Cape TownCape Town, also known as the Mother City, stretches around a deep natural bay almost
at the southern-most part of Africa with Table Mountain as backdrop, and Robben
Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned as foreground in the bay.
It is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities, not just because of
its setting, but also because of the graceful colonial buildings in the old
town, the whitewashed gabled farmsteads in the vineyards, and the almost
indescribable beauty of its string of beaches.
For the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 the site of an older stadium has been turned
into a magnificent stadium seating seventy thousand. It can be used in any kind
of weather and is 
Cape Town Stadiumenvironmentally sustainable. It is also less than a kilometer
away from accommodations to suit every taste, not to mention the waterfront
shopping mall and other great amenities A stroll to the beach only takes about
ten minutes.
There are a great many other things to see and do in and around Cape Town. Here is a
brief taste of what to expect:
Cape Town Waterfront
This a tourist magnet of fine restaurants and shops set around a working harbor
for racing yachts and small commercial craft that dates back to the earliest
settlement.
Table MountainTable Mountain National Park
You can explore this National Park in
several ways. You can take a cableway ride to the top and wander across the
eerily flat pristine landscape to revel in unsurpassed views of the ocean
before retiring to the restaurant for an elevated meal. Alternatively, if you are
in good shape, you can scramble up Skeleton Gorge yourself, which the fanatics
claim is the only way to visit the mountain.
The Old City
The Old City includes the colonial-style parliament
complex and state president's residence set in the old company gardens, the
national museum and art gallery, the church square with the old slave lodge,
and the historic fort.
Working Harbor
The harbor is accessible and provides a splendid
opportunity to wander for hours within almost touching distance of great ships
from the seven seas.
Cape Winelands
Cape Winelands
The Cape Winelands are spread out in lush valleys between
stony mountain ranges. Wine tastings are available at three hundred year old
estates where famous name brands compete with cordon bleu meals for attention. The
more knowledgeable also recommend visits to small farms in start-up mode where
tastings take place around the family table and, from time to time, exceptional
wines wait to be discovered.
Cape Point Nature Reserve
The Cape Town Nature Reserve is an hour's
drive away from the city along a winding road that hugs the seashore. Once
there, it is possible to roam for hours across undulating natural scrub
populated by antelope and smaller predators. Occasionally, the footpaths drop
down to a beach with a rusty shipwreck.
Robben IslandRobben Island
Robben Island is located in
Table Bay off the coast of
Cape Town. In years past, it was used to isolate people in prison, including
the first president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Today, Robben Island is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can join tours to visit the island and
museum.
Cape Town has so much more to offer and it is no wonder that it is South Africa's leading
tourist destination despite all the competition.
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