Why Take A Holiday in Cape Town?

Approximately 1.5 million tourists visit Cape Town every year, bringing in billions in revenue. A friendly, bustling, cosmopolitan city with some amazing sights of natural beauty, Cape Town is the perfect location for a holiday.

As the second highest populated city in South Africa, Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa, housing many divisions of the South African Government and Parliament. Located in the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain provides a beautiful backdrop to the city. Its plateau is over 1, 000 metres high and usually has a thin strip of clouds forming overhead, commonly referred to as "the tablecloth".

Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa until the growth of Johannesburg. The city holds 3.5 million people and a land area of 2, 455 square kilometres means a low population density of 1, 425 people per square kilometre.

Because of great climate, natural beauty and well developed infrastructure, Cape Town has become the most popular tourist destination in South Africa. Table Mountain and Cape Point are big tourist attractions. Table Mountain has its own Cableway for access, although it can still be hiked.

Cape Town's beaches are popular with locals and tourists alike. Due to the geography of the area it is possible to visit several beaches in just one day. Beaches on the Atlantic Coast have cold water which originates in the Southern Ocean whereas False Bay beaches are often warmer. Many of Cape Town's beaches are popular although those on the Atlantic Coast tend to be more developed with restaurants, cafes and retail opportunities.

Cape Town's architecture is highly rated, with many Cape Dutch style buildings. Cape Dutch combines the architectural traditions of the Netherlands, Germany and France and is most notable in Constantia.

Cape Town has great transport links with the rest of South Africa. The Cape Winelands and Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting. Also, whale watching is popular among tourists, and Cape Town provides Southern Right Whales, Humpback Whales, Bryde's Whales and Killer Whales for those who live to catch a glimpse of these amazing creatures. Wildlife enthusiasts can also see dolphins on the north coast and penguins on the atlantic coastline.

It is generally recommended to avoid Cape Town during peak season, which is November to February. It is incredibly busy between these months and the prices of everything tend to be inflated.

If you are planning on taking a holiday in Cape Town, you do need to be careful as there is still a lot of crime, but in general the local populace is extremely friendly and Cape Town is the perfect place for a holiday.