Cape Town is the second major city in South Africa and is the capital of the Western Cape Province; it is situated in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope, and is the most southern city in Africa. It’s official: Cape Town’s beaches are among the most beautiful in the world!
Cape Town is one of the places you just have to visit before you die. It’s an awesome city. All the vibe you want – great parties, great shopping and loads of galleries and other cultural attractions can’t detract from the fact that what makes Cape Town special is the fact that it is set in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Even Sir Francis Drake, who’d pretty much seen it all, called Cape Point the ‘fairest cape in all the circumference of the world’.
It’s a needle-sharp promontory, which – contrary to marketing hype – does not divide the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic. But Capetonians claim it does and you can often see a line of foam heading straight out from the point – possibly all the way to Antarctica – which certainly divides the False BayCoastline on the east from the Atlantic Seaboard on the west.And the Peninsula Mountain Chain forms a high-lying spine all the way from Cape Point to Table Mountain above the city.
Most of this high lying ground is part of the Table Mountain National Park, which also includes Boulders Beach and its penguins, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens that showcases South Africa’s fabulous floral heritage as well as hosting some great concerts among the flowers. Table Mountain is the soul of Cape Town – its emotional heart and touchstone.
Many Capetonians escape to the slopes of the mountain on weekends and after work as a regular – well, it’s almost a pilgrimage. There are literally hundreds of walks on the mountain. Cape Town is the epicentre of the Cape Floral Region, which is a world heritage site. Another great thing about the Peninsula and its mountains is that Cape Town has virtually two different climates in one city.
Cape Town Weather
Seasons in Cape Town are quite straightforward. Winter (July – August) is relatively cold and wet and summer (November – March) is hot. Be warned though – winters in Cape Town have started to become predominantly warmer, clearer and drier. So if you’re planning on travelling at this time, you should consider packing a pair of shorts just in case you land up on the beach.
Temperatures range between 7 and 18 degrees Celsius in winter and can reach up to 35 degrees Celsius in summer – although the Cape Doctor, a south easterly wind, generally keeps things bearable. Cape Town’s weather can be temperamental at times and it is for this reason we suggest you wear layers.
Cape Town Hotels:
• 2Inn1 Kensington
• Derwent House Boutique Hotel
• An African Villa
• Blackheath Lodge
• Steenberg Hotel
• Four Rosmead
• Table Bay Hotel
• Compass House Boutique Hotel
• Villa Zest Boutique Hotel
• Cape Heritage Hotel
• Mount Nelson Hotel by Orient-Express
• Kensington Place
• Winchester Mansions
• The Cape Cadogan
• Cape Royale
• Greenways Hotel
• Dock House