Cape Point is a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, which is a mountainous and very scenic landform that runs north-south for about thirty kilometres at the extreme southwestern tip of the African continent in the Republic of South Africa.
Cape Point falls within the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site and is the most southerly point within the Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park. The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants in the world – it is home to nearly 20% of Africa’s flora.
Plan a picnic in the park or on the beach, hike or mountain bike ride, have lunch in the upmarket Two Oceans Restaurant (bookings essential; +27 21 780 9200 high above the crashing waves of False Bay, or simply catch the funicular to a point where you need only do a short walk to a lookout point over the Atlantic Ocean.
You will be be able to see the most powerful lighthouse on the South African coast, which steers ships through a perilous passage around the point which over the centuries has seen the end of many. Look out, too, for pelagic birds of which there are a large variety, zebra, eland, and many species of reptiles and small mammals. Chacma baboons are common here, especially at the Point itself. Don’t be tempted to feed the baboons and stay well away from them, as they can be aggressive. Cape Point is open daily and is a must-see
Distance from Cape Town CBD: 60 km / Est. Time from Cape Town CBD: 100 min / Suggested Time at Destination: 2 hours. Cape Town's Top Attractions.
Kirstenbosch is the name of a famous botanical garden nestled at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The garden is one of eight National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa's six different biomes. Kirstenbosch is South Africa’s world-famous national botanical garden, set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, and home to over 22000 indigenous plants. The Garden covers 36 hectares in a 528 hectare estate that contains protected mountainside supporting natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. Kirstenbosch lies in the heart of the Cape Floristic Region, also known as the Cape Floral Kingdom. In 2004 the Cape Floristic Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site – another first for Kirstenbosch, it is the first botanic garden in the world to be included within a natural World Heritage Site. Cape Town's Top Attractions.
Almost everything is possible in Cape Town, from a guided city tour, to a scenic helicopter flight over the Cape Peninsula. The easiest way to get an overview on things to do in Cape Town, or find out about great restaurants to sample some of Cape Towns Gourmet Delights, or visit Culture and Heritage places of interest, or other outdoor activities, etc is to walk into one of the visitors centres which are in several areas. (V&A Waterfront, City Bowl, Green Point etc).
We have listed below some of the major attractions in and around Cape Town.
Cape Town Top Attractions / Things to do in Cape Town
Take a 10min Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain from Lower Cable Station, Tafelberg Road. The cable car’s rotating floor and huge windows ensure that all passengers get a 360-degree aerial view as they head up the mountain. Open 8AM to 10PM, last car down is at 9PM. These times may vary throughout the year. Both the cable car and the pathways on top of the mountain are wheelchair accessible. Always take something warm to wear when going up the mountain, even if it is a nice toasty 30C at the bottom of the mountain. Weather conditions at the top of the mountain are not the same as at the bottom. If you're feeling fit, try climbing the shortest route to the top Platteklip Gorge. It's a steep 2 hours but well worth the effort and you can jump in the cable car back down to spare your knees. Take water, sun block, hat and jacket. The cloud comes down unannounced and the temperature could plummet. Poorly equipped hikers often have to be rescued.
Table Mountain is known for its rich biodiversity and is home to about 2000 species of plants (more than the number found throughout the entire British Isles), most of them fynbos, which forms one of the world’s six plant kingdoms all on its own. Table Mountain is also the home of a small animal, the rock rabbit (known locally as the 'Dassie') whose closest relative, DNA-wise, is the elephant.
Tel: +27 (0)21 424 8181.For online bookings or for more information visit - http://www.tablemountain.net/ - Cape Town's Top Attractions
Robben Island is 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 day, seven days a week from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront.
Ferries depart regularly from the Nelson Mandela Gateway, and each tour takes approximately 3.5 hours. You will be guided around the island by a former political prisoner who will relate the story of Robben Island first-hand, ensuring a personal and poignant tour. The Robben Island Museum Tour includes a guided tour of the maximum security prison. A visit to Mandela’s cell in B-section is a significant part of the tour. The small cell has been left in its original state and shows the hardships of prison life.
When Kirstenbosch, the most famous of the gardens, was founded in 1913 to preserve the country's unique flora, it was the first botanical garden in the world with this ethos. Furthermore, what makes the Gardens so famous worldwide is that (with minor exceptions) only indigenous plants are cultivated. View the hugely diverse and beautiful plants and flowers of the Cape flora in one of the most stunning botanical gardens in the world. Plants from all of the regions of South Africa are on display, including rare succulents from the Richtersveld, a giant baobab tree, and interesting medicinal plants. Numerous paths wander through the grounds situated on the back side of Table Mountain. Several restaurants, a gift shop and indigenous nursery are also available.
In summer there are open-air concerts on Sundays, and it’s best to bring a loaded picnic basket and enjoy the gardens at your leisure, as you sip Cape wines. Get there early, as they’re very popular. The Silvertree Restaurant also hosts a Winter Concert programme that is also popular with locals and visitors.
Contact information: +27 (0)21 762 0687 / Operational hours: Sep - Mar (Summer): Mon - Sun -
08h00 - 19h00 / Apr - Aug (Winter): Mon - Sun - 08h00 - 18h00. Physical Address: Rhodes Drive, Newlands Cape Town
Click on each of the photographs above to view in full size.
Click on each of the photographs above to view in full size.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is located in the historic heart of Cape Town's working harbour and is South Africa's most-visited destination, having the highest rate of foreign tourists of any attraction in the country. (“V&A” stands for Victoria and Alfred, after Queen Victoria of England and her youngest son, Alfred, who officially laid the first stones of the harbour in 1860.)
Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a variety of shopping and amusement possibilities, 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. It houses the Nelson Mandela Gateway which offers boat trips to Robben Island, as well as the Two Oceans Aquarium.
The V&A Waterfront has more or less full wheelchair access. The Waterfront’s Amphitheatre is a good spot for live entertainment (often provided to the public for free) – from concerts to creative workshops to puppet shows. V&A Waterfront Visitor Information Centre: Tel: +27 (0)21 408 7600 / Website: http://www.waterfront.co.za/ - Cape Town's Top Attractions.
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Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cable way or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Cape Town's Top Attractions.
(1) - Table Mountain and Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
(2) - Robben Island - Waterfront Cape Town
(3) - Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Cape Town
(4) - Cape of Good Hope National ParkCape Town
(5) - Victoria and Alfred Waterfront - Cape Town
Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is located in the Cape Peninsula, near Simon's Town towards Cape Point, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is also commonly known as Boulders Bay.
It is a popular tourist stop because of a colony of African Penguins which settled there in 1982. Boulders Beach forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Although set in the midst of a residential area, it is one of the few sites where this vulnerable bird (Spheniscus demersus) can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected natural environment.
From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the penguin colony has grown to about 3,000 in recent years. This is partly due to the reduction in commercial pelagic trawling in False Bay, which has increased the supply of pilchards and anchovy, which form part of the penguins' diet. Bordered mainly by indigenous bush above the high-water mark on the one side, and the clear water of False Bay on the other, the area comprises a number of small sheltered bays, partially enclosed by granite boulders that are 540 million years old. The most popular recreational spot is Boulders Beach, but the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where newly-constructed boardwalks take visitors to within a few meters of the birds. It is also a popular swimming beach, although humans are restricted to beaches adjacent to the penguin colony.
Location: Driving along the main road you pass through Simon’s Town. Shortly after the town you turn left into Seaforth Road where you will find a parking area and the Boulder.
(6) - Boulders Beach and the Penguins - Simons TownCape Town
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Built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a maritime replenishment station, the Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. From 1678 it was the centre of civilian, administrative and military life at the Cape, until the settlement grew and some functions and activities moved away from the Castle. Today the Castle is the seat of the military in the Cape, and houses the Castle Military Museum and Iziko Museums of Cape Town (William Fehr Collection).
Guided tours are conducted by Castle guides from Monday to Saturday at 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00. Self-guided tours by means of a map in seven (7) different languages are also on offer. Traditional ceremonies take place during weekdays. This ceremony takes place at 10:00 and 12:00 and the Castle Guard performs both these ceremonies.
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The Two Oceans Aquarium is a window into the spectacular oceans surrounding the southern African coast. Situated in the V&A Waterfront, the Aquarium offers its visitors the amazing opportunity to explore below the waterline. Through displays ranging from the small and almost fantastical Knysna seahorses, to large ragged-tooth sharks, the Aquarium holds wondrous discoveries around every corner. Be mesmerised by the swaying of the giant kelp in the aptly named Kelp Forest Exhibit- one of only three living kelp forest displays in the world. Or come face-to-face with giant spider grabs and have an adventurous tactile experience at the Touch Pool. Feeding times: I&J Predator Exhibit daily at 15h00, Kelp Forest Exhibit Wednesdays and Sundays at 12h00, penguins 11h30 and 14h30 daily.
Contact information: Tel: +27 21 787 1249 / Open daily between 09:30 - 18:00
(8) - Two Oceans Aquarium - V & A Waterfront -Cape Town
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In Cape Town city centre there is one of Cape Town’s oldest and most popular markets known as Green Market Square. The cobbled stone square has a wide variety of African curios, clothing, candles and speciality stands. There are restaurants and cafes that surround the square if you wish to rest your feet and take a break from your shopping. The history of the market dates back to when ships passing the Cape would use the area for trading their goods and stocking up on produce before they continued along on their voyages. You will find that the market is always alive with people and has a great atmosphere and sense of character about it.
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The Cape Winelands are a region in the south of South Africa. The winelands boasts some of the most majestic scenery in South Africa. It is situated to the north-east of Cape Town and offers a beautiful landscape of wine hills and mountains.
In 1652 the Dutch East India company established a refreshment station at the Cape of Good Hope aiming to provide fresh food to the company's fleet on voyages to India and surrounding areas. As a result of this trading station South Africa now boasts a flourishing wine industry and colourful, multi-cultural nation. When the first settlers arrived, governor Simon van der Stel awarded them land where they could farm for their own needs. When more and more settlers from Germany, France and the Netherlands arrived - some of them experienced winemakers - they discovered that the hills in this region were ideal for growing vines.
The Cape Winelands are easily accessible from Cape Town via car and tour bus. Train routes are also available, but can be difficult to find. The main routes through the winelands are on the N1 and N2 highways. Most of the major vineyards are centered around Paarl (on the N1) and Stellenbosch (on the N2). Many other smaller and interesting vineyards exist slightly off the beaten track.
Almost all of the vineyards are clearly marked by wine route markers. In addition to this there are many organised bus tours through the major wine routes. Most of the vineyards are open during the week and some on weekends. Wine tastings are offered as well as cheese at some cellars. There may be a small charge for wine tasting, however this is often discounted when purchasing wine from the cellar. Be sure to visit the beautiful towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek and to taste some wine at one of the local wine farms.
Contact information: There are regular wine tours daily, including wine tasting daily.
