South Africa
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Cape Town - The Mother City of South Africa
 
 Cape
Town - Travel Information
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Climate: |
Mediterranean climate with
well-defined seasons. |
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Rainfall: |
600 mm. |
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| Summer: |
Max
- 80.6°F (27°C) | Min - 59°F(15°C) |
| Winter: |
Max
- 64.4°F (18°C) | Min - 44.6°F(7°C) |
| Best Time to Visit: |
May to July. |
| Major Attractions: |
Table Mountain, Cape Point,
Table Mountain, Robben Island, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, V&A
Waterfront, Cape Winelands. |
| Major Entertainment Centers: |
Boulders Penguin Colony, Castle
of Good Hope, Two Oceans Aquarium, World of Birds, Rhodes Memorial,
Aardvark Nature Reserve. |
| Shopper's Paradise: |
Canal Walk, Cavendish Square,
Green Point Market, Hout Bay Market, Kirstenbosch Craft Market. |
| Near by Places (Excursions): |
Robben Island, Chapman's Peak,
Simonstown and Boulders Beach, Cape Point, Muizenberg. |
| Famous Food & Beverages (Gourmet's Delight) |
Babotie, Boerewors, melktert,
biltong, curry and rice, bredie, Smoky garlic & lemon drizzled
prawns, muscles, shrimps, lobsters and crayfish. |
| Foreign Embassies & Consulates: |
Australia, Belgium, Botswana,
Britain, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India,
Ireland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Madagascar, Mexico. |
History & Evolution
Vasco da Gama had recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. But
the area of Cape Town was first visited by the Europeans in 1652. In this
year Jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company
landed on the cape. Slaves were brought from Indonesia and Madagascar to
serve as the labor in the area. Britain invaded Cape Town in 1795.
However Cape was returned to the Dutch after the 1803 treaty. In the year
1814 Britishers again occupied the Cape and Cape Town became the capital of
newly annexed colony of the British, the cape colony. Britishers in 1910
established the Union of South Africa, which consisted of Cape Colony and
other British colonies of the region. Cape Town became the legislative
capital of the Union. The city of Cape Town has also seen devastating
effects of the policy of Apartheid. Nelson Mandela has been a renowned name
in the South African history. As a anti apartheid leader he made huge
efforts against the policy and finally first democratic election took place
on 27 April 1994. Today the city is prosperous city of South Africa. The
city is an important financial and business center of the Nation. Cape Town
today stands out as a major tourist destination not only in South Africa but
in the whole world.
Site-Seeing
The city of Cape Town is one of the most visited cities of the world. The
city is bestowed with a rich cultural heritage, historic monuments,
magnificent architecture and beautiful natural landscapes. The city of Cape
Town has several sites of attraction which mesmerize tourists from all over
the world.
Table Mountain:
Table Mountain is a major landmark in the city of Cape Town. The mountain
is so loved by the city that it is also featured in the flag of Cape Town.
The mountain got the name because of the its flat top. The mountain is a
part of the Table Mountain National Park. The flat top of the mountain is
often covered by clouds which gives a feeling of the "table cloth".
The mountain offers a variety of adventures activities like Hiking and
trekking and is a perfect spot for adventures lovers. There is also a
cableway which offers breathtaking views of Cape Town. The Cableway was
built almost 79 years ago. On 4 October 1929 the Cableway opened its doors
to its first visitors. However it has been constantly upgraded with time.
The Cableway transports millions of visitors to the summit each year. Table
Mountain is world renowned for its varied fauna and flora. The Table
mountain national park is the richest single floristic area in the world.
Location: Jayanagar
The Cape Town Palace:
Built in 1887 AD by the Mysore Wodeyars, this exquisite palace stands in
the heart of the city. Inspired by the Windsor Castle, this unique structure
gives the impression of a piece of England's architecture in Cape Town. The
Palace is famous for its carving and paintings with breathtaking floral
motifs, cornices, moldings and relief paintings in its interiors whereas its
exteriors are surrounded by beautiful gardens. The palace ground located
between Jayamahal and Sadashivanagar areas has now been converted into a
venue for various exhibitions, concerts and cultural programs.
Location: West Cape
Robben Island:
Robben Island is a world heritage site near cape Town. The Island provides
stunning views across the bay with Table Mountain as its backdrop. The
island also has a prison is a major historic site, because the famous anti-
apartheid leader and South African president Nelson Mandela spent days of
his life in the prison. Robben Island is oval in shape and about one
kilometre wide. The island is a popular tourist destination and was declared
a World Heritage Site in the year 1999. The Island also has a Robben Island
Museum (RIM) which is a must visit on the Island. The Robben Island
lighthouse is another major atrraction on the islands. The Lighthouse was
built in 1863 and is 18 metres high. The Robben island also has a sacred
site for Muslim pilgrimage called Moturu Kramat.
Location: Seven Kilometres off the coast of the Cape Town
The Castle of Good Hope:
The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest building in South Africa. The castle
was completed in 1679. The castle has several historic places to visit. The
Castle Military Museum preserves the military history of the Cape, the
Castle and Cape Regiments. The castle also has a 18th century bakery and a
dolphin pool and the combined building is known as Het Bakhuys. The Het
Bakhuys also hosts several functions and conferences and is available for
bookings. The castle's De Goewerneur restaurant also offers amazing South
African dishes to the visitors. The castle also has a Lady Anne Barnard room
which is an ancient ballroom and it is now used as a banquet room. Several
Traditional ceremonies take place during weekdays in the Castle of good
hope.
Location: Table bay
Kirstenbosch National Botanical gardens:
The beautiful Kirstenbosch gardens cover an area of 528 hectares.The Garden
is home to the famous South African flora and various South African plants
have been cultivated in the gardens. The flowers, ponds and well-laid out
pathways make the park a perfect picnic spot.The gardens provides a break
from the hectic city life and is visited regularly by visitors from all over
the world. The gardens also has a restaurant, gift shops and a nursery.
Musical sunset concerts are also held in the garden on Sundays. The garden
houses a Botanical Society Conservatory which preserves plants which belong
to different soil types and climatic zones under one roof. There is also a
Water-wise garden, which depicts the procedures to save water while planting
the flowers. There are also separate gardens preserving the plants having
fragrance and other medicainal plants.
Location: 13 Km from Cape Town city centre
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