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Written by Nicholas Bowen
Living or Visiting.
Cape Town living is a cosmopolitan mix of urban spaces with beautiful scenery, creating an eclectic combination of modern city living with stunning beaches and sprawling greenery. For those looking to live in Cape Town, accommodation is available in the central CBD area in the form of apartments and smaller housing. The cost of housing is higher in the city compared to the suburbs, but is often more convenient for those working in central Cape Town. The suburbs of Cape Town, located to the North and South of the city, are perfect for family style living. Located in close proximity to schools, shopping centres and other modern conveniences, Cape Town’s suburbs provide a higher standard of living for less money when compared to other popular expat destinations around the world. Many of Cape Town’s suburban homes come complete with swimming pools, large gardens and ocean views.
For those looking to vacation in Cape Town, the city offers a variety of accommodation in the form of hotels, backpackers and flats for rent. Accommodation is found everywhere from the bustling city centre to the luxury hotels found along the sunny peninsula. Cape Town has been awarded with a variety of accolades from various popular tourist publications including being named one of the top 25 destinations in the world by TripAdvisor.
What To Do In Cape Town.
For those locating to Cape Town, there is no shortage of activities to keep yourself busy with. The most well know landmark in Cape Town is the majestic Table Mountain. Overlooking the city and harbour, the mountain has been named one of the New Seven7 Wonders of the natural world. With hiking trails and cable car rides to the peak, Table Mountain is popular with locals and tourists alike.
The beaches in Cape Town provide the perfect setting for long sunset walks or a family- filled fun day at the beach. Stretching along the western coastline, some popular beach destinations include Camps Bay, Clifton and Muizenburg. All beaches are located in close proximity to hotels, restaurants and other tourist attractions.
The Cape Winelands are world- famous for sprawling vineyards, memorable wine estates and rolling mountains. The wines on offer in Cape Town have a sterling reputation all around the world, each wine farm offers a unique take with their own signature wines that visitors can enjoy at a wine-tasting. Some of the most popular wine farms are found in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.
Cape Town has a reputation for having some of the best restaurants and food markets in all of South Africa. Taking a stroll down Bree street in the city centre you’ll find many mouth watering restaurants to satisfy any foodie’s taste budstastebuds. Whether you are looking for exoctic cuisine or vegetarian meals, Bree street has something for everyone. If food markets are more to your liking, be sure to visit the Biscuit Mill and Hout Bay markets over the weekend.
Cape Town’s coastline consists of sprawling driving routes that are an affordable and thrilling way to spend a day. The iconic Chapman’s Peak drive winds around the coast and offers an exceptionalexeptional view of Hout Bay. The Twelve Apostles route stretches from Sea Point and passes Clifton and Camps Bay and ends in Llandudno, and provides a spectacular sea view for the entire drive.
Cape Town’s Long History
The oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town’s history is long and storied. Founded in 1652 by Dutch settlers, Cape Town was first used as a settlement for traders and farmers. The city was a part of the British Empire from 1814 until 1872 when Cape Town became the capital of the Cape Colony.
After South Africa’s first fully democratic elections in 1994, Cape Town fast became one of the tourist capitals of the world. Numerous 5-star hotels were built, the success of the V&A Waterfront led to further development around the area and tourism began to flourish. Since this time Cape Town has continued to grow into culturally diverse environment, popular with locals and tourists alike.
Recently the city of Cape Town has been awarded with various global accolades including being named the Design Capital of the World in 2014, and this year Cape Town will be the first South African city to boast it’s own Monopoly board game. The game will feature some of Cape Town’s most iconic landmarks including the ‘big seven’ attractions like Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, the Kirstenbosch gardens and even Pollsmoor Prison.
