Cape Town - The Mother City

If three pyramids are the symbol of Africa's far north, then a flat-topped mountain is the symbol of its far south. Cape Town nestles in the curve of Table Mountain at the start of the hook-shaped Cape Peninsula, which ends in the jagged cliffs of Cape Point. The Western Cape lies on southern tip of South Africa. The most-southern point is not, as some maps suggest, at Cape Point; it is in fact at Cape Agulhas, some 200km east of Cape Town.

The province is one of the country's most beautiful, attracting the lion's share of foreign tourists. It is a region of majestic mountains, colourful patchworks of farmland set in lovely valleys, long beaches and, further inland, the wide-open landscape of the semi-desert Karoo.

Two oceans meet on the coast of the Western Cape: the cold Atlantic Ocean is in the west, while the warmer Indian Ocean lies on the southern coast. The plankton-rich cold Benguela current flows along the west coast and is considered to be one of the world’s richest fishing grounds.

The Western Cape’s unmatched natural beauty, famous hospitality, cultural diversity, excellent wine and rich cuisine make it one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions.

Perched between the ocean and the mountain, and with a national park as its heart, Cape Town is wild and wonderful. Among its attractions are climbing, surfing and diving along with vibrant nightlife, excellent wine and endless shopping.

The Western Cape alone Includes 4 of the Top 5 Tourist Attractions in South Africa – they are:

1  Kruger Park
2  Table Mountain, also World Heritage Site (Western Cape)
3  Garden Route (Western Cape)
4  Robben Island, also World Heritage Site (Western Cape)
5  V&A Waterfront (Western Cape)

Information supplied as per www.southafrica.info