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!
