Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Central_Cape_Town.jpg
Author: Andrew Massyn


Cape Town is the third largest city in South Africa. It is the most popular South African destination for tourism, and has well known landmarks such as the Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography.

Cape Town was founded around 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck arrived there, and established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town was originally developed as a victualling station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. It was an important stop as the Suez Canal would not be built for another 200 years. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, and was the largest city in South Africa until Johannesburg and Durban surpassed it in size.

Robben Island Prison, Cape Town
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SafrikaIMG_8414.JPG
Author: Rüdiger Wölk


Today, Cape Town has a population of 2.95 million (2001). With an area of 2,499 square kilometres (965 sq mi), Cape Town is larger than other South African cities. As a result, it enjoys a comparatively lower population density.

Table Mountain forms a dramatic backdrop for Cape Town. It is a plateau that is 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high and surrounded by near-vertical cliffs, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. Occasionally, a thin strip of cloud forms over Table Mountain, and the locals call it the "tablecloth".


Cape Town Waterfront

Source: https://wikitravel.org/en/Image:Cape_Town-Waterfront.JPG
Author:

Cape Town is located at the north end of a peninsula called Cape Peninsula. The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point. There are over 70 peaks above 1,000 feet (304.8 m) (the American definition of a mountain) within Cape Town's official city limits.

The plain that joins the peninsula to the mainland is called Cape Flats. Many of Cape Town's suburbs are located here. Cape Flats is a "rising marine plain". It consists mostly of sandy soil, probably an ancient sea bed. There is indication that Table Mountain itself was once an island.

Travel to Cape Town

Cape Town International Airport is the main gateway to the city, and the second largest airport in South Africa. Its new terminal opened in 2009. A taxi from the airport to downtown Cape Town, 21 km away, should be bargained down to R180.

Travel within in Cape Town

The most reliable form of public transport in Cape Town are the metered taxis. The flag fall rate is R8-R10 per kilometer.

Cape Town also has a good network of public buses run by Golden Arrow Buses.

Perhaps the safest way to get around in Cape Town is to rent a car. Be reminded though that payment for petrol in South Africa has to be done by cash.

Places of Interest in Cape Town

The City Bowl
Sights within the Central Business District of Cape Town.


Hout Bay, Cape Town
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hout_Bay_Jan_07.jpg
Author: Andrew Massyn


V&A Waterfront
Waterfront initiated by Prince Alfred, son of Queen Victoria. Robben Island
Small island off V&A Waterfront. Sights Further Afield

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.