Cape Town

Introducing Cape Town

From the soul-stirring views at the top of Table Mountain to the rich, diverse history spread out below, South Africa’s capital, Cape Town, isn’t short of natural and cultural wonders. Follow the gentle sweep of the golden coastline and sparkling blue ocean past world-famous vineyards, casual to chic restaurants and boutique hotels. The city’s vibrant, cosmopolitan spirit makes itself felt everywhere you go.

Things to do

LANDMARKS
Centuries-old and cutting-edge modern buildings sit side by side in the V&A Waterfront. You can’t miss the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), once an abandoned grain silo and now an architectural masterpiece in its own right, which showcases artists from across the continent. For an even deeper understanding of the country’s complex past, visit the South African Jewish museum and the infamous Robben Island in Table Bay, the site of Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell.

ACTIVITIES
Wherever you point your camera in Cape Town, Table Mountain makes its majestic presence felt. Hikers who relish a challenge can clamber up 1,067 metres to the summit. Or hop into one of the slowly rotating cable cars and arrive in minutes for views across the ocean and beaches one side, glinting tops of skyscrapers on the other. And if getting face-to-fin with rays, giant guitarfish and other magnificent sea creatures is your idea of fun, walk through ten metres of transparent tunnel in the award-winning Two Oceans Aquarium.

NATURE
As curious sights go, African penguins waddling between giant granite boulders in the heart of a residential area takes some beating. This protected colony settled on this sheltered beach in the Cape Peninsula nearly 40 years ago and are happy to let you observe their antics at close range. You could also spend a day lost in the wild beauty of the famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Wander across wild savanna, karoo, fields of fynbos and South Africa’s national flower, the protea.