Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is located on a peninsula at the Cape of Good Hope, at the foot of Table Mountain. Its center (mansions of Old Dutch architecture and fanciful Victorian buildings in the old quarters) is quite small and is sandwiched on one side by the “table mountain”, on the other – by Table Bay. Long Street is completely given over to trendy bars, designer clothing stores, hostels, restaurants and shops. According to populationmonster, Cape Town is one of the largest cities in South Africa.

How to get to Cape Town

Cape Town International Airport is the second largest in South Africa. From here there are regular flights to Johanburg, Durban and all major cities in South Africa, as well as to Namibia, Gaborone and Nairobi. In addition, aircraft from Lufthansa, British Airways, Delta Airlines, KLM, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian from Europe, America and Asia land here. In summer, from October to March, operators launch additional charter flights from Europe to Cape Town.

From the airport to the city center can be reached by PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) trains, which are divided into long-distance trains (Shosholoza Meyl) and local destinations (MetroRail). Shosholoza Meyl trains have three service classes: economy (seats only), tourist (with beds) and first class. In addition, a tourist bus runs from the airport to the city center, making several stops along the way. The fare is 50 ZAR, the interval of movement is every 30 minutes.

By train

The main railway station of Cape Town is located in the city center at the intersection of Adderley and Strand streets. Trains arrive here from Johannesburg (daily, and on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun – twice a day), Durban (via Kimberley and Bloemfontein, on Mon and Wed), Port Elizabeth (via George and Oudtsvorn on Fri, only first class), East London (Sun, economy only) and Queenstown (Thursday, economy only).

On Metro Rail trains

MetroRail has two classes of service – MetroPlus (aka first class) and simply Metro (also known as “third class”). There is no better way to explore the Cape Town area than on the MetroRail. It connects the outskirts of Stellenbosch, Strand, Paarl, Somerset West, Malmesbury, Worcester, and the southern areas of Claremont, Wynberg and Retreat and the beaches of Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Glencairn and Simon’s Town.

The best part about MetroRail is the places it’s routed through. For example, the route from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town passes along the ocean, where you can often see frolicking whales. In addition, a restaurant car is attached to these trains, which guarantees a pleasant trip 100%.

Transport

The main city bus station is the Golden Acre Terminal (Grand Parade, City Bowl area), from where buses depart throughout the city, including to the Atlantic coast, to Hout Bay. When traveling nearby, most locals use taxis or private traders, tourists should do the same. In addition, taxis are an ideal mode of transport for those traveling in a group. Parking can be found on Adderley St at the end of Grand Pde, or call Marine Taxi (021-434 0434), SA Cab (0861 172 222) or Unicab Taxis (021-447 4402).

The Cape Peninsula is inconvenient for cycling because it is quite hilly and distances from point to point can be about 70 km. In addition, it is impossible to transport two-wheeled friends in commuter trains – so it will not work to reduce the distance. But for those who do not intend to stick out further than the city center, you can contact the following offices: Atlantic Tourist Information Center (243 Main Rd, Sea Point; bike / scooter for the day R85 / 195), Cape Info Africa (32 Napier St, Waterkant; for day R85), Downhill Adventures (Orange St, Gardens; per day R100) or Homeland Shuttle & Tours (305 Long St, City Bowl; per day R80).

Shopping and stores

V & A Waterfront is the best place for shopping and buying souvenirs (though expensive and not original). More authentic crafts and knick-knacks can be found on Sundays at the Green Point Stadium Open Market, near the V&A Waterfront (negotiable). Some of the stuff from there is on sale throughout the week at the bottom of Long Street. To find very, very authentic things, go to Church Street, but get ready for a certain shock.

Contemporary South African art is now on a wave of popularity, considered one of the best in the world (but also the most underestimated). If you love contemporary art and have money, you can spend it tastefully in one of the city’s galleries. For example, Michael Stevenson Gallery, then Joao Ferreira Gallery, AVA Gallery or Bell-Roberts Gallery.

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5 things to do in Cape Town

1. Stand at the extreme southern point of Africa – the Cape of Good Hope.
2. Climb Table Mountain and survey the endless expanses.
3. Take a couple of surf lessons on the most popular surfer beach in South Africa.
4. Taste the aromatic wines of the Cape region, famous throughout Africa.
5. Embark on a journey along the picturesque Garden Roadand reach Port Elizabeth through many cozy villages along the way.

Cuisine and restaurants

The basis of the “haute cuisine” of Cape Town is fish and seafood, caught in abundance from local waters. Delicacies include Cape Town salmon, tuna and yellowtail, while wild and farm-raised oysters (price varies) and lobster are available in season. Ask the waiters who today is fresher and tastier. A separate treat for gourmets is oysters, but they must be eaten at certain times of the year. The meal should definitely be supplemented with local wine: the alcoholic products of the Cape Town region are known far beyond the borders of South Africa, as well as Karoo fruits and lamb.

The city has two “restaurant” zones: the coastal promenade and Long Street.

The city has two “restaurant” zones: the coastal promenade and Long Street. The first is more pompous, the second is very democratic, with a lot of inexpensive ethnic cafes. V&A Waterfront Port is always full of restaurants, sometimes crowded and expensive, but decent. There are also many eateries along Long Street, in the fashionable De Waterkant district (between Bo Kaap and Green Point) and near Somerset Road. Dine with supermodels and other famous people in the Camps Bay area, where there are many cafes and entertainment (along Victoria Road).

Hout Bay on the western side of the Cape Peninsula is a gourmet destination. Fresh lobsters are very good here, cost about 300 rand. Kalk Bay in the east of the peninsula offers excellent fish whores. Do not neglect the wine regions – Cape Winelands, especially if you have a car. The village of Franschhoek is another center of the wine region, along with the French Quarter (Quartier Francais). There are some great restaurants in Constantia Valley – Pastis Brasserie, Wasabi, The River Cafe, La Colombe and Constantia Uitsig Restaurant.

In order not to turn gray at the sight of the bill, you should make sure in advance that you correctly understood the price of the dish. Complement your belly feast with eye candy at the Ritz’s revolving restaurant.