Cape Town's setting is one of the world's most stunning.
In this beautiful city even transient visitors can't help but devote a few million brain cells to storing images of its grandeur: its striking Table Mountain backdrop, its glorious beaches and enchanting vineyards, its rugged landscapes and its strange and wonderful plants and animals.
Cape Town is famed for its hospitality: its mix of trendy establishments matches up favourably any other cosmopolitan centre. There's a lively cultural scene, particularly when it comes to music, which seems to pervade every corner of the city. The general ambience is open-minded and relaxed.
The townships on the Cape Flats have an appalling crime rate and are off-limits unless you have a trustworthy guide.
severity: Low-level alert
2,984,100
Name: South African Rand
Code: ZAR
Symbol: R
220/230V 50Hz
Official: Zulu, Afrikaans, English, Swati,,,,
GMT/UTC +2
+27
Metric
Download the free Getting Started chapter or buy individual chapters from our Cape Town guide, in our online Shop.
› Go to the Cape Town download page.
podcast by Kondile Unathi, January 2008
Two miles' worth of clubs, music stores and boutique hotels: saunter down Cape Town's most cosmopolitan street. Read the full article ›
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