildlife found on the island. In 1997 the Robben Island National Museum was established. The Museum is a dynamic institution and runs educational programs for schools, youths and adults. It facilitates tourism development, conducts ongoing research related to the island and is responsible for the safekeeping of various archives. On December 1st, 1999, Robben Island was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Today the island has a thriving population that lives in a quaint village with a bank, post office, museum and grocery store. On the road to the village visitors pass a square-towered church, old Sailboat cannons and old cars that sputter along the narrow tar roads. Most of the buildings date back to World War II, a historical background supported by the evidence of bunkers and 9.2-inch guns. These armaments were erected during the war to protect Cape Town from her enemies.
The island generates its own electricity and the inhabitants get their water from nine boreholes. Practically everything else, from milk to building materials, has to be ferried over from Cape Town Harbour.
Ferries sail daily from the V&A Waterfront jetty, taking visitors to the island. The entire trip lasts about 3½ hours, including the guided tours. Former political prisoners lead these tours around the cells and it is an emotional experience for many involved. For many South Africans, Robben Island is a place synonymous with leaders, and the struggle for freedom in this beautiful country. For more information about Robben Island go to http://www.robben-island.org.za/
The Slave Lodge, the second oldest building in Cape Town, situated at the top of Adderley Street, and the actual building that once housed the slaves owned by VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), The Dutch East India Company that originally ran the Cape Colony. Besides serving as a labor force for the Company, slaves also worked in the adjacent VOC gardens, as well as in the hospital opposite the Lodge. By 1782 almost two thirds of the inhabitants of the Company’s outposts in the Cape Colony were slaves.
It is believed that up to 9,000 slaves, convicts and the mentally ill lived in the building between 1679 and 1811. The many names of the building over three centuries – Slave Lodge, Government Offices Building, Old Supreme Court and SA Cultural History Museum – reflect the long and rich history of the building.The focus is on the slave history of South Africa, slave family roots and the peopling of South Africa. It is a home to a collect of artifacts that display ordinary household items from various periods in history of the colony. is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. The many names of the building over three centuries – Slave Lodge, Government Offices Building, Old Supreme Court, and SA Cultural History Museum – reflect the long and rich history of the building. For more information go to http://www.iziko.org.za/slavelodge/index.html
St. George’s Anglican Cathedral, on Wale Street, a gorgeous example of Victorian era design with magnificent stained glass windows and a crypt in which there is a restaurant - reminiscent of St Martin’s in the Field in London. It is known as ‘the people’s cathedral’ because of its role in the resistance against apartheid.
St. George’s kept its doors open to people of all races throughout the apartheid era, and it was Archbishop Desmond Tutu, after he led a mass demonstration of 30 000 people to Grand Parade in 1989, who coined the phrase ‘rainbow people’ to describe South Africa’s diverse population.
St. George’s Cathedral is the site of one of the country’s few labyrinths, and its stained glass windows include the work of Gabriel Loire. The central panel of the great west window is dominated by the figure of the triumphant Christ.
This Christ is black - a visual counterpart to the white Christ of Calvary that stands above the High Altar - a bid to make sure that the Cathedral’s images of Christ represent the fullness of humanity. The right-hand panel of this work includes the figure of Mahatma Gandhi because of his inspiration to combat racism with love. It is also a tribute to the inter-faith co-operation central to the Cathedral’s vision as a genuinely ‘people’s cathedral’.
" ... this cathedral became widely known as a site and focus of resistance against apartheid. And so St George’s won the splendid accolade contained in the title The People’s Cathedral."
–- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
District Six. As a result of the Group Areas Act, 60 000 Capetonian families were forcibly removed from this once vibrant area between 1966 and 1982, and the District Six issue remains crucial. We examine the now desolate area, Zonnebloem, which was District Six and visit the living museum which attempts to represent and recapture District Six in various ways, as a fine-spun tapestry of communal life torn apart
but not forgotten.
The interesting, colorful history of Cape Town is emotionally reconstructed in The District Six Museum. The future of the coloured people at the time of District Six is a vital piece of history and is needed to fully understand the history of Cape Town as a city. The museum has been erected for the people of the late District Six and is as much for them as it is about them. The most remarkable thing is that most of the staff members are all ex-citizens of District Six, each with a heart-rending story to tell.
The Townships and Cape Flats. Seeking racial segregation, apartheid policies disrupted all non-white population groups, distorted both rural and urban development and ensured hopeless overcrowding. Few houses were built, and the resulting sprawling satellite camps of seemingly endless shanties, makeshift structures of various materials, provide little more than a roof and some shelter. As we shall see, squatter settlements are seeking their own solutions as an economic necessity. Against all odds, township life prevails, in all its nuances.
As hosts of local community workers, we take a walk through a vibrant black community with all its different social strata. Langa is Cape Town’s oldest formal black township. You will have the opportunity to talk to people and try the traditional African sorghum beer and ginger beer at a small township shop (“spaza”) or a tavern (“shebeen”).
Tour the scenic Winelands – Stellenbosch with its Cape Dutch Architecture, Franschhoek and Paarl – visiting award Winning Wine Estates for tastings, whilst enjoying the scenic beauty of the Winelands.
Whether it is its magnificent natural beauty, its rich cultural heritage or its world-renowned wines, the Winelands Region is synonymous with all the best that the Cape has to offer. A 45-minute drive from Cape Town brings you to this area where splendid mountains form a dramatic backdrop to lush vineyards and gabled Cape Dutch homesteads steeped in history. Come experience the hospitality and beauty of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek and Pniel. The diversity of the Winelands will capture every heart.
Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors as you stroll along the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in the country. Our colorful history comes to life in the splendidly restored Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings in each town. Monuments such as the Huguenot Memorial and Afrikaans Language Monument and the many outstanding museums provide a fascinating glimpse into the past.
The excellent wines produced in this area are world-renowned. You will be spoilt for choice between small, boutique wineries and the larger, more commercial wine estates. Taste the fruit of the vintner’s labor in the magnificent surrounds that are so characteristic of the Winelands, or join the winemaker on a tour of his cellar where the precious harvest is lovingly transformed into every wine lover’s delight.
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