Football World Cup 

Cape Town:

Overview:

Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa and is the capital of the Western Cape Province, as well as being the legislative capital of South Africa (the Houses of Parliament are here). It is located in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope, and is the most southern city in Africa. It is a stone's throw from South Africa's world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.

Trivia: Cape Town is also known as the Mother City in South Africa. The Cape Town metropolitan area covers a large area, from Durbanville and Somerset West in the east to Cape Point in the south and Atlantis in the north. The city centre itself is located in a relatively small area between Table Mountain and Table Bay. Cape Town's medical research is world-renowned, and Groote Schuur hospital is where Christiaan Barnard and Hamilton Naki performed the world's first heart transplant.

• Hotels
• Transport
• Food & Drink
• Entertainment & Nightlife
• Tourist Tips
• History
• Green Point Stadium 

Hotels:

Accommodation in Cape Town ranges from hostels (of which there are many) to luxury accommodation. Actually, there are so many hotels, B&B's and guest houses that it can be difficult to decide where to stay!

Consider sleeping in one of the suburbs. It is normally much quieter and there is less traffic than in Central Cape Town. The suburbs in the south, like Camps Bay or Simon's Town or near the winelands (see Cape Winelands) may offer better quality for a lower price.

Many guest houses and backpacker's accommodation are along Long Street.

Cape Town Waterfront 4/5 Star:

• Cape Grace Hotel
• Commodore Hotel
• One&Only Cape Town
• Portswood Hotel
• Radisson Hotel
• Southern Sun Cullinan
• Southern Sun Waterfront
• The Table Bay Hotel
• Victoria and Alfred Hotel

Atlantic Seaboard 4/5 Star:

• Bantry Bay Luxury Suites
• Cape Royale
• Dolphin Beach Hotel
• Don Beach Road Hotel
• Hotel Graeme
• Hotel Le Vendome
• Lagoon Beach Hotel & Apartments
• Leisure Bay Luxury Suites
• Peninsula All-Suite Hotel
• Premier Hotel Cape Manor
• Romney Park Suites
• Sea Point Protea Hotel
• Sugar Hotel
• The Ambassador Hotel
• The Bay Hotel
• The President Hotel
• The Ritz Hotel
• The Twelve Apostles Hotel
• Winchester Mansions Hotel

Small Luxury Hotels:

• Alta Bay
• Boutique Manolo
• Camps Bay Retreat
• Cape Cadogan Hotel
• Colona Castle
• Ellerman House
• Ezard House
• Highlands Country House
• Hippo Boutique Hotel
• Hout Bay Manor Hotel
• Kensington Place Hotel
• O on Kloof Boutique Hotel
• Stillness Manor
• The Constantia
• Urban Chic Boutique Hotel
• Villa Zest

Cape Town City Bowl:

• Adderley Hotel
• Best Western Suites Hotel
• Breakwater Lodge
• Cape Diamond Hotel
• Cape Town Hollow
• Cape Town Lodge
• Capetonian Hotel
• Circa - Urban Hip Hotel
• Eastern Boulevard Hotel
• Fountains Hotel
• Garden Court De Waal
• Grand Daddy Hotel
• Holiday Inn Express
• Hollow on the Square
• Icon - Urban Hip Hotel
• Mandela Rhodes Place
• Mount Nelson Hotel
• Park Inn Hotel
• Protea Hotel Fire and Ice
• Southern Sun Cape Sun
• St Georges Mall
• The Cape Castle Hotel
• Townhouse Hotel
• Victoria Junction Hotel
• Westin Grand Arabella Quays

Cape Town Southern Suburbs:

• Constantia Uitsig Hotel
• Courtyard Cape Town
• Greenways Hotel
• Nova Constantia
• Southern Sun Newlands
• Vineyard Hotel & Spa

Transport:

Getting There:

Cape Town International Airport (CPT), is the second largest airport in South Africa (the largest being the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg). There are several flights daily to Johannesburg, Durban and all other major South African cities, as well as the Namibian cities of Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay and other destinations, including Gaborone, Maun and Nairobi. The most used airlines for international flights from Europe, the US and Asia include South African Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Delta Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Malaysian.

As from June 2006, Cape Town International Airport is undergoing an upgrade to handle an expected increase in air traffic as tourism numbers increase in the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The renovations include several large new parking garages, a revamped domestic departure terminal and a new international terminal plus a new double-decker road system. The airport's cargo facilities are also being expanded and several large empty lots are being developed into office space and hotels.

Getting Around:

By Car:

The vast majority of roads in and around Cape Town are in a very good condition, making travelling by car an easy issue. However, please be aware of hijackers at night or at traffic lights. The danger is not as high as often emphasized by the media, but a good portion of precaution should be taken. Please ask your hotel staff or anyone familiar with the area about where it is safe and where it is not safe.

Several major highways start in Cape Town:

• N1 runs north-east, passing Paarl, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg on its way from Cape Town to Harare in Zimbabwe. Also a good choice if you want to go to Kimberley and the northern Drakensberg.
• N2 runs along the East Coast towards the Garden Route, George and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, through the Wild Coast up to Durban and Swaziland.
• N7 goes north along the West Coast to the Northern Cape city of Springbok and to Namibia. Also follow it to go to Upington and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
• Hiring a car in South Africa is not as expensive as in Europe or many other countries. Petrol is also cheap compared to Europe, but might be a bit more expensive than in the US.

By Train:

Cape Town's main train station is located in the city centre, on the corner of Adderley Street and Strand Street. Please take care of your belongings as there are instances of petty crime.

• A daily train departs for Kimberley (16.5 hours) and Johannesburg (25 hours). From Johannesburg there are onward connections north to Pretoria, Polokwane and Musina (near the border with Zimbabwe), and east to Nelspruit (near the Kruger National Park).
• Weekly trains leave every Monday for Durban (36.5 hours) via Kimberley (18 hours), Bloemfontein (21 hours) and Pietermaritzburg (34 hours).
• Weekly trains leave every Sunday for East London (28 hours).

MetroRail commuter trains are a great way to get between Cape Town and neighbouring towns such as Stellenbosch, Strand, Paarl, Somerset West, Malmesbury, Worcester and through the Southern Suburbs (Claremont, Wynberg, Retreat) or to the beaches at Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Glencairn and Simon's Town. MetroRail trains are generally safe, but avoid traveling at night. If you need to use trains at night, use the most crowded first class (MetroPlus) car and don't stay alone.

The train line from Cape Town to Simon's Town is fabulous ; from Muizenberg south to Simon's Town it runs right next to the sea. You can often see whales, and if it's windy you may have sea spray hitting the train windows. For the best views make sure you sit on the east side of the train (the left side as you face away from Cape Town and towards Simon's Town).

Trains to Stellenbosch run every two hours (more or less), but this journey might take a while. Ask at the ticket counter if there is an earlier train you could use, as there are also trains to Stellenbosch starting in Bellville and Eerste River.

By Foot:

Public transport in Cape Town (and South Africa in general) is not very good. Unless you are staying within walking distance of the beach in Camps Bay (or some other area where everything you want is close by) then you will find it very frustrating not to have your own transport.

By Metered Taxi:

Metered taxis are controlled by the city council and can be considered safe and reliable. The price per kilometre is around R8-R10 and can often be read at the taxis side door. You can also set a fixed price with the driver, especially when going to a far away destination such as the airport which is about 21 km from city centre and the fare can be bargained down to R180.

Please note that there is only one official taxi company at the airport. But you should ask your hotel to pick you up, as pick up service are provided by nearly all hotels, guest houses and so on.

Food & Drink:

Food in Cape Town is generally of high quality. The wines are much celebrated, but the surrounding region is also a major fruit producer, and the Karoo lamb is widely regarded. Seafood caught locally is superlative, but ironically much of it goes internationally (e.g., tuna for sushi) because of the prices that can be achieved. Ask about the local linefish: yellowtail, cape salmon, kingklip, kabeljou and others are great eating. Oysters in season are also exceptional, farmed and wild from Knysna or wild flown in from Namibia.

As one of the main tourist spots is the V&A waterfront, you will find a broad range of restaurants, but they are often crowded and expensive. Another highlight is the area around Long Street with its many cafés and restaurants (frequented by a multi-ethnic clientèle), while the trendy area of De Waterkant between Bo Kaap and Green Point above Somerset Road also boasts good food and a great vibe. Dine with supermodels and other beautiful people in Camps Bay, which has many hip eateries and nightspots overlooking the beach along Victoria Road.

Farther afield, Hout Bay on the west side of the Cape Peninsula is very good for fresh crayfish (lobsters - they have become quite expensive, around R300, though). Kalk Bay on the east side of the peninsula offers a big variety of fresh fish, do check out The Brass Bell. The restaurants in nearby Simon's Town are also good. Do not neglect the Cape Winelands for food if you have a car. In Stellenbosch, Spier has several restaurants, including the fun, afro-chic Moyo, and many wine estates offer food of different types and quality. The village of Franschhoek is the culinary navel of the wine region, with Le Quartier Francais a perennial five-star winner, but only one of many excellent restaurants. In the Constantia Valley, Constantia Uitsig has three great restaurants, The River Cafe, La Colombe and the Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, upmarket, but worth it.  

Drink:

If you like South African wine, buy it here (or anywhere in South Africa) before you leave, because it is much cheaper and there is more availability than overseas. Top guide to wines is the John Platter's Guide, with a few others around too, and with thousands of wines available from the region, you will need a guide (see below for shops that have knowledgeable staff). Read Wine magazine (or the iconoclastic Grape) for the latest information.

• Vaughan Johnson's Wine Shop, Dock Road, V&A Waterfront. Quality selection but not exhaustive. Knowledgeable staff. Generally substantial (10-20 percent) markup over winery prices but of course more convenient.
• Caroline's Fine Wines, V&A Waterfront and 15 Long Street in the City Centre. Better selection and more knowledgeable staff. City Centre location recommended, but both are excellent. Foam inserts and boxes for international shipping or for checking with your luggage (safe!). Not cheap though, compared to supermarkets and wineries. 
• Wine Concepts, Cardiff Castle Building, cnr Main Street & Kildare Road, Newlands (Southern uburbs). Another great wine shop, certainly the best outside the City Bowl. A franchised location is on Kloof Street in the Lifestyle Centre. 
• Ultra, a large South African liquor chain. Several locations around the city, the one in Green Point is the most accessible to tourists. A warehouse bottle store but with a remarkable wine selection across all price ranges. Case discount (even on mixed cases). Good if you want to stock up for a road trip. Stash a bottle of Amarula Cream in your backpack while you're at it. Great prices; in fact, often cheaper than at the wine farms themselves. 
• Cape Fusion Tours. Offers tailor made private wine tours of the Cape wine regions.
  

Entertainment & Nightlife:

• Bo-Kaap. This neighbourhood, located on a hill south-west of downtown is the area historically inhabited by mainly Muslim descendants of slaves from South-East Asia (hence an older term for the area - 'Malay Quarter'. It's a common location for film shoots, as there are some very colourful buildings, quaint streets, mosques. views over Cape Town and some great food sold on the side of the street. It's well worth wandering around for an hour or so, as well as visiting the Bo-Kaap Museum (a view of a prosperous Muslim family from the 19th Century). 
• The Castle of Good Hope, Buitenkant Street. Popularly called 'The Castle' by locals, it has extensive displays of historical military paraphernalia, a history of the castle, an art collection and the William Fehr Collection (including old Cape Dutch furniture). You can eat inside the Castle at the restaurant or café, as well as buy wine. R20 entrance free. 
• Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Rhodes Drive, Newlands. Open daily 8am to 6pm (7pm September to March). View the hugely diverse and beautiful plants and flowers of the Cape flora in one of the most stunning botanical gardens in the world. Plants from all of the regions of South Africa are on display, including rare succulents from the Richtersveld, a giant baobab tree, and interesting medicinal plants. Numerous paths wander through the grounds situated on the back side of Table Mountain. Several restaurants, a gift shop and indigenous nursery are also available. At various times of the year concerts are performed in the open air amphitheatre. Art is frequently on display, including large Shona stone sculptures from Zimbabwe. The gardens are also home to the National Biodiversity Institute. R27. 
• Robben Island. Robben Island is located just off the coast from Cape Town, this was the location used during the apartheid days to hold political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela and the late Walter Sisulu. Some of the tour guides were themselves political prisoners so they have plenty of insight about what went on there. Tours run several times per day, seven days a week from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront. As of December 2008, tickets can be purchased for a tour the next day, although it is advisable to make a booking as soon as you arrive in Cape Town. Tickets can be purchased online. R180.
• Rhodes Memorial. Built in recognition of the contributions of Cecil John Rhodes to the Southern African region. 
• South African Parliament. Cape Town is the legislative seat of South Africa (the Presidential seat is in Pretoria and the Supreme Court is at Bloemfontein). A tour of this compound will acquaint you with South Africa's recent history and its political system. The tour includes visits to the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces and the old apartheid-era assembly which is now only used for caucus and committee meetings. Tours are offered a few times per day in various languages. Free entrance and tours. 
• Two Oceans Aquarium, V&A Waterfront. Open 9:30am to 6pm. An excellent modern aquarium. R80 entrance fee. 
• Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. A huge shopping and entertainment area at the slopes of Table Mountain, next to the harbour. It is very popular with tourists, because of the high density of shops, restaurants and amusement possibilities, like the Aquarium or the Marine Museum. Harbour tours and trips to Robben Island start from here, as well as helicopter flights to the Cape Peninsula. The V&A Waterfront has more or less full wheelchair access. 

Museums and Galleries:

• Bo-Kaap Museum, 71 Wale Street, Bo-Kaap. Open 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday. Located in a home dating from the 1760s, the museum offers an insight into the cultural life of the Muslim community of the Bo-Kaap area in Cape Town. R5 entrance fee. 
• District Six Museum, 25A Buitenkant St. District Six is an area near downtown Cape Town which remained multiracial well into the 1960s against all attempts by the government to declare it a "white only" area. Eventually the residents were all evicted and the buildings were bulldozed. The area remains uninhabited. The museum provides information about the area, the eviction, the Group Areas Act, and the people who used to live there. The director of the museum is a former resident. There is a small bookstore with an excellent selection of books on South Africa's history, District Six and apartheid. 
• Groot Constantia, Groot Constantia Estate, onstantia. Open daily 10am to 5pm. One of the oldest wine estates in South Africa R8 entrance fee. 
• Slave Lodge, cnr Adderley and Wale Streets. Open 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Sunday. One of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. R7 entrance fee. 
• South African Jewish Museum, 88 Hatfield Street. Open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 5pm and Friday 10am to 2pm. Closed Saturday. The Museum is interactive and hi-tech, using different media to present highlights of South African history, and examining the Jewish community's story of individual and organisational roles and contributions. R35 adults, R15 students.
• South African Maritime Museum, Union Castle Building, V&A Waterfront. 
• South African National Gallery, Government Avenue, Gardens. Open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday. Located in the Gardens area of Cape Town off Government Ave (about a 20 minute walk from downtown). Contains extensive displays of South African art, as well as information on the history of censorship of art during apartheid R10 entrance fee. 
• Galleria Gibello, 67 Rose Street, Bo Kaap. Open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Situated in the increasingly trendy Bo Kaap, Galleria Gibello offers visitors a brief escape from reality. Galleria Gibello is a photo gallery that is filled with visually captivating moments of life on the African continent. Admission is free.  

Shopping:

The V&A Waterfront is the prime tourist destination for souvenirs, though these tend to be typically touristy (i.e. expensive and not necessarily authentic). More authentic curios for better prices can be found every Sunday at the Green Point market outside the Green Point Stadium on Sundays, in walking distance from the V & A Waterfront. Many of these same curios can be purchased during the week in the several multi-story shops at the lower end of Long Street.

For the real deal with authentic artifacts complete with provenance and ethnographic background, go to Church Street where there are a couple of shops but be prepared for sticker shock. When buying African Curio, the price at open markets are almost always very negotiable and seldom does the item have a price sticker attached. People with foreign accents are often quoted twice to three times the price they sell to locals, so do negotiate.

Nightlife:

Long Street, which can be easily reached from St. George's Cathedral and the Greenmarket Square, is famous for its bars, restaurants and clubs. This is the ideal place if you want to end the day with a drink. It is also one of the few truly multi-ethnic, multi-racial nightspots in the city. See the new South Africa, not just other tourists.

You will have live entertainment (normally something like jazz or kwaito music) in many bars and sometimes you will have to pay to get in.

• Blushlounge, 43 Somerset Road, Greenpoint. Blush Lounge is a bar lounge and nightclub that caters for the young professional. Quality service by well trained bar staff and efficient and stylish door and security staff, patrons can relax into an evening of wellness brought on by a socially accessible environment.
• Caveau Wine Bar & Deli, 92 Bree Street, Heritage Square. Has over 300 wines by the glass and an award-winning wine list at that. In Heritage Square, city centre.
• The Nose Wine Bar, Cape Quarter, 72 Waterkant Street, Green Point. Has many wines by the glass, but pricey. 
• Mannenbergs Jazz Café, Shop 102, Clock Tower Centre, Clock Tower Precinct, V&A Waterfront. Popular jazz café specialising in distinctive Cape Jazz. Snacks and coffee during the day and live jazz every evening. Bookings/reservations essential. Many famous jazz musicians have already played here. 
• Club Georgia, 30 Georgia Street (offside the Buitensingel). Popular with over 25-year olds. Music from all over Africa is played, especially Kwassa-kwassa, Kwaito, Ndombolo and Rai. 
• The Green Dolphin, Shop 2A, Alfred Mall, Pierhead, V&A Waterfront. Locals tout it as the best jazz club in the city, with soothing beats playing every night. 
• Marco's African Place, 15 Rose Street, Bo Kaap. Popular gay bar which serves up specialities such as Ulwimi (steamed ox tongue with mustard sauce) along with live African music. 
• Sandy B, 69 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town. Open to the public at The Bay Hotel over summer, Sandy B is a unique cocktail venue, accentuated by its glorious views of Camps Bay beachfront.  
• The Nose Wine Bar, Cape Quarter, 72 Waterkant Street, Green Point. Has many wines by the glass, but pricey.

Tourist Tips:

Cape Town is the most popular tourist destination in South Africa due to its good climate, natural setting, and relatively well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain, which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula.

Almost everything is possible in Cape Town, from a nice guided city tour through an adrenaline kick in an old fighter jet. The easiest way to get an overview on things to do, nice restaurants, clubs, tours etc is to walk in the visitors centres which are in almost every area (V&A Waterfront, City Bowl, Green Point etc).

Table Mountain Cable Car:

Both the cable car and the pathways on top of the mountain are wheelchair accessible. Always take something warm to wear when going up the mountain, even if it is a nice toasty 30 degrees celcius at the bottom of the mountain. Weather conditions at the top of the mountain are not the same as at the bottom.

If you're feeling fit, try climbing the shortest route to the top  Platteklip George. It's a steep 2 hours but well worth the effort and you can jump in the cable car back down to spare your knees. Table Mountain is the home of a small animal, the rock rabbit (known locally as the 'Dassie') whose closest relative, DNA-wise, is the elephant. Take water, sun block, hat and jacket. The cloud comes down unannounced and the temperature could plummet. Poorly equipped hikers often have to be rescued. R150 return ticket. 

Cape Peninsula:

Go to the Cape of Good Hope via Simon's Town and the African penguin colony at Boulders. Visit Cape Point in the Table Mountain National Park, maybe have lunch there before taking a hike in a quieter part of the reserve to immerse yourself in the essence of the landscape. Then take Chapman's Peak Drive through Hout Bay and along the trendy Atlantic seaboard via Llandudno and Camps Bay, stopping off at one of Clifton's famous four beaches.

Swimming:

Beaches on the warmer False Bay side of the peninsula are the most popular with swimmers for obvious picture perfect reasons. St James has the most picturesque tidal pool on the stretch between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, while Clovelly and Fish Hoek beaches wrap around a sheltered bay with soft, white sands. Fishing boats, hobie cats and kayaks launch from here too. Brave hearts can sun-worship and swim naked in the freezing water of this isolated and breathtaking nudist beach Sandy Bay near Llandudno. Major spot for gay tourists as well. There's a 1.5 km walk down from the parking lot. Camps Bay and Clifton have great beaches to visit if you want to try the chillier waters of the west coast.

Surfing:

Cape Town is one of the best places to surf. Muizenberg is a good place for beginners to learn to surf, Gary offers reasonably priced lessons from a shop facing the beach. If you're an experienced surfer, try the reef break at Kalk Bay, Outer Kom near Kommetjie or Misty Cliffs on the coast road near Scarborough. You could head up the west coast and sample Milnerton, Table View or Big Bay, although Big Bay is often crowded with people kitesurfing due to the windy conditions.

Winelands:

Tour the Constantia Valley wine estates Groot Constantia, Buitenverwagting, Klein Constantia and Constantia Uitsig before checking out the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Stellenbosch has the added attraction of being an historical university town and Franschhoek, well established as the food capital of the Cape, is home to three of the country's top ten restaurants. The views are extraordinary. Have a drink and a snack at Dieu Donne estate for an unsurpassable vista of the entire valley, or take your own picnic to the top of a little hill they have by the parking area. Most wineries charge for a tasting session, but usually refund it on a purchase.

Two Oceans Aquarium:

If the open ocean does not appeal to you, the Two Oceans Aquarium also offer diving opportunities in their 2.2 million litre tank. Diving at Two Oceans Aquarium. Open 9am, 11am and 1pm daily. You need to be in possession of a valid diving license (PADI, CMAS, BASC et al). Swim along with the five ragged tooth sharks, several yellow tails, bull rays and a lonely turtle. The dive master Iain, a barrel shaped bearded little man with a distinct Scottish accent, is both nice and knowledgeable and accompanies you into the aquarium ready to fend off the sharks with his broomstick should they become cuddly. Dive time is around 30 minutes. R400 (R325 if you bring your own diving gear), this includes the R70 aquarium entrance fee.

Hiking:

There are many hiking trails in and around the city, from short walks to multi day hikes: 

• The Cape of Good Hope Trail, Cape Town. Cape of Good Hope in the Table Mountain National Park, 34 km, 2 Days. R88. 
• Hoerikwaggo Table Mountain Trail, Cape Town. 3 Day, non-strenuous, luxury trail through the city, botanical gardens and Table Mountain National Park. R635 per day. 
• The Orangekloof Hiking Trail, Cape Town. Six days, Cape Point to Table Mountain. R420. 
• Table Mountain, (Starting point is 1.5 km past the Lower Cable Station on Tafelberg Road). Always open, but you might want to start early enough to catch the last cable car down. 3 km (all uphill), 1 to 3 hours, Platteklip Gorge to the Upper Cable Station.  No fees are charged. 
• Chapman's Peak. 2-3 hours, non-strenuous with breathtaking views of Hout Bay and Noordhoek and rich flora, especially proteas. The trail begins on the Hout Bay side of the peak about 750 m from the main view-point on scenic Chapman's Peak Drive. Park by the trail head and follow the path out of the picnic area. It soon forks but both routes take you to the same place. Turn right at the next junction, from where the path is clear. Return same route. No permit required. 
• The Amphitheatre in the Kalk Bay mountains. Three hours. Start at the sign on scenic Boyes Drive and climb up towards the rocks above which are peppered with scores of caves, many of which are not recommended for novice cavers so be careful. Take a torch. Follow the right forks in the trail and you'll be rewarded with increasingly spectacular views of False Bay. Head straight up through Echo Valley and through an ancient milkwood grove. Come back the same way if you don't have detailed directions. No permit required. 
• Cape Town has a very good network of trails to suit every level of fitness. Many of these trace the contours of the mountain and wander through the protea bushes and fynbos, often with breathtaking views. Many require no permit, although most of Cape Town's reserves have entrance fees. Hiking in a group is strongly recommended. The outdoor store Cape Union Mart has a hiking club with organized group hikes most weekends. Pick up a programme at one of their stores. You must phone the hike-leader first and pay R10.
• Paradise Touring. For guided walks up the mountain with a botanical guide.
• Cape Eco-Tours. A good one for twitchers to use and is a member of Bird Life South Africa.

Townships Tours:

The townships are the places where people were forced to live (based on race) under the apartheid regime. To some extent townships continue to retain their apartheid-era racial make-up, for a variety of reasons. Townships have also grown to cover far larger areas of land than in the apartheid days. This is a result of urbanization, especially over the past 10-15 years. Touring a township may seem strange, even inappropriate, but it is a good way to learn about South Africa's history, and the poverty that many people continue to live in. People in the townships are friendly and the children love visitors.

Some townships however can be dangerous (see the warning on the South Africa page) so don't go alone unless you know what you're doing. The townships tours are safe. If you want to bring sweets or gifts for the children, it is best not to give it directly to them, but to give it to the tour guide who will distribute them later.

Tours can be booked directly or through one of Cape Town's many booking agencies. Tours run once or twice per day. Be aware that if you're given the chance to try some township food, that a 'walkie-talkie' is often made from the feet and beaks of poultry. The very best way to see a township is by foot and to stay overnight at one of the many township B&Bs.

Wildlife:

There are a number of small nature reserves in and around Cape Town.

• Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and Nature Reserve. The 3000 hectare buffer zone around the power station has been converted to a nature reserve with Bontebok, Genet, Steenbok and many other antelope. 
• Table Mountain National Park. Table Mountain National Park forms part of the Cape Floristic Region UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park covers a large area of the Cape and incorporates a number of park areas. Most of it is free access; the only places you need to pay are at the Cape of Good Hope, Silvermine and Boulders. 

Whale watching:

Mostly you will see Southern right whales, but on occasion you might also spot humpback and killer whales. Bottlenose and dusky dolphins also frequent False Bay.

From viewpoints next to the coastal road between Simon's Town and Cape Point one can often spot whales less than 100m from shore.

Further Afield:

Cape Town is positively located for many day or two day trips, offering a variety in landscapes and cultures. Choose self drive or guided tours.

Cape Peninsula:

• Boulders beach is famous for its penguin colony and you can watch penguins in their natural habitat. September is the breeding season and you can see penguins hatching out of their eggs. 
• Cape of Good Hope to experience the wildness of the natural habitat preserved here. Stunning views and for sure you will meet one of the local baboons or ostriches. Be sure to stop in Simon's Town on your way back to relax with a wonderful view on the False Bay.
• Hout Bay also known as the "Republic" of Hout Bay by its locals is a beautiful calm bay on the Atlantic Ocean. It has a quaint fishing harbour and boat trips to Seal Island. While you're there try the fish and chips at the Café on the Rocks at the end of the harbour road - a local secret.
• Only two hours from Cape Town are the Bontebok National Park and the De Hoop Nature Reserve, perfect for spotting bontebok and whales.
• The southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas is not far away.
• The Overberg region offers whale spotting and quiet towns to relax.
  

Garden Route:

The Garden Route in the Western Cape is one of South Africa's main tourist attractions and is generally thought to stretch from Mossel Bay to St Francis along the Indian ocean and also includes parts of the inland. The central part of the Garden Route is formed by the coastline of the Indian ocean. To the north it is bordered by the Little Karoo, a semi-desert region.

The Garden Route is easily reached from Cape Town, travel east on the N2 highway. Cities on the route include:

• George, the largest town along the Route
• Knysna, one of the most popular tourist destinations
• Storms River, the Gate to the Tsitsikamma National Park
• Plettenberg Bay
• Mossel Bay, this is where Bartolomeu Dias set foot ashore in 1488 and South Africa`s first post office was founded in 1500
• Nature's Valley, One of the few remaining areas of truly outstanding natural beauty along the Garden Route

Tsitsikamma National Park:

The Tsitsikamma National Park is situated in the heart of the famous Garden Route in South Africa. The park offers some fine coastal scenery and sometimes the option of whale-watching.

It is well known for indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. On 6 March 2009 it was amalgamated with the ilderness National Park and various other areas of land to form the Garden Route National Park.

The park covers an 80 km long stretch of coastline. Nature's Valley is at the western end of the park, and the main accommodation is at Storms River Mouth. Near the park is the Bloukrans Bridge, the world's highest bungee jump at 216m.

The word tsitsikamma is a Khoisan phrase meaning place of abundant water.

Trails:

• The Otter Trail starts at the Storms River camp and the South African National Parks has laid out several short trails for day visitors. Set in the Garden Route, the trails lead through coastal and forest scenes, as well as various waterfalls, streams and rivers.
• The Suspension Bridge and Lookout Trail is an easy stroll that leads along the western side of the river mouth, past the Strandloper Cave to the suspension bridge across the mouth. On the other side of the bridge there is a short but very steep climb to a lookout point from which there are fine views of the mouth and the camp.
• The Waterfall Trail is an undemanding hike which follows the first 2,65 km of the Otter Trail; hikers may not walk beyond the waterfall unless hiking the Otter Trail.
• The Blue Duiker Trail starts just west of the information centre and leads through scrub forest tip to the Agulhas lookout from where whales and dolphins can often be spotted in winter. After crossing a short section of fynbos, the trail takes hikers into the dry forest with some fine Sickle-leaved Yellowwoods evident. A short-cut, the Lourie Trail, branches to the left here.
• The Blue Duiker Trail continues through the forest, crossing a stream below a delightful waterfall. Several more streams and a cavernous tree bole mark the route. After crossing the road to the camp, the path drops to the coast just west of the start of the Waterfall/Otter trails and returns past the camp site and chalets. Birdlife unique to the forest is found west of the road, which makes this trail a favourite with birdwatchers. 

History:

For thousands of years, Cape Town was inhabited by the Strandlooper(an ancestor of Kalahari Bushmen). Cape Town's European history began in 1652, when Jan van Riebeeck established a trading post there on behalf of the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company). The first European settlers were mainly Dutch and German, with some French Huguenots that had to flee from their home country. The first settlers soon explored the inland and founded the cities of Stellenbosch and Paarl in today's Cape Winelands. The Voortrekkers (Pioneers of European descent) started from here to explore and settle the rest of South Africa's inland.

Little is known of the history of the region's first residents, since there is no written history from the area before it was first mentioned by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1486. Vasco da Gama recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497, and the area did not have regular contact with Europeans until 1652, when the Netherlands' Jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie, VOC) were sent to the Cape to establish a way-station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies, and the Redout Duijnhoop (later replaced by the Castle of Good Hope). The city grew slowly during this period, as it was hard to find adequate labour. This labour shortage prompted the city to import slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar. Many of these became ancestors of the first Cape Coloured communities.

During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, the Netherlands was repeatedly occupied by France, and Great Britain moved to take control of Dutch colonies. Britain captured Cape Town in 1795, but the Cape was returned to the Netherlands by treaty in 1803. British forces occupied the Cape again in 1806 following the battle of Bloubergstrand. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Cape Town was permanently ceded to Britain. It became the capital of the newly formed Cape Colony, whose territory expanded very substantially through the 1800s.

The discovery of diamonds in Griqualand West in 1869, and the Witwatersrand Gold Rush in 1886, prompted a flood of immigrants to South Africa. Conflicts between the Boer republics in the interior and the British colonial government resulted in the Second Boer War of 1899-1901, which Britain won. In 1910, Britain established the Union of South Africa, which unified the Cape Colony with the two defeated Boer Republics and the British colony of Natal. Cape Town became the legislative capital of the Union, and later of the Republic of South Africa.

Cape Town was home to many leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. On Robben Island, a former penitentiary island 10 kilometres from the city, many famous political prisoners were held for years. In one of the most famous moments marking the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela made his first public speech in decades on 11 February 1990 from the balcony of Cape Town City Hall hours after being released.  His speech heralded the beginning of a new era for the country, and the first democratic election was held four years later, on 27 April 1994.

Nobel Square in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront features statues of South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize winners Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela. Since 1994, the city has struggled with problems such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, a surge in violent drug-related crime and more recent xenophobic violence. At the same time, the economy has surged to unprecedented levels due to the boom in the tourism and the real estate industries.

Today Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is a world-class cosmopolitan city with numerous sites of historical significance, and a lively night-life, as well as a big gay community.

Stadium:

Green Point Stadium:

Overview:

The Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa is a stadium under construction for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. During the planning stage it was referred to by some as the African Renaissance Stadium. The stadium replaces an 18,000 seat stadium of the same name.

The previous stadium, which was demolished in 2007, was a multi-purpose stadium used mainly for football matches, and was the home ground of Santos Football Club and Ajax Cape Town at different points. It also hosted music concerts including Michael Jackson, U2, Metallica, Paul Simon, Robbie Williams and the 2003 46664 Concert for the benefit of AIDS victims.

2010:

The stadium is to be located in Green Point, between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, close to the Cape Town city centre and to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a popular tourist and shopping venue. The stadium will have a capacity of 68,000.[2] The stadium will be connected to the waterfront by a new road connection, Granger Bay Boulevard, and will be surrounded by a 60 hectare urban park.

In the World Cup, it will host five first round matches, one second round, one quarter-final and one semi-final.

The stadium will contain 68,000 seats for the World Cup. 55,000 Seats will remain permanent and 15,000 modular seats will be re-used in the deconstruction of the existing Green Point Stadium and other social investment opportunities, leaving opportunities for corporate suites to be retrofitted.

The stadium architecture focuses on the exterior appearance as well as on the user experience for the visitor once inside the stadium bowl. The exterior appearance is largely defined by a sweeping silhouette, not to be in competition with the horizontal datum line of Table Mountain, and the façade, made of a stretched fibre-glass mesh and designed as an articulated surface that makes the building appear almost scaleless.

The stadium is organized into six principal levels, broadly containing the following functions and zones:

• Level 0: Sports team rooms, VVIP and VIP reception, lowest parking level, medical and police facilities, waste collection and compaction.
• Level 1: Media areas, TV and radio studios, FIFA offices and sports event staff offices, and upper parking level.
• Level 2: Public Plaza Main concourse pedestrian access down to lowest tier and up to second tier, disabled person's seating, fan shop, VIP welcome zone, concession stands.
• Level 3: Lower level of business club, multi-purpose hall, security and police offices, operator's storage spaces, smaller food kitchens.
• Level 4: Upper level of business club, larger food preparation kitchens, stadium administration (operator's) offices.
• Level 5: VIP lounges and private corporate boxes.
• Level 6: Upper concourse, concession stands and access onto third tier of seats.
• The roof Is located above the highest level of seats, and contains an accessible roof including the 'Ring of Fire' lighting and media zone, with catwalk access into and through the roof structure.
  

Please call Dave Freeman on 01903 832888, or you can email your request to us.

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