What to do in and around Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country.
In 2014 Cape Town topped the New York Times's 52 Places to go in 2014 List and it was designated as the World Design Capital 2014.
Below we have listed some of the most popular tourist activities in and around Cape Town. This list can however not include all activities and we encourage you to make use of some of the excellent tourist websites that are vailable (for example: http://www.capetown.travel/).
We also strongly recommend that you have a look at Cape Town's official tourist information guide, LINK (also avaibale in hard copy at the airport). The booklet provides information on travel, accomodation and activities in and around the city.
For information on safety, we recommend that you look at the US embassy's travel guide to South Africa (LINK).
Tourist destinations:
Visit Robben Island
Robben Island is the island jail in which Nelson Mandela, the first president of South Africa and a national hero, was held captive. The island can be visited by ferry. Please note that booking is essential.
Wine tasting in Stellenbosch and Constantia
Home to more than 140 wine farms, Stellenbosch, also known as the Eikestad (City of Oaks in Afrikaans) is the second oldest town in South Africa. Stellenbosch and its winelands boasts the largest concentration and variety of wine farms and wine tasting venues in the country and together form the wine making, research and viticultural hub of South Africa.
Go see the penguins at Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is home to a colony of Jackass Penguins, so called for their hilarious braying call.
Shark cage diving in Gaansbaai
For those who are in an adventurous mood there is the option of shark cage diving with Great White sharks. The sleepy town of Gaansbaai, 2 hours outside of Cape Town, is a particularly good spot. There is also the option of just viewing the sharks from the boat.
Climb Table Mountain
Table Mountain, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World, provides a mildly challenging climb for those who are fit enough. There is also the option of taking a cable car to the top. From the mountain top you have an unobstructed view of the entire city and the ocean around it.
Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is the only botanical garden in the world to only house indigenous plants. Kirstenbosch is especially famous for its fynbos collection. Fynbos is the smallest floral kingdom in the world, but the richest per unit of area with a level of diversity comparable to tropical rainforests.