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South Africa Flights. Book Cheap Flights to Cape Town - South Africa
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Cape Town is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the p
rovincial capital of the Western Cape as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the national Parliament and many government offices are located.
Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography, Cape Town is the most popular South African destination for international tourists.
Cape Town originally developed around its harbour, as a refuelling station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and Asia. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 made it the first permanent European settlement in sub-Saharan Africa. It quickly outgrew the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, and remained the largest city in South Africa until outpaced by the new city of Johannesburg following the discovery of gold and diamonds in the Transvaal in 1887.
According to the 2001 Census, the city has a population of 2.9 million.[1] Cape Town's land area of 2,499 km² is comparatively larger than other South African cities, resulting in a comparatively lower population density of 1,158/km².[1] Cape Town is twinned with Nice, France.
The centre of Cape Town is located at northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a dramatic backdrop to the city bowl with its plateau well over 1 kilometre high surrounded by near-vertical cliffs, and Devil's Peak and Lion's Head on either side. Sometimes a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and owing to its appearance it is affectionately known as the "table-cloth". The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point. There are over 70 peaks above 1000 feet (the American definition of a mountain) within Cape Town's official city limits [9]. Many of the suburbs of Cape Town are on the large plain of the Cape Flats, which joins the peninsula to the mainland.
The Cape Peninsula has a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons. In winter, which lasts from May to August, large cold fronts come across from the Atlantic Ocean with heavy precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. The winter months are cool with an average minimum temperature of around 7 °C (45 °F). Most of the city's annual rainfall occurs in wintertime, but due to the mountainous topography of the city, rainfall amounts for specific areas can vary dramatically. The valleys and coastal plains average 515 millimetres (20in) of rain per annum, while mountain areas can average as much as 1500 mm (60in) per annum.
Summers, which last from November to February, are warm and dry, and the Peninsula gets frequent strong winds from the south-east known locally as the Cape Doctor because it blows away pollution and cleans the air. The south easterly wind is caused by a high-pressure system which sits in the South Atlantic to the west of Cape Town, known as the South-Atlantic High. Summer temperatures are mild with an average maximum of 26 °C (79 °F).
According to the South African National Census of 2001, the population of Cape Town is 2,893,251 people, who live in 759,767 formal households, of which 87.4% have a flush or chemical toilet, and 94.4% have refuse removed by the municipality at least once a week. 80.1% of households use electricity as the main source of energy. 16.1% of households are headed by one person.
Cape Town is the economic centre of the Western Cape and thus serves as the regional manufacturing centre as well as the port by which most goods made in the interior of the province are shipped elsewhere. The large government presence in the city, both as the capital of the Western Cape and the seat of Parliament, has increased revenue for the city as well as growth in industries that serve the government.
Cape Town also hosts many conferences, particularly in the new Cape Town International Convention Centre, which opened in June 2003. The city has enjoyed a booming real estate and construction market during the first half of the decade with many people buying summer homes in the city as well as relocating there permanently.
The central business district is under an extensive urban renewal programme, with numerous new buildings and renovations taking place under the guidance of the Cape Town Partnership.
Cape Town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa due to its good climate, setting and the relative accessibility of outdoor sports, as well as having several famous natural features that draw tourists. Perhaps the most recognisable natural feature of the city is Table Mountain, included in Table Mountain National Park, which forms the back of the City Bowl. Visitors can either hike up the mountain or take the cable car, which is more popular.
The second most recognisable natural feature of the region is Cape Point, a dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula, and which is also part of Table Mountain National Park. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is the oldest botanical garden in South Africa, and includes some of the original plants that were carried on the Dromedaris by Jan van Riebeeck. Other often visited natural features of the city include Chapman's Peak Drive, Signal Hill, and the many beaches in the city, such as Boulders Beach, which is famous for its colony of penguins.
The city also serves as the gateway to other destinations within the province as it has the best transport connections. The Cape Winelands and the cities of Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek are popular destinations for wine vineyards.
There are also many man-made attractions in and around the city. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of some of the old docks of the Port of Cape Town, is now one of the city's most popular shopping venues with several hundred shops, a luxury hotel, and an aquarium. Ferries also depart from the waterfront for Robben Island, a former prison island where Nelson Mandela was inprisoned for many years. Different companies offer boat tours from the waterfront to Hout Bay, Simon's Town, and Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands.
The Cape Peninsula and the region around Cape Town offer many walking and hiking routes, with Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Devil's Peak set in the centre of the city, and the surrounding mountain ranges offering further opportunities.
The beaches are popular with surfers enjoying the blustery conditions and consistent swell in Muizenberg, Kommetjie, Long Beach and Llandudno. Cape Town also hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa Competition each year, with daredevil professionals vying to surf the largest wave at an offshore reef (the aptly-named "Dungeons").
Whale watching is popular because Southern Right Whales can be found off the coast during the breeding season (August to November), and Bryde's Whale occurs all year-round. The nearby town of Hermanus is known for its Whale Festival, but whales can also be seen in False Bay. Heaviside's Dolphin is endemic to the area and can be seen from the coast north of Cape Town, whilst the Dusky Dolphin occurs along the same coast, and may be seen from the ferry to Robben Island.
August and September are the best time to visit the Namaqualand region on the west coast of South Africa. After the winter rains, the desert comes to life and wild flowers bloom in profusion.
Due to Cape Town's unique culture, with a hodgepodge of different cultures, there is much to choose from. The local jazz music, wine tasting, township tours, and visits to historic Cape Dutch buildings all form part of a true Cape Town experience.
The annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival or Kaapse Klopse is a minstrel festival held annually on 2 January or 'Tweede Nuwe Jaar'. Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly coloured costumes, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments.
Artscape Theatre Centre (formerly the Nico Malan) is the main performing arts venue in Cape Town.