Cape Town

 The “Mother City” of South Africa

Cape Town,  aka “The Mother City” is voted as one of the top destination cities to visit in the World.  Table Mountain the focal point of the city is bordered by its pristine shorelines & white sandy beaches along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

Cape Town is internationally known offering unrivaled views,  cosmopolitan vibes, unique natural diversity, wine estates a plenty, adventure sports, world-class accommodation,  top cuisine and impressive art galleries & creative design. These name only a few reasons to visit Cape Town and South Africa as your next vacation spot!

A brief history:

Cape Town was first established by the Dutch East Indian Trading Company (VOC) from the Netherlands in 1649. Jan van Riebeeck, a Dutch navigator established the Cape in 1652 as a refreshment station.  Antonio de Saldanha, a Portuguese sailor actually was the first to anchor in Table Bay and climb Table Mountain in 1503. Table Bay was initially called “Saldanha Bay”.

Many European navigators sailing the globe stopped on our dangerous coastline en route to the “Spice Route” – from Europe to Batavia (Jakarta) in Indonesia.  Cape Town was a refreshment station set up to replenish the passing ships with fresh water, fruit & vegetables, meat and medical attention.

Basic Facts:

Cape Town, the Mother City is the capital of the Western Province with a population of 4-million people. It is the second most populated city behind Johannesburg 0r Gauteng.  South Africa has 11-official languages with English, Afrikaans and Xhosa mainly spoken in Cape Town and the Western Cape Province.  Cape Town is a proud nation of diverse cultures,  languages and religions that harmoniously coexist. South Africa is the “Rainbow Nation” and an eclectic mix of people.

The area of Cape Town is 2,461km2 or 950 square miles.  Its latitudinal coordinates (Cape Town: 33° 55′ S, 18° 25′ E).

The Mediterranean climate is hot and dry in the summer months: December-March. The winter months are wet and rainy from late April to August. Temperatures are relatively moderate countrywide with Cape Town’s average: summer – 26-32° C and winter – 16-18° C.

One point to remember is that you may experience “four seasons” in one day in Cape Town with the “Cape Doctor” blowing – a strong southeaster wind.  It’s advisable to have the basics: sunscreen, a hat, light jacket and a sense of adventure!

Fast Facts:

• Electricity operates on 220/230V AC
• South African Rand is the local currency (i.e. R1 = +/-USD12/EURO+/-14.70, GBP+/-16.75)
• ATMS, Banks and Bureau de Change locations are plentiful in the CBD and surrounds.
• International Credit & Debit cards are widely accepted at retail outlets, hotels and restaurants.
• This is a left-hand drive country.  Please remember to look the opposite direction when crossing the streets.
• Time zone is: GMT +2 and we do not have daylight savings time.
• Public transport: MyCiTi buses, professional taxis, Uber and chauffeur driven cars.
• Cape Town International Airport – is a gateway to the World and domestic locations. Local airlines: SAA, Kulula, Mango, SA Express, Comair/British Airways and SA Airlink.
• Travel in small groups in well lit areas at night and be careful of your valuables when “touring” around the city.
  

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