Infographic of Cape Town

Cultural Melting Pot

From its founding in 1652, Cape Town has been a cultural melting pot, with African, European, and Asian influences shaping the city's energy. The influence of these various peoples is apparent in Cape Town's architecture, cultural events, and cuisine.

Splendid Natural Setting

Table Mountain is one of the world's most recognizable natural landmarks. It towers over the city bowl and on a clear day can be seen from ships far out at sea. The sentinels of Lion's Head and Devil's Peak flank the mountain at the northern end of a peninsula of stunning beauty with rugged mountains, white beaches, and the ocean's blue waters.

Famous Attractions

Noteworthy attractions in the city and its surrounding area include Table Mountain itself, Boulders Beach, where a colony of critically endangered African penguins can be admired in their natural environment, and Cape Point, beside the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-westerly point of the African continent. The V&A Waterfront bustles with activity as people shop, dine, and visit local attractions like the Two Oceans Aquarium. The Winelands, roughly an hour's drive from Cape Town, are South Africa's primary wine-producing region. Historical wine farms with fine examples of Cape Dutch architecture have produced some of the world's finest wines for hundreds of years.

Popular Activities

With such an abundance of activities, it isn't easy to highlight a few. Cable car trips to the top of Table Mountain and other activities that explore the fauna and flora on South Africa's most famous mountain, including hiking and abseiling, are favorites with international visitors. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach are popular half-day excursions. Exploring the Cape Peninsula, Cape Point, and the Cape Winelands towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are among the most desirable full-day excursions.

On the infographic, the Cape Peninsula panel highlights Chapman's Peak and Cape Point, while a pin marks the Winelands to the east of the city. At the center is flat-topped Table Mountain, part of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site and home to more than 2,000 plant species. Our guide to the national park around Table Mountain covers the wider protected area.

A separate note covers the protected African penguin colony at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town. The More To Do list then adds Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Robben Island, the Castle of Good Hope, Groot Constantia, Bo-Kaap tours, sunset cruises, surfing and paragliding, and shark cage diving.

Lower down, four stamps sum up the city's appeal: beach fun, cuisine, heritage and scenery. Next to them, the Aerial Cableway takes visitors up Table Mountain, while the V&A Waterfront is shown as a major tourist hub by the city's historic harbor.