Introduction
Located in the southwestern corner of South Africa on the Atlantic coast, Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa. Surrounded by mountains and beaches, it has a rich history and beauty, making it a premier tourist destination. Presently it is the legislative capital of South Africa as well as the provincial capital of Western Cape.

What to do
The spectacular city of Cape Town takes the visitor to an enchanting realm altogether. For centuries, its beauty and hospitality to the weary seafarer has earned it the title of the 'Tavern of the Seas'. Once here you can overlook the entire city from the Table Mountain, peer at the rich flora and fauna, cruise to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, enjoy the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and the sizzling beaches, and visit the Cape of Good Hope. One can also delight in the city’s architecture that is peppered with a predominant Dutch flavor, and gaze at the skyscrapers and multi-lane highways that have replaced downtown Cape Town.

City at a Glance

Latitude 33° 56’ South Longitude 18° 29’ East Population 2.7 million Language English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Setswana, South Sotho, North Sotho, Tsonga, Siswati, Venda, Ndebele Religion Christianity, Hinduism, Jewish, Islam Telephone Code 021

History
The earliest Europeans to discover the site of Cape Town were the Portuguese mariners who opened up the arduous sea route from Europe around Africa to India and the Far East. Though they could not establish any permanent footing here, the somber and dramatic power of the cape used to haunt the Portuguese imagination. Ships passing between Lisbon and India would stop in at Table Bay to obtain water and fresh meat form the indigenous Khoikhoi people of the cape, dubbed Hottentots by the Dutch. Over the next 140 years, ships of other nations followed the route pioneered by the Portuguese, many of them putting up at Table Bay.

Sir Francis Drake declared the cape as the ‘fairest cape' in the whole circumference of the earth’ on June 15, 1580. Gradually in the 1600s, the English traders started to take this route to go to the east, and formed the English East India Company, and put the English flag on the cape. Anglo-Dutch commercial rivalry increased in the 17th century with the Dutch setting up the Dutch East India Company. Continuing hostilities with the English made the Dutch build a fortress. British fought with the French in 1795, and then ultimately, in 1803 Britain handed the cape to Holland. In 1806 the British fought with the Dutch again, when the Dutch surrendered.

Two events in the third quarter of the 19th century promoted Cape Town to a major export outlet. These were the discovery of diamonds near the Orange River and the discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand area of the Transvaal, that led to a torrent of immigrants pouring in and the corresponding gradual expansion of the railway network.

For most of the second half of 20th century, Cape Town was gripped by the ugly apartheid regime. After the Afrikaner nationalists Party's victory in 1948 general election, the doctrine of apartheid was expressed in laws such as the Group Areas Act of 1950. Such events and the overall philosophy of apartheid left their mark on cape Town. However, all this changed with the elections in 1994 that brought the African National Congress to power and the end of apartheid. Since then Cape Town has assumed yet another new character – as the seat of a multi-racial government.

Weather and Best Season to Visit
Lying between Indian and Atlantic oceans, Cape Town has an idyllic climate, with mild winters and pleasant summers. Summer temperatures hover around 27 degrees which trickles down to the 20 degree mark in the winters. Therefore, it would suffice to say that Cape Town can be visited during any part of the year. Yet, going by the past surveys it has been noticed that more people visit it during summers, making it the ideal time to visit this city.

Highlights
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is Cape Town's most famous landmark and one of the city's greatest attractions. There are over hundred different tracks to climb to the summit, but most people prefer the cable car. The view from the top is magnificent. The mountain is part of a nature reserve containing wooden walkways and designated paths. Rhodes Memorial on the slopes of Table Mountain is home to animals like African antelope, wildebeest, bontebok and fallow deer.

Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
At Natural History Museum near Port Louis Market, you can see the stuffed replica of extinct dodo and many other extinct bird species. Mauritius Postal Museum features collection of Mauritian stamps and assorted philately.

Armed Forces Museum
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront complex is one of the most popular places to hang around in Cape Town. This charming harbor has been developed around older wharves of the scenic Cape Town harbor and is home to seagulls and fur seals. It is an excellent example of the worldwide trend to revitalize big city ports with its vibrant atmosphere. The tantalizing smell of lobster and prawn, the allure of shopping centers, the craft market, cinemas and bars, boat rides, and scuba diving, make the locals and tourists throng the place.

Kirstenbosch Gardens
The beautiful world-renowned gardens of Kirstenbosch are situated on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Approximately 6000 species of southern Africa’s flora particularly that of the Cape floral kingdom are represented here.

Robben Island
Robben island, the island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, is situated a mere 11km from Cape Town, in the middle of Table Bay. Declared a World Heritage site in 1999, it contains plenty of wildlife, which includes antelopes, birds, Cape fur seals, and white sharks.

Flora and Fauna
Cape Town is an exotic destination for all nature buffs. The city lies in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest and richest of the world's six Floral Kingdoms. Nowhere else in the world will you find as many species of plants as in the narrow belt of mountains extending along the coast from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The incredible winelands, delicate shrubs, flowering plants, over 3000 different heather species, bulbous plants, and a number of reeds cling to the mountains. There are lots of sanctuaries, nature reserves, observation towers, and game reserves to choose from. Rondevlei Sanctuary, Leonard Gill Fields Museum, Kagga Kamma reserve Silvermine Nature Reserve, Tygerberg Nature Reserve are some of these.

Historical Buildings
If you want to see old Dutch and English architecture then cape Town is the ideal place to be in. The city houses some great architectural wonders. Some of these are: Bertram House, Bo-Kaap (the first mosque in South Africa), Castle of Good Hope, City Hall, Cultural History Museum, Houses of Parliament, Jewish Museum, Josephine Mill, Koopmans De Wet House, Breakwater Prison, Gun Parade, Riebeeck Square, Round House, The University of Cape Town, and the South African Astronomical Observatory.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions
Being an important cosmopolitan centre of South Africa, the city is home to various cultures, races and ethnicity. All of which, intermingle in a number musical festivals, food and wine festivals, beer festivals, bread festivals, and cultural events that are celebrated here annually.

After Hours
There is not much of nightlife in the city except for the Le Caudan Waterfront where there are Chinese shops, bars, restaurants, and casino.

SHOPPING
At Cape Town you will come across a variety of shopping options. These range from sophisticated malls to old-style markets. Out of these, the Greenmarket Square is known to be a cobbled market place lined with coffee shops and restaurants exuding the Old Dutch charm.

WHERE TO STAY
Cape Town offers a variety of accommodation options to suit the pockets of one and all. For standard living, three star accommodations or similar middle of the range with variable facilities are available. For high quality accommodation with good location and excellent facilities, there are lots of four to five star hotels. Besides, there are guesthouses, self-catering lodges, and apartments close to the forests and beaches that are ideally suited for the backpackers and the likes.

TRAVEL INFORMATION
Air Travel Resources
Cape Town International Airport or DF Malan Airport is situated 20 minutes from the city, and is well connected to important cities of Africa and other continents.

By Road
The tourist can travel to Cape Town by road, as there is a well-developed network of roads between Cape Town and other South African cities.

Local Transport
Public transport being highly unreliable should be best avoided in Cape Town. The best means to travel within the city is by hiring cars and bikes which are available at a number of car rental services like Avis, Budget, Dalhouzi Taxis and Imperial. Specialized licensed airport taxis operate to and from the city; the safest option if you plan to catch the flight on time.

Travel Resources
Tourist Information
Captour
Adderly Street,
Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: (21) 418 5202

Post Services
Cape Town has an excellent postal service including local and overseas facilities, computerized and philatelic services. The mail center in Cape Town is called Capemail.

Banks
Many international banks operate in Cape Town. Most banks accept internationally accepted credit cards. They operate from 09h00 to 15h00 daily, and from 09h00 to 11h00 on Saturdays

Airline Offices
Information: Tel: (021) 934-0444
Customs and Excise Tel: (021) 934-0444
Passport Control Tel: (021) 934-0244

Hospitals
City Park Hospital
N-1 City Hospital