Cape Town

The second largest city in South Africa, Cape Town is the legislative capital of the county. It’s also the capital of Western Cape Province. Being located in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope makes it a very popular city among tourists.

Cape Town is the perfect city to start exploring the southern part of the country. Numerous attractions are located right in the city or in close vicinity. Explore Table Mountain, take a trip to the beach or taste some of the fine South African wines.

Location

Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa and stands in the south-western part of South Africa. It’s very close to Cape of Good Hope and the world-famous Cape Winelands.

How to get to Cape Town

Cape Town International Airport is the second largest airport in South Africa and one of the airports which receives international flights. Most airlines offer flights to Europe, the US and Asia. During summer, several charter companies operate from all over Europe to Cape Town.

Cape Town is well connected by train to the other major South African cities. Unfortunately the distances are rather long (16.5 hours to Kimberly and 25 hours to Johannesburg) and the train stations aren’t exactly safe places to be.

The roads in South Africa are in relatively good condition which means renting a car one of the best options to get from one city to another.

Weather

Summers in Cape Town are long and last from November to March, sometimes April. Days are very hot but the humidity is low, making the temperatures bearable.

June and July are winter mounts and tend to be little rainy. During the night, temperatures can be rather low (6 C/43 F) but in general they are around 10 C/ 50F. If you want to see the perfect sunsets and sunrises, you must visit Cape Town during winter.

February is one of the best months to visit the city as the weather is hot all the time and it’s not windy at all. Other good months for visiting are October, November, April and May.

>>more information on South Africa weather

What to Do

Probably the most important tourist destination in Cape Town is Table Mountain . You can hike to the top or take the cable car. The restaurants on the top offer not only great views of the city and bay but also great food and wine. If you feel adventurous you can go climbing or caving.

If you want to experience some of the most wonderful views Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains, take a drive down the Chapman’s Peak Drive, a narrow road linking Noordhoek to Hout Bay.

The Cape Town beaches are popular both among tourists and locals. As they are located on the Atlantic coast, the water tends to be quite cold but the water at False Bay tends to be warmer (10 C/50 F). Boulders Beach is world know as home to the African penguins. You actually have to push them aside in order to get some peace and quiet (note: there is an entry fee to stay with the penguins on the beach).

The Cape Winelands are popular destinations for day trips. Cities such as Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular both for the sights offered and for the wine tasting.

Read more about Cape Town here.

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