Cape Town, South Africa

City is known for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floristic Region, and for landmarks such as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is home to 66% of the Western Cape's population. The city was named the World Design Capital for 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. In 2014, Cape Town was named the best place in the world to visit by both The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph. Cape Town has also been a host city for both the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, and annually hosts the Africa leg of the World Rugby 7s. Cape Town has a warm Mediterranean climate with mild, moderately wet winters and dry, warm summers. Winter, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of August, may see large cold fronts entering for limited periods from the Atlantic Ocean with significant strong north-westerly winds. Winter months in the city average a maximum of 18 °C (64 °F) and minimum of 8.5 °C (47 °F). Table Mountain has an unusually rich biodiversity. Its vegetation consists predominantly of several different types of the unique and rich Cape Fynbos. Cape Town reached first place in the 2019 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge in two out of the three categories: Most Observations, and Most Species. Cape Town is the economic hub of the Western Cape province, accounting for roughly 80% of the province's GDP. The city is South Africa's second main economic centre and Africa's third main economic hub city. It serves as the regional manufacturing centre in the Western Cape. The agriculture and manufacturing sectors have declined whilst finance, business services, transport, and logistics have grown, reflecting the local economy's growth in specialised services sectors. Fishing, clothing and textiles, wood product manufacturing, electronics, furniture, hospitality, finance and business services are industries in which Cape Town's economy has the largest comparative advantage. Most goods are handled through the Port of Cape Town or Cape Town International Airport. Most major shipbuilding companies have offices in Cape Town. Most companies headquartered in the city are insurance companies, retail groups, publishers, design houses, fashion designers, shipping companies, petrochemical companies, architects and advertising agencies. With the highest number of successful Technology companies in Africa, Cape Town is an important centre for the industry on the continent. The city has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is the city's most visited tourist attraction. It is also one of the city's most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops as well as the Two Oceans Aquarium. The V&A also hosts the Nelson Mandela Gateway, through which ferries depart for Robben Island. Cape Town offers tourists a range of air, land and sea-based adventure activities, including paragliding and skydiving. The City of Cape Town works closely with Cape Town Tourism to promote the city both locally and internationally. The primary focus of Cape Town Tourism is to represent Cape Town as a tourist destination. The Atlantic Seaboard lies west of the City Bowl and Table Mountain, and is characterised by its beaches, cliffs, promenade and hillside communities. The area includes, from north to south, the neighbourhoods of Green Point, Mouille Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, and Hout Bay. The City Bowl is a natural amphitheatre-shaped area bordered by Table Bay and defined by the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain and Devil's Peak. Blaauwberg is a coastal region of the Cape Town Metropolitan area and lies along the coast to the north of Cape Town. The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the city center's southeast. The Helderberg is a small region in the Cape Town Metropolitan area located on the north-eastern corner of False Bay. Cape Town International Airport serves both domestic and international flights. It is the second-largest airport in South Africa and serves as a major gateway for travellers to the Cape region. The Cape Town International Airport was among the winners of the World Travel Awards for being Africa's leading airport. Cape Town has a long tradition as a port city. The Port of Cape Town, the city's main port, is in Table Bay directly to the north of the CBD. The port is a hub for ships in the southern Atlantic: it is located along one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world, and acts as a stopover point for goods en-route to or from Latin America and Asia. Some of the tourist spots in Cape Town are: Maclear's Beacon: Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. Table Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in South Africa. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden: Kirstenbosch is an important botanical garden nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The garden is one of ten National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa's six different biomes and administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Cape of Good Hope: The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, based on the misbelief that the Cape was the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. In fact, the southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas about 150 kilometres to the east-southeast. The currents of the two oceans meet at the point where the warm-water Agulhas current meets the cold-water Benguela current and turns back on itself. That oceanic meeting point fluctuates between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point. When following the western side of the African coastline from the equator, however, the Cape of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward. Lion's Head: Lion's Head is a mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. Lion's Head peaks at 669 metres above sea level. Groot Constantia Wines: Groot Constantia is South Africa's oldest wine estate, and in 2018 it celebrates 333 years of wine-making. The estate has so much to offer: rich history, spectacular views, excellent restaurants, and, of course, award-winning wines. It's an essential stop on your Cape Town itinerary. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the newly launched Visitor Route Experience to experience the historic Manor House Museum, original Cloete Cellar, a cellar tour and a wine tasting. The new Visitor Route Experience ticket includes a take home gift in the form of a Spiegalau Crystal wine glass. The Simon's and Jonkershuis restaurants at Groot Constantia offer visitors al fresco dining expertly paired with the estate's award-winning wines. Romantic picnics and private dining opportunities make for a unique fine dining experience. Boulders Beach: Boulders forms part of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) Marine Protected Area and an entrance fee is required to access the sandy shores. Strictly controlled access to this beach by the South African National Parks (SANparks) authority ensures it is always clean and tidy and the facilities are well maintained and spotless. These facilities include toilets and outdoor beach showers. The beach is a real hit with little ones as it offers a very gentle and warm ocean swimming experience. The immense boulders after which the beach is named shelter the cove from currents and large waves - but please always take care. There is also a visitors' centre accessed on foot using "Willis Walk" from the Bellevue Road/Cape Point side, or via Kleintuin Road from the Seaforth Road/Simon's Town side. The area is patrolled by park rangers to ensure visitors' safety and that of the birds. V & A Waterfront: The V&A Waterfront is one of Africa's most visited destinations with more than 24 million visitors annually. Situated in the oldest working harbour in South Africa, with the iconic Table Mountain as its backdrop, makes the V&A Waterfront is a favourite for local and international visitors. There is plenty on offer for kids - from beautiful play areas and themed boat rides to fun-filled holiday programmes, this is one place kids will always have fun and adventure. Some of the points of attraction: Variety of attractions and activities that includes helicopter rides, leisure boat cruises, stand-up paddling, live entertainment, Two Oceans Aquarium Cape Wheel and much more. Watershed - Africa's new home for craft and design with 150 tenants and 360 local brands Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) - Africa's most significant museum in over a 100 years NuMetro Cinema - first 4DX cinema in Africa. Over 500 retail stores - diverse offering of local and international brands that guarantee something for everyone shopping in Cape Town, irrespective of taste or budget. Over 80 eateries - Whether you are looking for a quick bite from our world-class food market or a more leisurely experience at some of our unique fine dining restaurants V&A Waterfront is home to 22 historical landmarks. Learn about this fascinating place with our free GPS Audio Tour called Reinventing the Tavern of the Seas available on the VoiceMap. A member of Cape Town Big 6 Where to Stay In: The Westin Cape Town: Situated at the top of Long Street and connected to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) in the Foreshore precinct of the city, The Westin offers its visitors a luxury five-star experience with added personal touches from a super attentive team. The spacious room with the breathtaking view of the Waterfront had all the amenities needed to make the stay even more comfortable. The Westin is a culinary delight, and your journey will start with breakfast at Thirty7 - located on the ground floor. The buffet breakfast is included in your stay and offers a variety of delicious options - Continental, American, hot options or even grab and go. Your stay at The Westin will not be complete without a luxurious spoil at the Heavenly Spa on the 19th floor. It's one of the best experiences at The Westin and arguably one of the best spas in the Mother City. When you're finished indulging in a treatment access the heated infinity pool, spend some time relaxing in the jacuzzi and unwind in the sauna or steam room. Some more popular hotels are: Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, Cape Town Grande Kloof Boutique Hotel Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport.