Cape Point

Cape Point is the Peninsula’s southernmost tip. Contrary to popular belief, it is not where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet: Cape Agulhas holds this honour. Breathtaking vistas and an abundance of natural beauty draw visitors in flocks to experience this wild area. A funicular or steps take visitors to a lookout platform at the highest point, the site of the old lighthouse, erected in 1861.

Kirstenbosch Gardens                                                           back to top

Cecil John Rhodes bequeathed Kirstenbosch gardens to the South African people on his death in 1902. Covering an area of over 500 hectares, as well as 478 hectares of fynbos and natural forest and 36 hectares reserved solely for cultivation and research, the gardens contain almost 7000 species of indigenous plants, nearly 1000 of which occur naturally in the area. In addition to the plant life, attractions include the variety of bird life, strolls, picnics, guided tours, hiking trails, and Sunday evening summer sunset music concerts.

Chapman’s Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive, a spectacular winding10 km route, was excavated between 1915 and 1922 at the seam of layers of soft sandstone and hard granite on the mountain face. The peak itself is about 600 m high. This is one of the most gruelling sections of the annual Cape Argus cycle tour and the Two Oceans ultra-marathon.

Hout Bay                                                                                    back to top

Originally a source of timber for settlers in the Cape colonial era, the secluded but rapidly growing fishing village of Hout Bay offers a number of attractions in a picturesque setting, including a boat cruise from the working harbour to the seal colony of Duiker Island and a stroll through Africa’s largest bird park, the World of Birds.

Winelands

A 45-minute drive from Cape Town will bring you to Stellenbosch, Paarl or Franschhoek’s wine routes. Steeped in history, the towns and wine estates will engage all the senses. Most estates offer wine tasting and cellar tours, with an option to purchase wine using a home delivery service. Cape Town’s Constantia Valley also offers scenic, historical estates some 20 minutes from the city centre.

V & A Waterfront                                                                     back to top

With Table Mountain as its backdrop, the V & A Waterfront complex has become Cape Town’s most popular attraction. This well-preserved working harbour offers an array of upmarket hotels, shops and boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops, cinemas, the Two Oceans Aquarium, and a craft market. Various cruises depart from here.

Castle of Good Hope

The oldest surviving structure in Cape Town, the Castle was built between 1666 and 1679, using timber from Hout Bay, stone quarried on Robben Island, and lime burnt from seashells. Once housing the Dutch East India Company, several displays portray cultural and military history dating back to the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in 1652. The Castle overlooks the Grand Parade, the site of Jan van Riebeeck’s original fort and where Nelson Mandela made his first speech as a freed man.

Boulders Penguin Colony                                                         back to top

Boulders Beach is one of only two land-based colonies of protected African penguins, known as ‘jackass’ penguins because of their call. Penguins have right of way, and this is a unique opportunity to stop at this pleasant beach with its distinctive granite rocks and mingle with them. The warmer waters of False Bay make a swim in the sea very inviting.