Cape Town is located in the Cape Province in South Africa. There are four provinces: originally the Transvaal, Natal, the Cape and the Orange Free State. Cape Town is 1,000 miles from Johannesburg (the monetary capital) and is the Parliamentary Capital. It is a very mountainous region and so boasts many vineyards and beautiful valleys. The CapePeninsula has a Mediterranean climate with clearly defined seasons. May to August see rain and gales which is why early explorers referred to it as the Cape of Storms. The climate is cool with varied rainfall. In the mountains the rainfall can triple that of the coastal plains and valleys.
Cape Town is considered quite dangerous for travellers who have not prepared for their journey in a safe manner but it has less violent crime than Johannesburg and it can be seen in the residences – less wrought iron bars on windows and electric fences on your average home.
The captivating TableMountain is Cape Town’s most popular site. Since opening in 1929 over 16 million people have taken the trip to the top of TableMountain. The cableway has since become a landmark in Cape Town and has carried some of Cape Town’s most illustrious visitors including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. The cars have recently been upgraded and now have revolving floors allowing passengers a 360 degree view of the city and TableMountain as they travel.
RobbenIsland is a boat trip away and it is the prisoner island where Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, was once held.
You can visit Cape Town’s very precious penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach, swan around the markets and feel the African vibe while you search for mementos and enjoy some incredible food and wine at the Cape Town Waterfront, drive out to the winelands and spend the day tasting beautiful wines and seeing the beautiful wine valleys tucked away amongst the mountains. You can swim with sharks or visit historical South African museums, discover some of the CapeJazz rhythm and the local musicians or visit Woodstock at the foot of Devil’s Peak which is becoming the heart of Cape Town’s art scene.
You can go quadbiking, sandboarding, deep sea fishing, mountain biking or just walking…. Whichever way you decide to explore Cape Town, just make sure you do it at all. This is a beautiful city with a vibrant people and explosive colours in the sky and land. You can smell the wildlife in the air and feel the love from strangers all around you. Yes, it is a particularly dangerous part of the world to visit but everywhere has their downfalls and Africa makes up for this on the opposite end of the scale in equal amounts. Life is enjoyed and bright and full of fun there. If you are careful in your choice of accommodation and travel and you keep to safe, populated areas and don’t walk around advertising that you want to be ripped off, there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t visit this wonderful place!