CAPE TOWN
As South Africa’s oldest city, Cape Town carries the distinguished title of the Mother City. Some would say that with her rugged beauty she is indeed the mother of all cities.
The home of a multicultural population of 4.6. million, Cape Town is a cosmopolitan centre, first city of fashion, a hub of adventure, a culinary leader, a solid base for a rich and multi-stranded heritage and the location of hallowed grounds of sport.
Attraction and activities
A tourist lost for something to do in Cape Town would be hard to find – this city has it all: beaches to sunbathe and socialise, scenery to admire, a depth of history to explore, a wealth of physical pursuits to conquer, and exciting nightlife to help you celebrate a winning match result.
Take a trip to the winelands and taste South Africa’s home-grown tipple; see the world from your vantage point at the top of Table Mountain; dine like a king at one of the many fantastic restaurants; and celebrate the great outdoors- even during the winter months.
When you’re done supporting your team, get to know this southern tip of Africa.
Nature at its best
Looming over it all is the ever-present Table Mountain. Sometimes she bares her all in shades of green to deep purple, sometimes she dons her ‘tablecloth’ of cloud; other times, she hides away behind a heavy curtain of mist. Tourist can share her dizzying panoramas of the city, riding her revolving cable car or hiking her many trails.
Cape Town’s Surrounding Areas
Gracious gabled homes, towering mountain peaks and craggy mountain passes, slopes verdant with vines in neat rows – that’s the image conjured up by the winelands, perfect to tour on a chilly day when there is no action on the field.
There are some 200 cellars within easy reach of Cape Town, where wine in all its varieties- red, white, pink, sweet, dry and sparkling- can be sampled. The best of them are located on the four main routes- the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Wellington routes.
East and west of Cape Town, the Western Cape province matches its capital for interest, scenic beauty and adventure.
On the West Coast, walk in the path of the early Khoisan, who left their signatures in hundreds of rock paintings, particularly in the rugged Cedarberg. At the West Coast Fossil Park a 90-minute drive from Cape Town, there’s a rich find of animal fossils. About mid-year, depending on the rains, the region breaks into a field of daisies, proteas and shrubs as the flower season starts.
June brings playful visitors to the Overberg coast as Southern Right Whales take up residence in the inlets and bays. They can be seen frolicking from the seaside town of Hermanus, or from a whale-viewing boat. Don’t miss Cape Agulhas, marked by a lighthouse, the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Up the east coast runs the aptly named Garden Route, incorporating Mossel Bay, Segdefield, George, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna. It’s a veritable Eden, edge to edge in beaches, lakes, lagoons and forests, mixed with magnificent golf estates and cultural attractions, sprinkled liberally with thrills like bungee jumping and sea kayaking.
Don’t be fooled by the dryness of the Karoo- under its infinite skies there’s much archaeology, wildlife, architecture and some of the most impressive mountain passes. The Cango Caves outside Oudtshoorn drip with stalactites and stalagmites, while the ostrich palaces, located on farms where you can ride one of the birds if you dare, have retained their yesteryear elegance.
Green Point Stadium
One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town. Green Point Stadium is one of the two semi-final venues for the FIFA World Cup™.
This multi-purpose venue is also going to be used to stage major events and concerts. Fans will be a stone’s throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will also provide the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium has been partly built on land that was previously used as a golf course.
The stadium, which has an exterior that is covered with noise-reducing cladding has a capacity of 70,000 and was completed in December 2009.
Post FIFA World Cup, the Green Point Stadium is likely to be used by some of the Cape Town-based professional football outfits that include Ajax Cape Town and Santos.
