Top Attractions
An aerial view of the city with its main attractions labelled. Below is a description of some of these attractions with a few others, not shown on the aerial view, included.
Table Mountain
With a height of 1,073 metres, Table Mountain is the most prominent single feature in the Cape Town region. The mountain is home to over 1400 species of flowering plants, which are particularly spectacular in spring. Climbers can choose from 350 routes to the summit of the shale, sandstone, and granite flattop. The alternative to this is reaching the summit by cable car in seven minutes. The views from the top of Table Mountain are phenomenal. Once on the summit, there are maps and telescopes to get a better look at the city. There is also a small restaurant and shop at the top, where you can post letters and faxes. The best visibility and conditions are likely to be first thing in the morning or in the evening.
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Table Mountain viewed at dusk from Table Bay. |
Signal Hill
Signal Hill separates Sea Point from the City Bowl. There are magnificent views from the 350 metre high summit, especially at night.
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A panoramic view from Signal Hill across the docks and Table Bay, with a fog rolling in from the sea. |
The Castle of Good Hope
Built near the site of Van Riebeeck's original mud-walled fort, the Castle is one of the oldest European structures in Southern Africa. The impressive 10 metre high walls have never been attacked, but the Castle is nonetheless a striking symbol of the might of the Dutch East India Company. It has pentagonal fortification with bastions at each corner after the titles of the Prince of Orange.
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An aerial view of the Castle of Good Hope |
It is still the headquarters for the Western Cape Military command but, even so, welcomes tourists to the site. Within the castle are a couple of museums with collections of furniture and paintings of Cape Town's past.
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
The Waterfront is a prime attraction for tourists, but it's atmospheric, interesting and filled with restaurants, bars, music venues and shops. The development seems to have given the whole city a boost, and is extremely popular during the day and night. Despite all the development, it remains a working harbour and that is the source of most of the Waterfront's charm. Most of the redevelopment has been undertaken around the historical Alfred and Victoria Basins (constructed from 1860). The Victoria Basin is still used by tugs, harbour vessels of various kinds, and fishing boats. Large modern shipping uses the adjacent Duncan and Ben Schoeman docks.
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A view of the Waterfront and the docklands. |
The downside to the Waterfront is that the big shopping malls and the residential developments around the newly-flooded Alfred Basin mean that it's becoming a self-contained suburb. A suburb that is security-conscious and very much white in terms of ethic makeup. This loses some of its appeal to tourists.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
These are one of the most beautiful gardens in the world and are a must for any visitor to Cape Town. The 36 hectare landscaped section seems to merge with the 492 hectares of fynbos that cloak the mountain slopes. In 1895, Cecil Rhodes purchased the eastern slopes of Table Mountain as part of a plan to preserve a relatively untouched section from which the gardens developed. About 9,000 of Southern Africa's 22,000 plant species are grown in the gardens. Additionally, as a nod to the new South Africa, the gardens are growing muti plants, used by sangomas in traditional medicine, to help conserve the supply in the wild.
Groot Constantia
Groot Constantia is the oldest and grandest vineyard and homestead in the Cape. It is a superb example of Cape Dutch architecture. It embodies the lifestyle the wealthy Dutch created in their adopted country. Groot Constantia was built by Simon van der Stel in 1692. Today, the estate is owned by a syndicate, and fine wines are still produced.
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A view of the elegant halsgewel of Groot Constantia. |
Chapman's Peak Drive
This 10 km drive is cut into the side of sheer mountain walls, between layers of brilliantly coloured sedimentary rock. There are great views over Chapman's Bay and back to the Sentinel and Hout Bay. It is one of the great scenic drives in the world.
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The spectacular 10km drive follows the layers of the Peninsula's granite base and its sandstone superstructure. |
Hout Bay
Hout Bay opens up behind the almost vertical Sentinel, and the steep slopes of Chapman's Peak. There is a fast-growing satellite town inland from the bay and the region is still an important fishing port and processing centre for snoek and crayfish.
Winelands
To learn more about the winelands, click here
Sea Point
Separated from the City Bowl by Signal Hill, Sea Point is a bustling residential suburb with numerous multistorey apartment buildings and hotels along the coast. It is one of the most densely populated suburbs in Africa. Although the coast is rocky and swimming is dangerous, there are four tidal swimming pools to take advantage of.
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Sea Point is populated with hotels and apartment complexes, attracting the middle-to-high income groups. |
Clifton
There are four linked beaches on Clifton which are the trendiest and busiest beaches on the Cape. The beaches are sheltered from the wind but the ocean water remains cold. Consequently, the preferred activities are sun-baking, tennis and frisbee. There's a friendly and relaxed mood, although the occupants and atmosphere tend to vary with each beach.
The rocky Atlantic shore of Clifton Bay showing numerous apartment complexes and hotels all facing the bay.
Camps Bay
Camps Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The fact that it is within 15 minutes from the city centre makes it even more extraordinary. It is relatively unspoilt and not as crowded as Clifton. The only drawbacks are the wind and the temperature of the water. There are a small number of shops and restaurants along the beach. Accomodation possibilities range from the five star Bay Hotel to the Stan Halt Youth Hostel.
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A view of Camps Bay showing the high density of hotels and upper-class homes. |
False Bay
False Bay lies to the south-east of the city. Although the beaches on the east side of the peninsula are not as spectacular as those on the Atlantic side, the water is often 5 degrees C warmer and can reach 20 degrees C in summer. Suburban development along the coast is considerably more intense, presumably beacuse of the railway which runs all the way through to Simon's Town. On the east side of False Bay, Strand and Gordon's Bay are a cross between satellite suburbs and beach resorts.
Robben Island
Robben Island, offshore from the city centre, was a prison from the early days under Dutch control right until the first years of majority rule. The island served as a "university" for the ANC as many of the organisation leaders were imprisoned there at one time or another. They taught the junior comrades who served time there, and learnt of developments in the outside world from them.
