Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad, Xhosa: iKapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa. The capital of Western Cape Province, it is also the legislative capital of the nation. Cape Town is on South Africa's southwestern coast close to the Cape of Good Hope, and is the southernmost city on the African continent. It is the gateway to the globally renowned Cape Winelands which includes the towns of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Cape Town is nicknamed the Mother City within South Africa. Compared to the more business oriented Johannesburg it is known for its relaxed and leisurely atmosphere. Compared to other parts of South Africa, Cape Town is also distinctly more "western". The metropolis of Cape Town is spread over a wide area, from Somerset West and Durbanville in the east to Atlantis in the north and Cape Point in the south. The city centre is situated in a fairly small area between Table Bay and Table Mountain. The original Dutch settlement, and the heart of the current city, is southwest of Strand St, "Beach street" in Afrikaans, since it followed the original waterfront during the 17th century.
Cape Town is not the most pedestrian-friendly city in the world. There are areas that are ideal for walking, such as the St George's Mall and Greenmarket Square areas in the city centre, the V&A Waterfront or some beach areas. Care needs to be taken when walking in other parts of the city, as the roads can be busy, and having pedestrian right of way does not necessarily mean that vehicles will cede to you. Pedestrians normally cross when the road is clear, regardless of red pedestrian lights. Outside of a few areas, there is very little pedestrian signage. It is possible to get around by bicycle. There are some bike lanes in the center.
Although the legislative capital of South Africa, Cape Town doesn't seem like part of Africa, in fact, the city provides a natural backdrop and Cape Dutch architecture. 1 Bo-Kaap (Malay Quarter). This neighbourhood, on a hilly area southwest of the city centre, is where historically Malay Muslim descendants of slaves had lived. It is a popular location to shoot films, since there are bright and colourful buildings, mosques, quaint streets, stunning views of Cape Town, and delicious street food sold along the side. It is worth exploring the quarter for about an hour, and then visiting the Bo-Kaap Museum, showing how a wealthy Malay family lived during the 19th century.
The easiest way to get an overview on things to do, nice restaurants, clubs, tours etc. is to walk into one of the visitors centres which are in several areas (V&A Waterfront, City Bowl, Green Point, etc.) 1 Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain (Table Mountain Aerial Cableway), Lower Cable Station, Tafelberg Road (take a free schuttle from the bottom of the hill (Kloof Nek Parking) to Upper Tafelberg 1.), ☏ +27 21 424-0015 (general info), +27 21 424-8181 (weather info), toll-free: +27, info@tablemountain.net. 07:00-22:00 (usually 08:30), last car down varies: 21:30 during high season to 18:00 in mid winter. One-way and return cable car ticket available.
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, cod 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.
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. Observatory or better known as Obz is just north of Rondebosch (Southern Suburbs).
While Cape Town is not a dangerous place for tourists, South Africans are significantly more safety-conscious than people in most other parts of the world. While you should take some care as a tourist in any city, you should be more careful in South Africa than in many other places. A large number of outdoor CCTV cameras have been installed by the municipality. These stretch from the city bowl, the suburbs, the townships and all the way to the outlying areas of the metropole. New cameras are installed in additional areas quite regularly as needed.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Cape Town typically sees ~16°C daytime highs and 12 rainy days.
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