A range of jagged mountains thrusting into the splendid desolation
of the southern Atlantic, the Cape Peninsula is one of the world's
most beautiful places.
Pristine beaches, sheltered bays and secluded coves encircle
the majestic might of Table Mountain, a World Heritage Site
and home to some 8 500 species of flower. Between the mountain's
looming crags and Table Bay's deep blue sweep lies South Africa's
Mother City and the cosmopolitan hub of the Western Cape Province
- Cape Town.
The best way to revel in the Peninsula's unrivalled beauty
is to travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve along one
of two coastal drives, each dramatically different. To the west,
the famous Chapman's Peak route via Hout Bay and the endless,
white expanse of Noordhoek's Long Beach. The False Bay road
hugs the mountainside, snaking past Fish Hoek, a popular family
beach, Kalk Bay, a fishing village imbued with character and
colour, and Muizenberg, renowned for its safe swimming and excellent
surfing.
Life in the City Bowl centres around the Victoria & Alfred
Waterfront, a pulsating waterfront Mecca, historical site and
working harbour offering everything from upmarket shopping malls,
arts and crafts markets, theatres and live music to entertainment
showpieces including the Telkom Exploratorium and the awe-inspiring
Two Oceans Aquarium.
Museums and art galleries abound and South Africa's oldest
building, the Castle of Good Hope, is in the city centre. The
cobbled streets of Bo-Kaap with their delightful old buildings
and the first mosque in South Africa stand in cultural contrast
to the buildings of the oldest homestead and wine farm in the
Cape, Groot Constantia. On the Constantia wine route, Groot
Constantia is tied by history and the vine to estates in the
Helderberg and Durbanville.
For the energetic and those wanting to explore the abundance
of the Cape Floral Kingdom's fauna and flora, there are many
walks and climbs: Up Table Mountain or Lion's Head, through
the Silvermine or Tygerberg Nature Reserves, Newlands Forest,
the Cape of Good Hope or Helderberg Nature Reserves, or one
of several other inner-city wildlife areas.
