Cape Town Travel Guide

Travel guide to Cape Town, South Africa with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Cape Town sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.

Cape Town Overview

Cape Town is the legislative and cultural capital of South Africa. It is a beautiful city by the sea. Cape Town has a stunning location nestled between Table Mountain and the South Atlantic Ocean. Probably the most popular destination in for tourists visiting South Africa, there is plenty to keep you occupied, from exploring shopping malls and soaking up the vibrant nightlife on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, to exploring the historic Winelands region. Cape Town has great beaches to relax on, and every evening, it offers some of the best sunsets in the world.

You can get cheap flights and package holidays to Cape Town and the cost of living in South Africa makes Cape Town a great value place to visit, with cheap deals on luxury hotels and restaurants commonplace in the city.

Cape Town is a great city to visit in its own right, and there is plenty to do and see that will give you a holiday to remember. It is also the perfect place to start a tour of South Africa that takes in the Winelands and there is all the beautiful scenery along the Garden Route to enjoy on a self-drive tour nearby.

Top Cape Town Attractions

The most obvious of Cape Town's many attractions is Table Mountain - the distinctive flat-topped peak that lies inland of the city centre. A cable car carries people to the summit, and there are vantage points offering amazing views over the city.

The Victoria and Albert Waterfront is the main nightlife area of Cape Town, where there are a number of bars and nightclubs, although backpackers tend to stick to the area along Long Street.

Hermanus beach south of the city on the Cape of Good Hope offers pretty good territory for whale watching, and is a popular place to surf on sunnier days.

One must see attraction in Cape Town is Robben Island Prison. Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on the island for 27 years before he was released and became president. Former inmates conduct tours of the facility and have plenty of chilling tales to tell.

Shopping in Cape Town

Because of the favourable exchange rates, and generally low cost of living, there are few places as cheap as Cape Town. The main shopping areas are on Adderley Street, where the more upmarket stores can be found - and Long Street for the Bohemian look. Antiques and clothing are generally pretty good value in Cape Town, and so is wine.

As a major centre for the diamond industry, Cape Town is an excellent place to pick up some gaudy baubles - just be sure to declare them at customs on your way home ;-).

Cape Town Sporting Events

South Africa is synonymous with outdoor fun, and there are plenty of opportunities to get active in Cape Town. Aside from climbing and abseiling on table Mountain, you can try your hand at swimming with sharks (in a cage), scuba diving, surfing, and mountain biking within a short distance of the city centre.

Regular international cricket and rugby matches take place in Cape Town throughout the year, and it is well worth making the effort to see one if you get the chance.