Cape Town is known as a great holiday destination year around a place where neither season really experiences extremes of temperature, thanks to prevailing winds. The summer months are from December to February. The days are generally warm to hot and dry, but the humidity is low. While winters are from June to August and tend to be wet and cool, (this does not mean rain every day although it can rain for two weeks straight on occasion).
It can get very cold at night, with temperatures as low as 2 to 3°C (this is the temperature of the ocean so it will not get colder unless you go far inland) but 5-7°C is normal. It will become warmer during the day, with temperatures between 9-15°C typical. It is often very cloudy with far fewer hours of sunshine. (The rains are brought on by fierce northwesterly gales). However be prepared though for 'four seasons in one day'. The peninsula's shape creates microclimates, so you can be basking in the sun on one side of the mountain and sheltering from chilly rain and winds on the other. It's no accident that Newlands is so lush in comparison to Cape Point - the former receives four times as much rain annually as the latter.
BEST TIMES TO VISIT ARE:
October and November: The weather is getting warmer. Spring is in the air, but it is not as hot as mid-summer yet. These months can be windy months. The South-Easter is known as the Cape Doctor as it blows away a great deal of pollution!
December to February: These are the prime summer months of long hot days. The sun sets late in the evening (it stays light up until about 8:30PM in December) and there is generally a lot going on. February is the most reliable month for weather, with week after week of hot days.
March to May: This can change from year to year, but generally it starts raining and the temperature begins to become cooler. There are far fewer visitors around, and you can get fantastic deals on accommodation, food and most tourism services.
1. Table Mountain
Rising 1,087 meters south of the city center, flat-topped Table Mountain is the most photographed landmark in South Africa and a constant reminder that nature is queen in this stunning seaside city. Created from massive beds of sandstone and slate, the mountain forms the northern end of the Cape Peninsula and lies within Table Mountain National Park. The park protects an astounding diversity of plants and more than 1,470 flower species-the planet's richest floral kingdom-as well as animals such as cute snub-nosed dassies (rock hyraxes), caracals, and baboons. Within the park, Devil's Peak flanks the mountain on the east, and Lion's Head on the west, while the crags known as the Twelve Apostles loom over the beach resorts on the Atlantic coast. A layer of clouds, called the "tablecloth" frequently cloaks the mountain's peak, but when the clouds clear, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Cape Town and the entire Cape Peninsula from the summit. Bring a sweater as it can be cold and windy at the top. For those short on time, and energy, a revolving cableway climbs to the summit, covering the distance of 1,244 meters in seven minutes. The cableway runs daily-except in high winds, so it's a good idea to check the website or call for current conditions before heading out. Also to avoid long lines, try booking tickets online. At the upper station of the cableway, a café features a small viewing terrace and serves as the starting-point of three short walks, which highlight the gigantic scale of the landscape. Those wishing to summit the mountain on foot can choose between more than 350 different routes varying in difficulty. Depending on the starting-point, the climb takes between two to four hours. For superb views of Table Mountain and the best vantage point to photograph this iconic landmark, hike or drive up Signal Hill or Lion's Head - both offer stunning views from their summits.
2. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
In a beautiful setting on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are part of the Cape Floristic Region UNESCO World Heritage site. The site was bequeathed to the state by Cecil Rhodes in 1902 and the gardens were established in 1913 to preserve the country's indigenous flora-one of the first botanical gardens in the world with this mission. More than 20,000 native South African plant species are collected, grown, and studied in the hilly 528-hectare nature reserve of indigenous forest and fynbos. Of particular historical interest are a hedge of wild almond-trees planted by Jan van Riebeeck in 1660 and an avenue of camphor and fig trees planted by Cecil Rhodes in 1898. The flowers, shrubs, and trees are arranged so that a show of blossoms and color brightens the gardens throughout the year. Don't miss the proteas; the scented garden; the impressive collection of cycads; the Sculpture Garden; and the Botanical Society Conservatory, a custom-built greenhouse with plants from arid regions. Well-marked trails thread through the wooded slopes, and the Tree Canopy Walkway provides panoramic views across the mountain-backed gardens. One of the trails leads through a ravine to the summit of Table Mountain. In summer, the gardens make an evocative venue for outdoor concerts. Green thumbs and garden lovers should also visit Company's Garden, an oasis of exotic trees, flowers, aviaries, and ponds in the heart of the city. While here, visitors can also explore the Iziko South African Museum and Planetarium and the Iziko National Gallery.
3. Clifton and Camps Bay Beaches
Between Clifton and Llandudno beaches, and bordered by the spectacular Twelve Apostles mountain range and the glittering Atlantic Ocean, Camps Bay is one of Cape Town’s most breath-taking suburbs. As well as being a popular summer attraction for locals and tourists who flock to the beach, Camps Bay boasts restaurants and watering holes aplenty that line the famous sunset strip for fun that goes on long after dark. It got its name “Die Baai van Von Kamptz” from Fredrick Ernst von Kamptz and the area remained mostly undeveloped throughout the 19th century. Lord Charles Somerset hunted there, using the Roundhouse as his lodge. Kloof Nek, the road which links Camps Bay to the City Bowl, was built in 1848, and in 1884 good old Thomas Bain, who built many roads in the Cape region, was commissioned to build one from Sea Point to Camps Bay. Of course, he didn’t literally build this one himself – that task fell to convict labour. Completed in 1887 it was named Victoria to honour the Queen’s jubilee the following year. Along it, people cycled to Camps Bay which had become a popular picnic site, and it is now the palm-lined boulevard which sees hoards of visitors thronging there to hang out, see and be seen – not that much has changed in the last century and a half. Camps Bay is on two MyCiTi bus routes as well as the hop-on-hop-off City SightSeeing bus routes. On the beach you can rent loungers and umbrellas for a day of lazing in the sun, get a massage, or play volleyball. There is often street entertainment as the sun goes down. Celebrities – who remain largely undisturbed by ultra-cool Capetonians – mix with locals at places along the promenade with their prime beachfront locations. Café Caprice, Paranga, Blues, La Belle Bistro and Umi, which has a fabulous whisky bar, are highly sought-after spots where long lunches blend into sundowners then merge into dinner and dancing. National Geographic put Cape Town’s beaches at number two in the world, and the set of four at Clifton makes it easy to see why. Named first to fourth, they are separated by huge granite boulders. The sand is soft and white, the water is calm and turquoise, and the fact that Clifton is sheltered from our notorious summer gale force south-easter winds makes it unique. Property in Clifton costs in the tens of millions of rands but it wasn’t always like this; the small size of the properties can be attributed to the area being laid out by the City of Cape Town for returning soldiers who had fought in World War I. The original bungalows, now all but replaced by new structures, were built from the packing cases that conveyed imported motor cars during the 20s and 30s. The Bungalow restaurant and bar is where all the beautiful people go to enjoy views, sunsets, cocktails and a delicious meal. During summer our top DJs spin sultry sundowner sets. The bowling green in front of this restaurant is a landing spot for the paragliders who launch themselves off Lion’s Head.
4. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
The restaurants, shops, and accommodation at the V&A Waterfront is nothing less than world-class, making your travel to South Africa a glitzy experience. This is one of Cape Town's biggest tourist attractions, the Waterfront evokes images of the early activities of the harbour. Much of its charm lies in the fact that this busy commercial harbour is set in the midst of a huge entertainment venue with pubs, restaurants, specialty shops, craft markets, theatres and movies. Situated betweenRobben IslandandTable Mountainin the heart of Cape Town's working harbour, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has become South Africa's most visited destination. Set against a backdrop of magnificent sea and mountain views, exciting shopping and entertainment venues are intermingled with imaginative office locations, world-class hotels and luxury apartments in the residential marina. We invite you to discover the experience... live, work, shop and play at the V&A Waterfront. Seal-watching is an amusing diversion. Visitors to theTwo Oceans Aquarium will enjoy a fascinating underwater world. The Maritime Museum focuses on the history of shipping from prehistoric times to the present day. Boat trips around the harbour and along the coast are always popular. Helicopter flips provide a broader perspective. The Information Centre provides maps and information on special events planned for the day.Calls for greater public access and a wider use of Cape Town's historic harbour started in the early 1970's. In 1988, the then landowner (State-owned transport corporation, Transnet Limited) established a wholly owned subsidiary company, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (Pty) Limited, to redevelop the historic docklands. This was received with large-scale public acclaim. Since its origins in 1860, the Port ofCape Townhas been the scene of excavations, reclamations, harbour construction programmes and land based developments. By the time Prince Alfred* tipped the first load of stone into the sea to initiate construction of Cape Town's harbour, the trade routes to the East had transformed the city into a hive of seafront activity. The discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa meant that the first section of harbour, the Alfred Basin, had to be added to and the Victoria Basin was built. (* Prince Alfred was Queen Victoria's second son) The construction of the two harbour basins took place between 1860 and 1920, and the area is notable for its outstanding heritage buildings. It retains the charm of Victorian industrial architecture and the scale of a harbour built for sail and the early days of steam travel. In the 1970s, containerisation had developed worldwide as the major method of cargo handling and transportation. It was this, together with South Africa's economic isolation at the time and the reopening of the Suez Canal, that led to a sharp reduction in the utilisation of land and harbour facilities surrounding the Victoria & Alfred Basins. At the time, Transnet was in the process of rationalising harbour facilities and reviewing its harbour and other land holdings with particular emphasis on the returns being generated by these assets.
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