Where To Go In Cape Town
When planning a trip to South Africa you must bear in mind that the weather is the complete opposite of what you would find in Europa and North America. In December it's going to be summer with a mean temperature of 16-26 degrees Celsius and in July it's going to be winter with 8-18 degrees Celsius. The weather is generally a little breezy and variable and so it's smart to keep a windbreaker with you at all times.
At some point nearly all tours of South Africa end up in Cape Town. This is largely because of Table Mountain, which is an impressive mount made from sedimentary stone. It has the singularity of being absolutely flat on top. Capetonian's have an exceedingly special relationship with this mountain, which enables them to orientate themselves and also to understand what the weather will be like next day. In fact , when the weather is getting ready to change, clouds will form a thin layer, just on top of the mountain that the neighbors call "the tablecloth". The Mountain top is accessible via cableway or from many beautiful hiking trails like Skeleton Gorge.
When visiting Cape Town be certain to drive up to Signal Hill to get a superb view of the town from "up top". You could also go for a lovely hike up Lion's Head which is not extraordinarily challenging physically ( it is OK for youngsters aged six and up ) and is really astounding. The climate is temperate, although it's best to wear sunblock, and a pic-nic lunch could be ideal.
You will enjoy the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with its many curios shops and cafes. There's the Two Oceans Aquarium which is especially diverting for youngsters and a fantastic craft market where you can purchase actually original keepsakes. Make an effort to pop into the Scratch Patch where you can sit in a room full of semi-precious stones and handpick the ones you wish to take with you. This is quite a convenient way of picking up tiny presents for your chums as you purchase a packet full at a time.
Saturday mornings Cape Town awakes to the sound of African drums as dance troupes fill the streets around Greenmarket Square. They are present in the week as well but Sat. is traditionally the liveliest day. These dance troupes are sometimes comprised of youngsters and some are actually spectacular to watch as they are really proud of their heritage. Greenmarket Square itself is a good spot for purchasing keepsakes.
You will want to go for a walk in Camps Bay which is among the most exclusive sea-side areas in the city. With its exclusive hotels and posh homes, it's sandy beach and Palms, it is a miniature Miami, only better! It is Cape tradition to go for "sundowners" on the beach. This may be informally opening a bottle of wine while sitting on the sand or sitting in a luxury shore cafe. Either way Camps Bay is a good spot for sundowners!
Kirstenbosch, the Botanical Gardens in Cape Town, are a site you cannot miss. It boasts nice walks and pic-nic areas with fantastically kept rolling green grasslands, against the backdrop of rugged bluish mountains, surrounded by all sorts of rare indigenous and exotic plants. In summer they sometimes have music concerts which are really an occasion.
No holiday to Cape Town is really complete without a visit to Stellenbosch and the surrounding Winelands. Stellebosch is an old fashioned Varsity Town that has examples of wonderfully kept Cape Dutch buildings. There's a grouping of 4 homes that have been turned into a museum and which allow you to see how the design developed over four centuries. The curios shops in Stellenbosch are more cost effective than in town, and one particularly Oom Samie se Winkel is a museum in itself! On the way back you can pop into Spiers to stroke tame cheetahs and do some significant wine sampling!
Cape Tours is a tiny, family run company with twenty-five years knowledge in the tourism trade. They are essentially cheaper than if you book direct and can tailor any tour to serve your specific wants. For promotions and special offers see South Africa holidays.
