Cape Town, WC

experience

Table Mountain

Flat-topped Table Mountain is the most photographed landmark in South Africa. Table Mountain National Park protects an astounding diversity of plants and animals. A layer of clouds, called the "tablecloth" frequently cloaks the mountain's peak, but when the clouds clear, visitors can enjoy spectacular views. Bring a sweater as it can be cold and windy at the top. For those short on time, and energy, a cableway climbs to the summit daily, except in high winds, so check the website or call before heading out. Those wishing to summit the mountain on foot, for superb views of Table Mountain and the best vantage point, hike or drive up Signal Hill or Lion's Head.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

The site was bequeathed to the state by Cecil Rhodes in and the gardens were established to preserve the country's indigenous flora - one of the first botanical gardens in the world with this mission. The flowers, shrubs, and trees are arranged so that a show of blossoms and colour brightens the gardens throughout the year. Don't miss the proteas, the scented garden; the impressive collection of cycads; the Sculpture Garden, and the Botanical Society Conservatory, a custom-built greenhouse with plants from arid regions. Well-marked trails thread through the wooded slopes, and the Tree Canopy Walkway provides panoramic views across the mountain-backed gardens. One of the trails leads through a ravine to the summit of Table Mountain.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Clifton 1st

About six kilometres from the city centre, the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton lure the buff, the bronzed, and the beautiful - as well as the big bucks. At Clifton, Cape Town's St. Tropez, some of the city's priciest real estate overlooks four gleaming white-sand beaches flanked by smooth granite boulders and washed by sparkling, but crisp, blue seas. First Beach is a favourite volleyball venue and offers decent surf when the conditions are right.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Camps Bay Beach

Just south of Clifton, trendy Camp's Bay sports another stunning beach, backed by the magnificent Twelve Apostles and the distinctive peak of Lion's Head. People-watching is an art along this pretty palm-lined stretch as well as at the chic cafes and boutiques fringing Victoria Street - especially during weekends and holidays when locals and tourists throng here to soak up the scene.

Cape Town, WC

experience

V&A Waterfront

The Waterfront is a buzzing entertainment quarter reminiscent of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Once a scruffy fishing harbour, this reimagined waterfront district is now one of the city's top tourist attractions and many of the old buildings have been preserved and restored. Sports fans will love the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum, which traces the story of South African Rugby through interactive exhibits. Two Oceans Aquarium features more than 300 species of fish from the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The trendy Green Point precinct is also home to the lovely Green Point Urban Park with its biodiversity garden as well as the Cape Town Stadium, which hosted many FIFA World Cup matches in 2010.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Noon Gun

Signal Hill offers stunning views over Cape Town, Table Bay, and the glittering Atlantic Ocean from its summit. Many locals and visitors drive up to watch the sunset and stay to see the shimmering lights of Cape Town ignite after dark. At noon every day (except Sundays and public holidays), a cannon activated by an electronic impulse from the Observatory fires a single shot. In earlier days this "noon gun" served to give the exact time to ships anchored in the bay. Tourists are welcome to attend a free presentation on the history of the Noon Gun at the Lion Battery and then stay to watch the firing.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Chapman's Peak

25 kilometres from the city centre, Chapman's Peak Drive, "Chappies" by the locals, is one of the most jaw-dropping driving routes in the world. Cut into the sheer face of Chapman's Peak, which plunges to the sea, this spectacular toll road snakes its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay passing panoramic Chapman's Peak point along the way. With 114 curves carved into the rock face, some perched more than 500 meters above the sea; this is not a route for those prone to motion sickness. Around sunset, cars cram along the panoramic viewpoints as sightseer’s stake a spot to watch the sun sink while sipping a cool drink in the time-honoured South African tradition known as "sundowners." Look for southern right whales and dolphins in the sparkling Atlantic Ocean below, and drive slowly and carefully.

WC, South Africa

experience

Robben Island

For nearly 400 years, Robben Island in Table Bay, was a brutal prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years during apartheid era. Tours begin with multimedia exhibits at the Nelson Mandela Gateway on the Waterfront before boarding vessels to the island. While on the island, visitors tour the maximum security prison, Mandela's former cell, and the lime quarry where prisoners were forced to endure back-breaking labour. Perhaps the best part about the tour is that the guides are former prisoners of Robben Island who share their experiences and offer insight into the atrocities of apartheid and the power of forgiveness.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Cape Town City Hall

History buffs can visit two notable historic buildings within five minutes' walk of each other in central Cape Town. Built in 1905, Cape Town City Hall is a striking mix of Italian Neo-Renaissance and British colonial style. The 60-meter-high bell-tower, with a carillon installed in 1923, was modelled on Big Ben in London. Highlights of the interior include the beautiful mosaic floors, marble staircase, and impressive stained glass. Notice the balcony overlooking Grand Parade where Nelson Mandela, the country's future president, addressed a jubilant crowd in 1990 after 27 years in prison. Music lovers should also try to attend a performance by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra based here

Cape Town, WC

experience

Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving stone building in South Africa. It was built in 1666-79 as the residence of the Governor and for the protection of the early settlers, but the castle, which is in the form of a five-pointed star, was never exposed to attack. A highlight here is the William Fehr Collection, which includes pictures, porcelain, fine glass, ceramics, and furniture of the 17th to 19th centuries from South Africa, Europe, and Asia. A short walk from the fort up the shopping hub of Longmarket Street leads to Greenmarket Square, an atmospheric little cobbled plaza, with a number of Art Deco buildings as a backdrop. Shoppers can browse the small flea market held every day of the week here except Sunday

Cape Town, WC

experience

Heart of Cape Town Museum

In the Groote Schuur Hospital, The Heart of Cape Town Museum opened in 2007 to honour the 40th anniversary of the first heart transplant performed here by Christiaan Barnard. Knowledgeable docents take visitors on a fascinating two-hour tour to see recreations of the operating facilities in the actual rooms where the surgery took place. The tours also explore everything from the ethical implications of the time to the history of the recipient and the donor. Even visitors with no medical background appreciate learning about the history of this life-saving procedure.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Bo-Kaap Museum

A top museum in this group is the Bo-Kaap Museum in the Bo-Kaap District, an old Malay quarter with brightly-painted two-story houses that are still occupied by the descendants of slaves who were brought to the Cape from the East Indies in the second half of the 17th century. This excellent museum illustrates aspects of 19th-century Muslim life in a rare early Cape-Dutch house circa 1763. A room on the premises houses a collection of carts and carriages.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Iziko Old Town House Museum

The Old Town House is another popular attraction in the museum group. It was originally built in 1755 in a Dutch-Rococo style and lies in Cape Town's hub on the west side of Green Market Square. Formerly Cape Town's City Hall, the Old Town House now displays a collection of pictures presented to the country by Sir Max Michaelis in 1914, consisting mainly of works by 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masters, including Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruysdael, and Jan van Goyen.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Koopmans-De Wet House

Another highlight of the group is the Koopmans-de Wet House, built in 1701 on a U-shaped ground-plan, with a façade by Louis Thibault (1771). The original interior has been preserved and gives a vivid impression of the lifestyle of a successful 18th-century businessman.

Cape Town, WC

experience

Iziko South African Museum

Also in the group, the South African Museum and Planetarium and the National Gallery, in Company's Garden, are worth a visit for natural history buffs and budding astronomers.

Cape Town, WC

experience

District Six Museum

In 1966, 70,000 residents of multi-ethnic District Six were displaced when the South African government decided the community was to be a white one. This poignant museum honours the people of this now-vanished district. On the museum's floor is a large-scale map where former residents are encouraged to label their old homes and features of their neighbourhood.