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The city of Cape Town is one of the largest cities of South Africa. The city lies at the foot of Table Mt., and on the shore of Table Bay.
Located in the Western Cape Province, a port on the Atlantic Ocean, in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town is the most southern city in African continent. The city is a stone's throw from South Africa's world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.
Cape Town was founded by the Dutch navigator Jan van Riebeeck for the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. The city was originally developed as a victualling station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and Asia.
Today’s Cape Town is the 3rd most populous city in South Africa. It’s the part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial 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 one of the most popular South African destinations for tourism. The city is often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography features. The city is famous for its harbor, natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, Table Mountain, and Cape Point.
Located at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, the centre of Cape Town offers exquisite mountainous setting. The city is beautifully hemmed in mesmeric Table Mountain and Signal Hill that can be regarded as a low-lying extension of the Table Mountain. Devil's Peak and Lion's Head, the beautiful mountainous backdrops are just bewitching. Sometimes a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and it is affectionately termed as the “tablecloth" owing to its appearance.
Cape Town is also famous for its beauteous beaches. The beaches are very popular with tourists. The beaches on the Atlantic Coast have very cold water as the water is mostly glacial melt from Antarctica however the water at False Bay beaches is often warmer. There are numerous restaurants and cafes on the beaches. Boulders Beach is the most famous beach in Cape Town. The beach is for its colony of African penguins. Surfing is very popular activity on beaches, and Cape Town hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year. Swimming, cricket, football, and rugby are some of the popular sporting activities of the city.
Cape Town is also famous for its beautiful buildings built in Cape Dutch style. The convergence of architectural traditions of France, the Netherlands, and Germany, the Cape Dutch style manifests in Constantia, the old government buildings in the Central Business District, and along Long Street.
Whale watching is very popular amongst tourists in Cape Town. Southern Right Whales can be found off the coast during the breeding season (August to November) and Bryde's Whales can be seen any time of the year. Whales can also be seen in False Bay.
Some of the extremely popular areas of Cape Town include Camps Bay, Sea Point, V & A Waterfront, Hout Bay, Rondebosch, Hermanus, Constantia, City Bowl, Somerset West and Newlands. The Cape Winelands and in particular the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting.
Cape Town enjoys a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons. Winter season that lasts from May to August is extremely cold along Atlantic Ocean fronts that receive heavy precipitation. The winters are cool with an average minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F), and most of the city's annual rainfall occurs in wintertime. Rainfalls in specific areas vary dramatically due to the mountainous topography of the city. The suburb of Newlands which is to the south of the city is the wettest place in South Africa. Summer season that lasts from November to February is warm and dry; however the temperature is mild, with an average maximum of 26 °C (79 °F).
About The Author
Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for bed and breakfasts, hotels, villas and apartments in Cape Town. |
