Cape Town - Tourist Paradise

In 1580, Sir Francis Drake sailed round the most southern tip of Africa in his Golden Hind and was so impressed by what he saw that he called Table Mountain and the peninsula on which it stands “the Fairest Cape in the whole circumference of the earth”.

Today, more than 400 years since Drake sailed round the Cape, Cape Town is one of the world’s great holiday destinations. Cape Town, or also known as the Mother City, is a fascinating blend of the old and the new. Here, the 17th century pentagonal Castle of Good Hope rubs shoulders with towering sky-scrapers and modern shopping malls. In the Malay quarter, known as the ‘Bo-Kaap’ (Upper Cape), bulbous minarets rise high up above buildings festooned with cast-iron adornments from another world and age of long ago. Cobblestoned streets lead into cosy squares and long pedestrian malls, where street vendors sell antiques, clothing, handcrafts, African art and endless selections of stuff. 

At the Grand Parade flower vendors offer a dazzling array of indigenous flowers at giveaway prices, while other pavement vendors sell anything under the sun. In the arcades and alleyways buskers entertain passers-by with traditional songs, dances and music. 

 At the Waterfront there is a carnival atmosphere as the Atlantic Ocean gently touches the feet of strollers whilst seafood sizzles in pans of dockside bistros and restaurants. There are boat cruises and yacht trips as well as helicopter and bus rides to every corner of the peninsula. For bargain hunters there are an assortment of shops, craft markets and seaside stalls selling anything you want.

To the west and the south of the city, the coastline curves round to reveal bikini beaches and scenic mountain drives.

And the cherry on top of it all is the cable-way to the summit of Table Mountain!

Whatever you want from a holiday you name it, Cape Town has it all!

By Danie de Villiers- Freelance Writer

Beautiful Cape Town

Cape Town occupies one of the world’s most stunning locations, with an iconic mountain slap-bang in its centre. As beautiful as the surrounding beaches and vineyards can be, as cosmopolitan and lively as its cultural scene, it is the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain, coated in a unique flora, which is the focus of attention. Complementing this natural beauty is Cape Town’s eye – catching way with design and colour – in everything from the brightly painted facades of the bo-Kaap and the Victorian bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the contemporary Afro-chic décor of the many excellent guesthouses, restaurants, and bars. The city multi-ethnic population is proof of South Africa’s ‘rainbow’ nation’ and a visual record of the cities tumultuous recorded history of over 350 years.

Covering some three quarters of the peninsula Table Mountain National Park stretches from flat-topped Table Mountain to Cape Point. For the vast majority of visitors the main attraction is the 1086 m –high Mountain itself, the top of which can easily be accessed by the Cableway. The views from the revolving cable car and on the summit are phenomenal. Once you are at the top, there are souvenir shops, a café, and some easy walks to follow. The Cableway doesn’t operate when it’s dangerously windy and there‘s little point going up if you are simply going to be wrapped in the cloud known as the ‘tablecloth. ’The best visibility and conditions are likely to be first thing in the morning or in the evening.

Visit the District Six Museum (District Six, Cape Town Central)

District Six was so named as it was literally the Sixth District of the Western Cape in 1867. District Six was so loved as a community of colourful characters.

A friendly mix of artisans, freed slaves, free spirits, labourers and locals living harmoniously were forcefully removed from their rightful city homes and re-settled in barren Cape outskirts during an unthinkable period in South African Apartheid history commencing in 1901. Over 60 000 residents fell victim to the government at the time who reduced homes to rubble without cause or resurrection. An award winning community project the District Six Museum welcomes evicted residents to make a mark in chalk on a map hand painted on the floor to show where their home once stood and what their hearts still mourn.

Storytelling of former residents interacts as a live history recreating the vibrancy that turned to desolation. Tactile images of loss are held in this old church building where slaves once worshipped. Authentic street signs mark 75 roads that labelled paths of diverse religious acceptance. A 300m memory cloth absorbs the ink of ex-residents contributions to memory lane. Built on a fabric of healing so that bare recollections prevent such devastating from repetition, this brush with a haunting past is a moving museum experience.

How the bake the best ever banana bread

Oktober Bierfest In Cape Town

Exciting news for beer drinkers – the Oktober Bierfest will be launching in Cape Town this October. The festival promises to be authentically Bavarian, closely resembling the Oktoberfest in Munich. Enjoy German food, Oompah bands and limited edition beers brewed exclusively for the event.

For over 200 years the annual Oktoberfest in Munich has been a defining part of Bavarian culture. Now the world’s largest festival, it attracts more than five million people from around the globe to Germany each year. Attending the Oktoberfest is on the ‘bucket list’ for many, but this year South Africans will not have to travel abroad for the experience – the Oktober Bierfest is coming to Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Halls will be draped in traditional style and guests can enjoy an array of Bavarian cuisine supplied by the finest local purveyors of German food, be served by Fräulein while listening to an entertainment lineup that includes live Oompah bands. In order to bring the taste of Germany to Oktober Bierfest, founding partner The South African Breweries Ltd, will be brewing beers exclusively for the event.

“We are committed to supporting the growth of the beer category as a whole and are looking forward to brewing three special limited edition Bavarian-styled beers. For the first time ever, South Africans can enjoy Royal Bavaria Oktoberfest Bier, King Ludwig’s Munich Dunkel and Protea Edelweiss Krystal Weiss,” says Diarmaid De Burca, General Manager of Newlands Brewery, the SAB’s flagship brewery.

With the added involvement of the South African and German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Oktober Bierfest promises to be an authentic Bavarian festival.

Venue: Village Green, Newlands Brewery.

26 On Gull

‘26 on Gull’ is ideally situated on the Bloubergstrand dunes overlooking the beautiful and majestic Table Bay. With stunning views and breath-taking sunsets, this modern apartment is perfect for a quick getaway or for an extended holiday.

The apartment has two bedrooms, one double bedroom and one bedroom with twin beds, and a full family bathroom. There is a fully equipped kitchen and a lounge with a TV with DStv. There is a balcony with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and you can see all the way to Table Mountain. There are braai facilities and guests have access to the swimming pool. We are within walking distance of the beach.

We provide easy access to the Central Business District and are 20 minutes from the renowned V&A Waterfront, 30 minutes from the airport, five minutes from all the local shopping malls and cinemas and 40 minutes from the Cape wine route.

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Darling Wine Route

Although traditionally part of the Swartland, Darling is now a demarcated wine district and home to her own wine route, including five wine cellars all of which benefit from the cool breezes off the Atlantic Ocean and the long, hot summers to produce some stunning wines with concentrated flavour, depth and intensity.

The Cape West Coast has recently been recognised as a viticulture region with great potential and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful areas in South Africa. Darling is only an hour’s drive from Cape Town and one can visit the cellars easily within a day’s trip. If you’re in a hurry, the Vyge valley farm stall, on Route 27, stocks some of the local wines at cellar prices.

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My Beautiful World

The V & A Waterfront - Cape Town

One of Cape Town's biggest tourist attractions, the Waterfront evokes images of the early activities of the harbour. Much of its charm lies in the fact that this busy commercial harbour is set in the midst of a huge entertainment venue with pubs, restaurants, specialty shops, craft markets, theatres and movies.

Situated in the heart of the Mother City’s working harbour and set against the spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain, “the Waterfront” is a hub of varied activity and a Cape Town must-see. (“V&A” stands for Victoria and Alfred, after Queen Victoria of England and her youngest son, Alfred, who officially laid the first stones of the harbour in 1860.)

Renovated period buildings, imitation Victorian malls, piers and a busy harbour coexist with an astonishing collection of pubs, clubs, eateries, museums and outdoor theatres set against the panoramic view of Table Mountain.

The star of the show is the two-level Victoria Wharf, crammed with an array of shops, cinemas, kiosks and stalls. It houses a diverse variety of restaurants, ranging from sushi bars, coffee shops, take-out joints and upmarket venues, the most popular being the outdoor ones where you can enjoy the vistas created by harbour lights and the surreal lit Table Mountain.

The Visitor Centre on Dock Road is the starting point for an outstanding self-guided historical tour interspersed with 32 information boards. You can purchase a map here and gather information or book tours and taxis. 

To make your stay or visit more enjoyable the 404 Kylemore is recommended.

Table Mountain, Cape Town

Since the first person laid eyes on Table Mountain, it has exerted its powerful and charismatic pull, enchanting and drawing any and all who fall under its spell.

The way to the top has never been easy, and for many centuries only a handful of bold and enterprising people could say that they had climbed it.

By the late 1870's, several of Cape Town’s more prominent (and possibly less fit) citizens had suggested the introduction of a railway line to the top. Plans to implement a proposed rack railway got under way but the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer war put a halt to the plans. By 1912, with a strong desire to gain easy access to the top of Table Mountain, the Cape Town City Council commissioned an engineer to investigate the various options of transport to the top. The engineer  suggested that a funicular railway running up from Oranjezicht through Platteklip gorge would be the most suitable option. A vote was held with the vast majority of Cape Town's residents voting in favour. This in spite of its cost a staggering (in 1913) 100000 Pounds.

The Table Mountain project was delayed yet again by war; this time the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). The plan was resuscitated in 1926 after a Norwegian engineer, Trygve Stromsoe, presented plans for a cableway to the top of Table Mountain. The plan caught the collective eye of a group of eminent local businessmen. The idea that an easy route up would finally become a reality drew them together, forming the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) to finance the construction. Work began soon afterwards and the project was finished relatively quickly. On the 4th of October 1929, the Mayor of Cape Town, Rev A J S Lewis, headed the official opening ceremony that was attended by over 200 other guests.

Since it's opening in 1929, over 16 million people have taken the trip to the top of Table Mountain. The Table Mountain cableway has since become something of a landmark in Cape Town, and has carried some of Cape Town's most illustrious visitors including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Steffi Graf, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Margaret Thatcher, Prince Andrew, Michael Schumacher, Brooke Shields, Michael Buble, Tina Turner, Jackie Chan, Dolores O'Riordan, Skunk Anansie and Paul Oakenfold. In 1993, Dennis Hennessy, the son of one of the founders of TMACC sold the company. The new directors immediately set about planning an upgrade to the existing Table Mountain infrastructure.

Apart from upgrading the restaurants and machinery, new cars were purchased. Unlike their predecessors, the new cars, or Rotairs, have a revolving floor that allows passengers a 360-degree view of the city and Table Mountain as they travel. Work on the upgrade began in January of 1997 and, for several months cranes and large helicopters carrying building materials dominated the mountain skyline. The new cableway was officially opened on the 4th of October 1997, the anniversary of the original launch, almost 70 years previously.

The self-service restaurant at the top of Table Mountain offers a wide range of foods ranging from our hot breakfast, the hot meal of the day, snack menus and coffee bar. Meals may be complemented by a selection of fine local wines. The restaurant seats 120 people.

The cableway opens at 08h00 in the summer months (16 September to 30 April) and at 08h30 in winter (1 May to 15 September). Cable cars depart every 10-15 minutes. Closing hours vary depending on the time of the year, but in peak season (16 December to 15 January) the last cable car ascends at 21h00 and descends at 22h00.

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Destination Cape Town

Voted Favourite Foreign City by the UK Telegraph in 2004, Cape Town is one of the places you just have to visit before you die. It's an awesome city. All the vibe you want - great parties, great shopping and loads of galleries and other cultural attractions can't detract from the fact that what makes Cape Town special is the fact that it is set in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Even Sir Francis Drake, who'd pretty much seen it all, called Cape Point the 'fairest cape in all the circumference of the world'. It's a needle-sharp promontory, which - contrary to marketing hype - does not divide the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic. But Capetonians claim it does and you can often see a line of foam heading straight out from the point - possibly all the way to Antarctica - which certainly divides the False Bay Coastline on the east from the Atlantic Seaboard on the west.

And the Peninsula Mountain Chain forms a high-lying spine all the way from Cape Point to Table Mountain above the city. Most of this high lying ground is part of the Table Mountain National Park, which also includes Boulders Beach and its penguins, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens that showcases South Africa's fabulous floral heritage as well as hosting some great concerts among the flowers. Table Mountain is the soul of Cape Town - its emotional heart and touchstone. Many Capetonians escape to the slopes of the mountain on weekends and after work as a regular - well, it's almost a pilgrimage. There are literally hundreds of walks on the mountain. Cape Town is the epicentre of the Cape Floral Region, which is a world heritage site. Another great thing about the Peninsula and its mountains is that Cape Town has virtually two different climates in one city. When the wind is blowing on one side, the beaches should be warm and sheltered on the other - and even when it's raining on one side, you may get bright sunshine on the other.

It's all a kind of yin yang thing - opposites balancing - the dark and light side of the mountain and all that esoteric stuff. And speaking of which - Cape Town is not just a beautiful city with fantastic beaches, a national park, an awesome mountain and beautiful flowers. No - it's also a great city. It's a place where residents and visitors alike work hard and play even harder.

Cape Town accommodation is plentiful and there’s something to suit every budget but it is highly advisable to book ahead, especially over the Christmas season (December to mid-February) and during the Argus Cycle Tour (usually mid-March). The greatest density of Cape Town hotels, boutique hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, guest houses and self catering apartments and holiday villas are situated in the City Bowl area and immediate South Atlantic Seaboard belt, all within a 10 minute drive from Cape Town City Centre and the V&A Waterfront. Highly desirable suburbs like Tamboerskloof and Oranjezicht spill down the slopes of Table Mountain towards Gardens, Cape Town City Centre, De Waterkant and the exclusive Waterfront. From the Waterfront the dazzling Atlantic coastline curves south, fringed by the seaside suburbs of Green Point, Sea Point, Bantry Bay the ultra-glamorous suburbs of Clifton and Camps Bay.

Unless you tie on a blindfold and lock yourself in your hotel room, there is absolutely no way you can get bored in Cape Town. There are so many things to do. If you're into shopping, the V&A Waterfront is just one of many shopaholic’s dream venues but it stands out as it has so much more - boat trips, the embarkation point for the Robben Island ferry, the Two Oceans Aquarium, loads of interesting historical buildings and some of the city's best hotels with possibly the best views in the world. Cape town offers a whole range of exciting adventure activities, great birding, awesome whale watching, historical buildings, and dozens of museums outlining the city's fascinating history and its many cultures.

An easy day trip from Cape Town, the Winelands offer great scenery, white-washed gabled farmhouses nestling in bright green vineyards, lovely little restaurants, great coffee shops and - of course - wine tasting sales and cellar tours. When the sun goes down you can choose between hundreds of great restaurants and a huge range of funky pubs, vibey clubs and a wide selection of movies, theatre and live music. Cape Town is also home to one of the most outrageous parties in the world. The Mother City Queer Project is a themed costume party in December that is fast becoming one of the most popular gatherings - certainly in South Africa - and possibly the world. And shortly thereafter, the traditional Kaapse Klopse minstrel dancers take over parts of the city streets in a tradition that stretches back hundreds of years to the era when slavery was legal in Cape Town. Don't forget to pack your dancing shoes.

Other areas close to Cape Town you may like to explore include the dramatic West Coast, which offers great birding along the shores of Langebaan Lagoon, Namaqualand, which has even more spectacular spring flowers, and the Overberg, famous for land-based whale watching. It also features lovely flowers in spring. Cape Town is not the best game viewing destination in South Africa, but there is some small game at Cape Point and there are a few game farms a short distance from the city, but they're not really up to the standard of the game reserves further north and east.

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