Cape Town City Guide

Search and Find Accurate Travel Information on Cape Town, All Hotels in Cape Town, Restaurants, Entertainment, Shopping, Information on City Attractions, Climate of Cape Town
Cape Town, Mother City of Africa, and the Western Cape, is regarded as one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. This city is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are situated. Cape Town is famous for its harbor as well as its ordinary location in the Cape floral kingdom, including the renowned landmarks like Table Mountain and Cape Point.
Cape Town Geography
Cape Town city is situated at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a striking background to the City Bowl, with its plateau of close to 1,000m in altitude. It is surrounded by near-vertical cliffs and Devil’s Peak. At times a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and owing to its appearance, it is colloquially known as the “tablecloth”. The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, dropping at Cape Point.
There are in excess of 70 peaks above 300 m within Cape Town’s official city limits. Many of the suburbs of Cape Town are on the large plain of the Cape Flats, which joins the peninsula to the mainland. The Cape Flats lie on what is known as a rising marine plain, consisting generally of sandy geology.
Climate in Cape Town
In general, the Cape Peninsula has a Mediterranean climate. This means the Cape Town city has sharp defined seasons. Winter, which runs from May to September, is characteristic of large cold fronts across from the Atlantic Ocean with intense precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. Most of the city’s annual rainfall occurs in wintertime, but due to the mountainous topography of the city. Newlands, to the south of the city, is the wettest suburb in South Africa.
For summer time, temperatures are mild, with an average maximum of 26 °C. Cape Town however can be uncomfortably hot when the Berg Wind (mountain wind) blows from the Karoo interior for a couple of weeks in February or early March.
Cape Town Attractions
Cape Town is Africa’s most popular destination for tourism. Located on the shore of Table Bay, the city originally developed as a supply station for Dutch ships sailing to other parts of the world. This was after Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. The town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the growth of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.
Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa; but also doubles as Africa’s major tourist destination, of recent overtaking Cairo. The splendid environs of Cape Town; which are on several times a delight of its visitors are attributed to its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, principally the Table Mountain that forms the bulk of the Table Mountain National Park. Nearby is Cape Point, on the Cape of Good Hope peninsula – the Atlantic coast, being particularly spectacular.
Many tourists also visit Cape Town beaches which are as popular with local residents.
The city offers a setting for many scenic wonders, magnificent seascapes and panoramic vistas. The beautiful coastal areas of Camps Bay, Clifton, Llandudno, Bantry Bay, Hout Bay and Blouberg surround the breathtaking tranquillity of the winelands, Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franshhoek.
Other Places of Interest
Cape Town takes pride in several of its notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is one of the city’s most popular shopping venues boasting with numerous arcades.
The City is noted for its architectural heritage, with the highest density of Cape Dutch style buildings in the world – the Cape Dutch style, which combines the architectural traditions of the Netherlands, Germany and France, more evident in Constantia and along Long Street.
The annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, also known by its Afrikaans name of Kaapse Klopse, is a large minstrel festival held annually on January 2. Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly colored costumes, either carrying colorful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The Arts cape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts venue in Cape Town.
At Simon’s Town see whales, dolphins and colonies of penguins. Ratanga Junction Theme Park has more than 30 rides and attractions
Shopping in Cape Town
The vast range of shopping opportunities includes haggling with shop-holders at Greenmarket Square Flea Market, as well as breezing through sophisticated and stylish shopping malls. The huge variety of shopping centres reflects the multicultural history of the Cape and caters for everyone’s taste, from fast-food outlets and casual to the chic to the very elegant.  Some of the best city shopping locations are African art and curios at Victoria Alfred Waterfront, Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre and Waterfront Craft Market.
Hotels in Cape Town
Deluxe high accommodation is available in the these areas; The Westin Grand Arabella Quays, Cape Grace Hotel, Waterfront Village, Southern Sun Waterfront, Radisson SAS Hotel Waterfront and The Table Bay.