Cape Town Guide

Table Mountain

This World Heritage Site is Cape Town's most unique identifying landmark. Its summit soars 1 086 m above sea level and can be reached by means of a revolving cable car. Visitors can marvel at the awe-inspiring 360° view of Cape Town while enjoying a meal or refreshing drink at the restaurant, or wandering the rocky trails lined with beautiful fynbos. The mountain is, in fact, covered with a wide variety of wild flowers and is the natural home of the famous silver tree. It's a hiker's paradise, with walks of varying degrees of difficulty to suit nature lovers and serious rock climbers alike.

Remember to watch the weather when planning a hike, and to make sure you've taken care of all the basic safety precautions!


Robben Island

Robben Island - Nelson Mandela
Robben Island
For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, 12 kilometres from Cape Town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society. During the apartheid years Robben Island became internationally known for its institutional brutality. The duty of those who ran the Island and its prison was to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Some freedom fighters spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs. Those imprisoned on the Island succeeded on a psychological and political level in turning a prison 'hell-hole' into a symbol of freedom and personal liberation. Robben Island came to symbolise, not only for South Africa and the African continent, but also for the entire world, the triumph of the human spirit over enormous hardship and adversity.


The Company's Garden

Government Walk – situated opposite the entrance to the Mount Nelson Hotel - leads down to The Company Gardens, the oldest gardens in South Africa, established by Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 as a vegetable garden to supply fresh produce to passing ships. Today it contains a wide variety of indigenous and exotic plants, shrubs and trees, an aviary and a restaurant. Its sun dial dates back to 1787 and its bell tower, to 1855. Below the restaurant is a saffron pear tree, the oldest cultivated tree in South Africa and believed to have been planted shortly after Van Riebeeck established a settlement here.


Constantia Vineyards

The cradle of the Wine Industry. Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg, are the five producers that make up the Constantia Wine Route. These five Wine farms set the benchmark in the wine industry winning numerous awards over the last decade that stand testimony to the quality and consistently high standard of the wines. Constantia is truly Cape Town’s own wine route. Only a few minutes drive from the city’s centre, the breathtaking beauty of the valley and vineyards are unique in a modern cosmopolitan environment, preserving the cultural and historical heritage of the oldest wine area in the Cape. Experience a tasting tour of premium wines with the individual service excellence that echoes the hospitality extended to all visitors to the Constantia Valley.


Beaches

St James Beach - Near Kalk Bay and Muizenberg
St James Beach
Cape Town's many clean, natural beaches are considered among the most beautiful in the world, spectacularly situated between sea and mountain, from False Bay to the Atlantic Coast. Sun-worshippers, nature lovers and watersports enthusiasts alike are spoilt for choice! Just 10 minutes from the hotel, Clifton and Camps Bay are sheltered from the southeaster wind, and are perfect for sunbathing, Frisbee throwing, swimming and sundowners. Surfing spots abound, as well as excellent spots for scubadiving, boardsailing and fishing. For those afraid to brave the invigorating sea temperatures of the Atlantic coast, a scenic drive to False Bay offers warmer waters at popular Muizenberg, Kalk Bay or Simonstown. With the exception of Boulders Beach in False Bay, entrance to all Cape Town's lovely beaches is free. All our city asks is that visitors respect the unspoilt natural environment by taking their litter home with them and refraining from making fires.


Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Victoria Alfred Waterfront - Cape Town Central
V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is one of South Africa’s most visited destination. Against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, the Waterfront is a mixed-use development incorporating a working harbour and is also home to designer label stores, national retailers, boutiques and services, along with a spread of excellent restaurants, coffee shops and fast-food outlets. There are also two cinema complexes and craft markets, offering visitors the best of everything Cape Town and the Western Cape have to offer. The development of office locations and luxury apartments complements the vibrancy of the V&A Waterfront. The area is a centuries old harbour that remains fully operational and visitors can view the many ships and sailing vessels in the small craft basin. The Two Oceans Aquarium, situated at the V&A Waterfront, is a window on the local oceans, offering glimpses of the diverse life found off the South African coastline.

Text courtesy of www.cape-town.org

Cape Town Accommodation Listings

Backpacker Bus services any of the following accommodation establishments.
 
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