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Cape TownCape Town'''Cape Town''' is one of the largest cities in South Africa and located in the Western Cape|Western Cape Province. It is located in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope. It is a stone's throw from South Africa's world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. image:RSA_Bloubergstrand.jpg|thumb|400px|The most popular view on Cape Town is from Bloubergstrand. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000 ==Understand== Cape Town was founded as a trading post by Jan van Riebeeck on account of the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company) in the year 1652 and is therefore often called the ''Mother City''. The first settlers were mainly Dutch and German, with some French Huguenots that had to flee from their home country. The first settlers soon explored the inland and founded the cities of Stellenbosch and Paarl in todays Cape Winelands. The Voortrekkers started from here to explore the rest of South Africa's inland. Today Cape Town is the legislative capitol of South Africa. It is a world-class cosmopolitan city with numerous sites of historical significance, and a lively nightlife, as well as a big gay community. *The summer month of December and January, as well as early February are usually very hot. You should stay inside or in the shade during the midday heat and use sufficient sunblocker. *The winter month of June and July are a bit rainy, which does not mean rain every day. Often you will have one or two days of rain and a week of total sunshine. It can however get very cold at night, with temperatures below 0C (32F). It will become warmer during the day, with temperatures between 14-20C. *Best month to visit are: **October and November: Weather is better, spring is in the air, but it is not as hot yet. **March, April: Although it starts raining, it is still warm. ==Get in== ===By plane=== '''[http://www.airports.co.za/home.asp?pid=321 Cape Town International Airport]''' ('''CPT''') is the second largest airport in South Africa (the largest being in Johannesburg). There are several flights daily to Johannesburg, Durban and all other major South African cities, we well as the Namibia|Namibian cities of Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay and other destinations, including Gaborone, Maun, Harare and Nairobi. Other International flights coming in are from Buenos Aires (city)|Buenos Aires, Doha, Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, London and Singapore. See also Discount airlines in Africa and Air travel in South Africa for further information. ===By train=== Cape Town has a few train connections to other cities in South Africa. Cape Town's main train station is located in the city centre, at the corner of Adderley Street and Strand Street. Please take care of your belongings! The trains leaving every Monday go to Bloemfontein (23 hours), Pietermaritzburg (34 hours) and Durban (36,5 hours). There is a daily train going to Kimberley (South Africa)|Kimberley (16,5 hours), Johannesburg (25 hours) and Pretoria (27 hours). The Metrorail trains are a great way to get between Cape Town and neighboring towns such as Stellenbosch and Simonstown. Be careful when travelling by train, especially at night. Make sure to ride first class to get at least some comfort and to enjoy the presence of safety guards. The train line from Cape Town to Simonstown is really nice, as it runs all along the coast. The trains to Stellenbosch run every two hours (more or less), but this journey might take a while. Asked at the ticket counter if there is an earlier train you could use, as there are also trains to Stellenbosch starting in Bellville and Eersterivier. ===By car=== image:RSA_Pedestrian.jpg|thumb|150px|Be aware of pedestrians on highways and National Roads, too! By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. There are several major highways starting in Cape Town, going north, east and north-east. The '''N1''' runs north-east, passing Paarl, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg on its way from Cape Town to Harare in Zimbabwe. Also a got choice, if you want to go to Kimberley (South Africa)|Kimberley and the northern Drakensberg. The '''N2''' runs along the East Coast towards the Garden Route, George and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, through the Transkei up to Durban and Swaziland. The '''N7''' goes north along the West Coast to the Northern Cape city of Springbok and to Namibia. Also follow it to go to Upington and the Kgalagadi Transfontier Park. ===By bus=== All major bus companies have Intercity connections from Cape Town, taking you to all bigger cities in South Africa and to Windhoek in Namibia. There might be up to 6 buses a day to certain cities. The starting point is next to the train station at the corner of Adderley and Strand Street, near the Golden Acre building. Please ask at the nearby tourist information or in your hotel for connections and where your bus is going to leave, as finding ''your'' bus can become difficult. ==Get around== If you are staying downtown or close to it, then you can walk to most of the major sites. Taxis wit taxameter are controlled by the city council and can be considered safe and reliable. The price per kilometer is around R8-R10 and can often be read at the taxis side door. You can also set a fixed price with the driver, especially when going to a far away destination. Minbus taxis are only advisable for locals. They cover most of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area and are very cheap. But they are crowded and less safe than normal taxis. There is a network of public buses (Golden Arrow buses) that offer cheap and fast connections for example from the city centre to the Waterfront. They run mostly during the day. It is better to ask the driver where the bus is going, to make sure you wont end up somewhere else. ==See== image:RSA_Cape_Seals.jpg|thumb|150px|Seals at the Waterfront. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. *The '''Victoria and Alfred Waterfront''' is a huge shopping and entertainment area at the slopes of Table Mountain, next to the harbour. It is very popular with tourist, because of the high density of shops, restaurants and amusement possibilites, like the Aquarium or the Marine Museum. Harbour tours and trips to Robben Island start from here, as well as helicopter flights to the Cape Peninsula. *'''Robben Island''', located just off the coast from Cape Town, this was the location used during the apartheid days to hold political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela and the late Walter Sisulu. Some of the tour guides were themselves political prisoners so they have plenty of insight about what went on there. Tours run several times per days, seven days a week from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront. Tours cost R150 for adults and R75 for children. Phone: (0)21 413 4200 http://www.robben-island.org.za/ *'''South African National Gallery''', located in the Gardens area of Cape Town off Government Ave (about a 20 minute walk from downtown). Phone: (0)21 4674660. Contains extensive displays of South African art, as well as information on the history of censorship of art during apartheid. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-17:00. Entry is R5 and free for students and children. http://www.museums.org.za/sang/ image:RSA_Khayelitsha.jpg|thumb|150px|Squatter Camp of Khayelitsha, Cape Town's biggest township. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. *'''Township Tour''' The townships are the places where people were forced to live (based on race) under the apartheid regime. To some extent townships continue to retain their apartheid-era racial makeup, for a variety of reasons. Touring the township may seem strange, even inappropriate, but it is a good way to learn about South Africa's history, and the poverty that many people continue to live in. People in the townships are friendly and the children love visitors. Some townships however '''can be dangerous''' (see the warning on the South Africa page) so don't go alone unless you know what you're doing. The townships tours are safe. If you want to bring sweets or gifts for the children, it is best not to give it directly to them, but to give it to the tour guide who will distribute them later. There are several tour companies which offer tours, one of which is '''Sam's Cultural Tours''' (phone: (0)21 695 0768, cell: 082 970 0564). Tours can be booked directly or through one of Cape Town's many booking agencies. Tours run once or twice per day. *'''District Six Museum''' 25A Buitenkant St. phone: (0)21 461 8745, email: info@districtsix.co.za. Open Monday-Saturday 09:00-16:00. Admission is free. District Six is an area near downtown Cape Town which remained multiracial well into the 1960s against all attempts by the government to declare it a "white only" area. Eventually the residents were all evicted and the buildings were bulldozed. The area remains uninhabited. The museum provides information about the area, the eviction, the Group Areas Act, and the people who used to live there. The director of the museum is a former resident. There is a small bookstore with an excellent selection of books on South Africa's history, District Six and apartheid. http://www.d6.co.za/ image:RSA_CT_City_Hall.jpg|thumb|150px|Cape Town City Hall near the Castle is an example of Victorian architecture. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. *'''Bo-Kaap''' This neighborhood, located on a hill south-west of downtown is the area historically inhabited by mainly Muslim descendants of slaves from South-East Asia (hence an older term for the area - 'Malay Quarter'. It's a common location for film shoots, as there are some very colourful buildings, quaint streets, mosques. views over Cape Town and some great food sold on the side of the street. It's well worth wandering around for an hour or so, as well as visiting the Bo-Kaap Museum (a view of a prosperous Muslim family from the 19th Century). *'''South African Parliament''' Cape Town is the legislative seat of South Africa (the Presidential seat is in Pretoria and the Supreme Court is at Bloemfontein). A tour of this compound will acquaint you with South Africa's recent history and its political system. The tour includes visits to the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces and the old apartheid-era assembly which is now only used for caucus and committee meetings. Tours are free and offered a few times per day in various languages. http://www.parliament.gov.za/ *'''The Castle of Good Hope''' Popularly called 'The Castle' by locals, it has extensive displays of historical military paraphenalia, a history of the castle, an art collction and the William Feur Collection (including old Cape Dutch furniture). You can eat inside the Castle at the restaurant, cafe, as well as buy wine.. ==Do== image:RSA_Muizenberg.jpg|thumb|200px|Muizenberg near Simonstown is famous for these dressing rooms. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. * '''Hike Table Mountain''' This is the mountain located south of Cape Town, and known for the "table cloth effect." That is, when the top of the mountain (which is relatively flat) is covered in clouds, the clouds drape down the side as a table cloth hangs over the edge of a table. The hike takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on your fitness and enthusiasm, but is well worth the effort for the sense of achievement; there's even a cafe at the top of the mountain to reward your quest. There is also a cable car that goes up if you prefer not to hike. The website [http://www.nature.co.za Nature South Africa] provides free hiking guides and information. * '''Kayaking in False Bay''' Rent a kayak in Simonstown and see the False Bay from another point of view. Make sure to stop at the penguin colony at Boulders, where you can see the African flora and fauna|African Penguin (formerly called Jackass Penguin). image:RSA_Cape_Peninsula.jpg|thumb|200px|West coast of the Cape Peninsula. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. * '''Cape Peninsula''' Go from Cape Town down to the Cape of Good Hope via Simonstown and the penguin colony at Boulders. Visit Cape Point and maybe have lunch there. Go back along the west coast through the exclusive suburbs of Camps Bay and Llandudno. * '''Winelands''' Tour through the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Go to some of the vineyards for wine-tastings and enjoy a break at the beautiful old cities. * Visit '''Ratanga Junction''' in summer and enjoy a day with your kids at this theme park. ==Learn== The University of the Western Cape, the University of Cape Town, the Cape Peninsual University of Technology and Stellenbosch University are all located in or near Cape Town. Cape Town's medical research is world-renowned, and Groote Schuur hospital is where Christiaan Barnard performed the first heart transplant. ==Buy== The V&A Waterfront is the prime tourist destination for souvenirs, though these tend to be typically touristy (i.e. expensive and not necessarily authentic). If you like South African wine, buy it here (or anywhere in South Africa) before you leave, because it is much cheaper and there is more availability than overseas. Make sure you know what the price is before you order (especially in restaurants) as there have been a few high-profile cases of overcharging where the price is not on the menu. ==Eat== As one of the main tourist spots is the V&A waterfront, You will find a broad range of restaurants, but they are often crowded and expensive. Another highlight is the area around Long Street with its many cafés and restaurants. Hout Bay at the west side of the Cape Peninsula is very good for fresh lobsters (they have become quite expensive, around R300, though). Kalk Bay on the east side of the pensinsula offers a big variety of fresh fish and the restaurants in nearby Simonstown are also good. ===V&A Waterfront=== * '''Hildebrands''', V&A Waterfront. Offering Pizza and Pasta, but does not live up to the standard of Italian food. * '''Tasca de Belem''', Victoria Wharf, shop 154, Piazza Level, phone 4193009. A very good Portugese restaurant that offers some exquisit meals. Medium price range. * '''Bayfront Blu''', Two Oceans Aquarium, phone 4199086. Offers breakfast and coffee all day and also serves good seafood, like Swahili prawn curry. Tables offer view on water and Table Mountain ===City Centre=== * '''Unnamed Restaurant''', Company's Garden. Small; offers good refreshment in a quite atmosphere after a tour through the city. Basic local kitchen. * '''Mama Africa''', 178 Long Street, phone 248634. African style restaurant offering local and African meals, like Bobotie and Potjiekos, but also springbok, kudu and crocodile steak. Good range of wines. Affordable. * '''Africa Café''', 108 Shortmarket Street, phone 4220221. Affordable and very good. Maybe the best restaurant in Cape Town for African cuisine. Lower to medium price range. * '''Floris Smit Huijs''', 55 Church Street, phone 4233414. 18th century building. Very good local and international meals offered. Medium price range. * '''Sunflower Health Cafè''', 111 Long Street. Vegetarian restaurant, with a limited range of warm meals. Good prices. * '''Long Street Cafè''', 259 Long Street. Very popular. Fresh European kitchen. Also good for a drink. * '''Biesmiellah''', Corner Upper Wales/Pentz Street, phone 4230850. One of the oldest restaurants around, known for its Malay kitchen. No alcoholic drinks available. Medium price range. * '''Jewel Tavern''', Vanguard Rode near Duncan Docks, phone 4481997. Increasingly popular Thai restaurant. Preffered destinations for Cape Town's bon viveurs. Guest can watch how their meals are prepared. Affordable. ==Drink== Long Street, which can be easily reached from St. George's Cathedral and the Greenmarket Square, is famous for its bars, restaurants and clubs. This is the ideal place if you want to end the day with a drink. Another upmarket (but still affordable) collection of Bars, etc. can be found in Camps Bay, one of the suburbs on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Cape Peninsula. From Cape Town simply go to Green Point and Sea Point and follow the road along the coast. You will see the bars along the road and the beach of Camps Bay also invites you to spend a few minutes resting, before you enter the next establisment. You will have live entertainment (normally something like jazz or kwaito music) in many bars and sometimes you will have to pay to get in. *'''Hard Rock Café''', Main Road, Rondebosch, phone 6891160. Second oldest Hard Rock Café in the world. Often live music and people dancing on tables have already been seen. *'''Mannerbergs Jazz Café''', corner Chuch/Adderley Street, phone 238304. Popular jazz café. Snacks and coffee during the day and live jazz every evening. Many famous jazzer musicians have already played here. *'''Club Georgia''', 30 Georgia Street, offside the Buitensingel, phone 4220261. Popular with over 25-year olds. Music from all over Africa is played, especially Kwassa-kwassa, Kwaito, Ndombolo and Rai. 9.30pm until late. ==Sleep== image:Cape_Town_table_mountain.JPG|thumb|150px|Mount Nelson hotel Accommodation in Cape Town ranges from hostels (of which there are many) to luxury accommodation. Actually, there are so many hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses that it can be difficult to decide where to stay! Consider sleeping in one of the suburbs. It is normally much quieter and there is less traffic than in Central Cape Town. The suburbs in the south, like Camps Bay or Simonstown or near the winelands (see Cape Winelands) may offer better quality for a lower price. ===Budget=== Many guesthouses and backpacker's accommodation are along Long Street. As rates and services change quickly take a look before checking-in. *'''Tudor Hotel''', Greenmarket Square. In the city center, near the Waterfront, Parliaments Garden or the Malay Quarter Boo-Kap. R210. *'''Long Street Backpackers''', 209 Longstreet, ''+27-21-''4230615, (''fax: +27 21 4231842''). Offers dorms as well as private accommodation and a good range of travel-services. http://www.longstreetbackpackers.co.za/ *'''NG Church Overnighthouse''', Cr. of Lincoln and Allen Drive in Bellville, ''+27-21-''9313733, (''fax: +27-21-9313736''). Mostly for visitors of patients of the Karl Bremmer hospital, but anyone is welkom. Bring your own towel and food. ===Mid-range=== *'''Sunset Lodge''', Bloubergstrand. Offers luxurious suites in this popular suburb, famous for its spectacular views on Table Mountain and long white beaches. ===Splurge=== *'''Villa Atlantica''', Camps Bay. Luxury hotel located at the Atlantic Ocean and with stunning views on the famous 'Twelve Apostles'. Suites should be booked long in advance, as they are often booked out. R2600. ==Gays and lesbians== Cape Town is often seen as the gay capital of Africa and indeed, it has a very big and lively gay community. The '''Gay Quarter''' of the city is centred around Somerset and Main Road in the suburbs of Green Point and Sea Point. You will find a number of B&Bs, pubs, clubs and cabarets for homosexuals there. Cape Town is also host of the annual '''Gay Party''' organized by ''[http://www.mcqp.co.za Mother City Queer Projects]''. It is an hugely popular event, taking place in the mid of December at the ''River Club'' (phone 4486117). The '''Gay Pride Festival''' takes place in Cape Town, too. ==Contact== Cape Town's area code is 21, prefixed with a '0' when calling from elsewhere within South Africa. There are plenty of Internet cafes and access rates are cheap. ==Get out== Image:Boulders_beach_with_penguins.JPG|thumb|150px|Penguin colony of Boulders. By JensANDMarian ===Cape Peninsula=== *'''Boulders|Boulders beach''' is famous for its penguin colony and you can watch penguins in their natural habitat. September is the breeding season and you can see penguins hatching out of their eggs. *'''Cape of Good Hope''' to experience the wildness of the natural habitat preserved here. Stunning views and for sure you will meet one of the local baboons or ostriches. Be sure to stop in Simonstown on your way back to relax with a wonderful view on the False Bay. ===Other destinations=== image:RSA_Bontebok.jpg|thumb|150px|Bontebok, seen in De Hoop Nature Reserve|De Hoop. By user:Fluglotse2000|Fluglotse2000. *Visit the '''Cape Winelands''' around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek to visit one of the famous wine farms and try out a ''few'' wines. *The world-famous '''Garden Route''' near Knysna and the '''Tsitsikamma National Park''' on the south coast on the way to Port Elizabeth and Durban. *Only two hours from Cape Town are the '''Bontebok National Park''' and the '''De Hoop Nature Reserve''', perfect for spotting African flora and fauna|bontebok and African flora and fauna|whales. *The southern tip of Africa, '''Cape Agulhas''' is not far away. *The '''Overberg''' region offers whale spotting and quite towns to relax. ==External links== *[http://www.gocapetown.co.za City of Cape Town official tourism Web site] Dmoz:Africa/South_Africa/Provinces/Western_Cape/Cape_Town WikiPedia:Cape Town de:Kapstadt fr:Le Cap First page | Prev | Next | Last page |
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