Cape Town, with magnificent Table Mountain as its backdrop, has forged an enviable reputation as one of the world’s premier tourism destinations. Not only has the Mother City breathtaking scenery, exquisite beaches, Robben Island, world-class golf courses, superb restaurants and a rich history, making it a sophisticated and cosmopolitan destination, but the province also has other treasures to explore. The historic winelands can be enjoyed on the Wine Route, the coastal and mountainous beauty on the Garden Route, Cape Point is where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, quaint fishing villages are worth a visit, the colourful Coon Carnival is a spectacle to behold and whale-watching can be enjoyed May to November and at some places throughout the year, just to name a few exciting activities in this, the “fairest” province of them all.
The climate in the province is typically Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild, moist winters. The exception to the rule is the arid semi-desert of the Karoo, where dry winters and low summer rainfall prevail. Near the coast, summer temperature rises from 15 to 27 degrees Celsius. Inland temperatures are some 3-5 degrees higher. Coastal winters see the mercury dropping to a mild 7 at night and rising to 18 by day. Away from the beach, temperatures are 5-22 degrees Celsius.
Cape Town offers a great variety of domestic and international goods including gold, diamonds, gem stones, leather goods, African curios, art, antiques, ceramics, fashion items, brandy and the world-famous Cape wines. The V&A Waterfront has a variety of shops which are open 7 days with late trading hours and at Greenmarket Square you can shop for almost anything in a typical flea market environment. Eat excellent seafood along the coast including “snoek”, oysters, crayfish, lobster, calamari and mussels; also try Karoo lamb and Cape Malay cuisine.
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