Crowned by a mountain and seamless from sea to sky, it’s risen to fame as one of Africa’s – and the world’s - most beautiful cities. Multicultural, permissive and affable by nature, there’s no wonder Hindus, Muslims and Jews coexist in peace. It’s here that art comes to life, nature surrounds you at every turn, history lives on and bucolic enterprise is only a step outside of the city. It can be considered the jewel in Africa’s urban crown and a truly rewarding travel experience.
Here are some key reasons to visit Cape Town, things that compelled me to go a few years ago, motives that continually entice me to return.
Table Mountain
Flat-topped and long, stretching from Devil’s Peak to Lion’s Head, the dramatic backdrop becomes the city’s leading act. It is, ultimately, all you see from most areas of the winsome urban sprawl. Standing on the plateau, conversely, is joining an amphitheatre, the city and harbour entering centre stage.
From all angles and relative perspectives, you come to realise the remarkable symbiosis between the built and natural environments. Table Mountain is Cape Town’s key feature, one of nature’s marvels, an icon and testimony to the beauty that exists in Mother Nature, particularly when orographic clouds become ‘tablecloth’ to the mountain’s expansive ‘table’.
I rode the cable car to the top and chose to return in like manner, rather than abseil off its sheer face or walk the slope to the city’s outer suburbs.
Robben Island
A warm breeze sweeps across the island, whispering a legacy of sorrow and endurance into receptive ears, caressing fields of red, yellow and orange veld flowers as it returns to Southern Atlantic waters. It’s here that political prisoners were isolated, from their families and countrymen, segregating that commenced in the 17th century.
Used also as a leper colony, Robben Island rose in notoriety, most notably during Nelson Mandela’s 27-year incarceration (18 years of which were spent on the island) long before becoming South Africa’s President. In fact, three former inmates have held the honourable Presidential position, an indication of the country’s perplexing political history.
Every possibility exists that your compulsory tour of the island may be done by a guide-cum-former inmate. It was not the case for me, but the four-hour tour was nonetheless fascinating. Included were a walk through the prison, a ride around the island, a visit to Robert Sobukwe’s house and a walk through the church used during the period of leper occupation. Robben Island also features the best view of Cape Town and Table Mountain - it’s dramatic and inspires all sorts of awe.
Tours commence in Cape Town, ferries departing from Nelson Mandela Gateway.
Beautiful Beaches
It’s perhaps the convergence of two oceans, divided by Cape Peninsula, that makes Cape Town an idyllic destination for beach goers: sun, sand and salty sea are plentiful and come with inherent diversity.
On the Atlantic side are the ‘Riviera’ style beaches, where the water is cooler, but the hours of sunshine longer and sunsets incomparable in beauty. Jump to the Indian edge and the water becomes noticeably warmer. The beaches, most protected by bays with shallow, calm waters are more tranquil and oriented to families with children. Location aside, they’re all picturesque, complete with a healthy dose of white sand, salty aroma, sunshine and breathtaking backdrops.
I spent my time swimming in Indian waters, but also visited the Atlantic beaches, locales frequented mostly by locals and water-sport fanatics.
The Bo-Kaap
Perhaps the most vibrant area of Cape Town, Bo-Kaap - hidden inside Signal Hill - is a rich tapestry of multiculturalism, history and joie de vivre. With origins dating to the 17th century, the neighbourhood’s significance is noteworthy: following the emancipation of South East Asian slaves (relocated to the area by the Dutch) in the 19th century, huurhuisjes were constructed, the bright facades painted so by the newly liberated homeowners, an expression of freedom and change.
The area is a historically mixed bag of culture, art, language and flavour, a result of the exiles who flourished upon freedom. Walk the cobblestone streets beside the variegated homes, as did I, or opt to take a tour – on foot or sitting on the back of an inertia-propelled big-wheeled scooter – that showcases Bo-Kaap’s finest features.
Wine Country
What better way to celebrate South Africa’s world-renowned wine industry than on a tour? As a solo traveller, visiting The Cape Winelands on a self-drive tour didn’t appeal, counterintuitive to the purpose of a daytrip: to sample some of the country’s finest alcoholic flavours. The heart of the wine-making industry is the region east of Cape Town, a cluster of towns peppered with estates yielding award winning wines from reds and whites to sparkling, dessert and rose selections.
The troop, mildly inebriated by the end of the day, tasted our way through multiple estates, savouring flavours, laughing merrily and intoxicating ourselves on the passing scenery. From Stellenbosch to Wellington, our guide-cum-driver showcased South Africa’s best wine country - famous internationally, detailing facts and figures along the way, educating us regarding the wine-making process and testing our knowledge amid insalubrious euphoria at the end of the tour. I won a free bottle of white, somehow, shortly before stumbling out of the van back at the hostel.
A tour of the region is integral to celebrating the beauty of Cape Town and South Africa and understanding her diversity.
Convinced?
No further explanation should be required. Cape Town is a city that deserves celebrating and there’s no better way to do so than by paying her a visit.
