Cape Town

Sat in the lap of Table Mountain and on the shores of the Atlantic, Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

African, Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and German settlers have all left their mark on the city, and all creeds and colours continue to share it to this day. With a population of three million, Cape Town the parliamentary capital of the republic also enjoys the status as South Africas most laid-back city, thanks partly to a low crime rate, lively cultural scene, rugged landscapes and glorious beaches. However, all this is tempered by the 'informal settlements' (shanty towns) that dominate the Cape Flats, the vast plain stretching east of Table Mountain. This is where most of the 'coloured' and black communities were relocated under apartheid, and they continue to live here in appalling conditions.

Cape Town boasts a train line running north to south from the seafront in Cape Town to False Bay, passing through Observatory, Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont, Wynberg and terminating in Fish Hoek. There is also a bus service but this like the Metrorail - is pretty rudimentary. Shared taxis are in plentiful supply along the major thoroughfares but caution is advised: crime is relatively rare, but it still exists. Given the limitations of the local public transport - and that Cape Town's unique geography means her associated parts are often to be found on opposite sides of a mountain ridge - owning a car is practically essential. Text: Andy Jackson and Philippa Bresler, andyj@365digital.co.za

Atlantic Seaboard area
Atlantic Seaboard area

Just ten minutes by car from the city centre, stretched along the white beaches at the base of the w...

Blouberg Coast neighborhood
Blouberg Coast neighborhood

Running north from Cape Town around the rim of Table Bay are the towns of Blouberg, Milnerton and Ta...

Bo Kaap and Waterkant areas
Bo Kaap and Waterkant areas

Tucked just south of the Waterfront, clinging to the northern foot of Signal Hill, lie the Cape Mala...

City Bowl area
City Bowl area

Hemmed in by the sheer face of Table Mountain and the city centre are the sought-after residential d...

Constantia, Tokai and Bishopscourt areas
Constantia, Tokai and Bishopscourt areas

Set above and just south of the Southern Suburbs lie the salubrious settlements of Constantia, Tokai...

False Bay area
False Bay area

Dotted along the western coast of False Bay are the towns of Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Sim...

Hout Bay area
Hout Bay area

Situated 20km south-west of Cape Town is the picturesque seaside town of Hout Bay which boasts safe...

Llandudno neighborhood
Llandudno neighborhood

Nestling 18km south-west of the city centre in the seaboard folds of the Table Mountain range is the...

Northern Suburbs area
Northern Suburbs area

Cape Towns so-called Northern Suburbs lie around 15km to the north-east of the city centre, straddli...

Observatory district
Observatory district

Despite the image that the name might conjure, the district of Observatory is not perched on the sum...

Sea Point and Green Point areas
Sea Point and Green Point areas

Nestling to the west of Cape Town on the seaboard slopes of Lions Head are the residential suburbs o...

Somerset West area
Somerset West area

The town of Somerset West - named after Lord Charles Somerset, a former governor of the Cape Colony...

Southern Suburbs area
Southern Suburbs area

The leafy Southern Suburbs lie on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, approximately 10km from the...

Waterfront area
Waterfront area

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront sits at the heart of Cape Town's working harbour and has become...