Why Cape Town is the World’s Best City?

Cape Town is undoubtedly the best city in the world. With rich history, a melting pot of cultures, incredible natural beauty, a wide variety of food and wine, modern infrastructure and endless adventure, Cape Town is without a doubt the best tourist destination in the world and should be on the top of your “must visit city” list.

Cape Town has been officially recognized throughout the world for its awesomeness by winning various awards and receiving numerous accolades over the years. PricewaterhouseCoopers have just recently named Cape Town the best city of opportunity in Africa; Surfer named Cape Town one of the top 10 surf cities in the world for 2018; Cape Town was listed in Fodor’s “Go List” of 2017; and in 2016 the readers of Conde Naste awarded Cape Town the “Best Overseas City for Restaurants & Bars” title as well as ranking Cape Town as the second-best overseas city in the World; to name but a few. Let’s take a closer look at why Cape Town is the best of the best and why you should make the city your next holiday destination.

We have also included some top recommendations for your trip itinerary.

·       Natural Beauty

It is not difficult to see why Cape Town has the most extraordinary natural beauty hereby making it abundantly clear why the city takes the prize for having the most spectacular natural flora and fauna in the world. Cape Town is home to the unique Cape Floral Kingdom which stretches all the way down towards the Eastern Cape. Pictures just do not do it justice. You need to experience it first-hand to truly embrace the “wow” of it.

Table Mountain is at the forefront of Cape Town’s list of unbelievable natural beauty. When driving around Cape Town you can almost see the iconic mountain from anywhere in the city. A new seventh wonder of the world, Table Mountain is home to thousands of bright and beautiful flora species.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is one of the top natural attractions that is a must see when visiting Cape Town. The garden is home to a diverse range of indigenous plants and fynbos and covers 528 hectares. This is a popular picnic spot with locals and tourists taking in the scenery while enjoying lunch.  

·       Melting pot of rich cultures

The city is full of rich heritage and history making it not only beautiful to see but also a learning experience. You can learn about other cultures while appreciating the struggle that previously took place to get Cape Town to where it is today. With 11 official languages and a diverse population, Cape Town is a proud mixed melting pot of culture. This is a very special aspect of Cape Town that makes it such a wonderful city to visit. You are guaranteed to meet a variety of different people and experience new cultures during your stay.

The Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town is the mecca of Cape heritage stemming from the Cape Malay residents who were forcibly removed from their homes during the Apartheid era. Learn about their history at the Bo-Kaap museum and take a cooking course with one of the local Cape Malay ladies who will teach you some delicious Cape Malay dishes.

Cape Town is also proud to give access to Robben Island, located 6.9kms from Blouberg’s coast. Robben Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a South African National Heritage Site. This is a must-see attraction in the Mother City as it was the home of the incredible Nelson Mandela for 18 years when he was imprisoned at the ex-maximum-security prison that was housed on the Island.

Cape Town also offers you guided Township Tours which gives you a truly unique South African experience. The most popular township to visit is Langa, Cape Town’s oldest black township. You can expect to meet the locals, visit popular community buildings and visit local shops and restaurants.   

·       Friendly locals

The Mother City is full of friendly people, a massive drawcard for tourists who want to feel welcome in the cities that they are visiting. Well in Cape Town you will get just that! The locals love having tourists visiting their city and you are guaranteed to meet friendly faces along your journey. Cape Town is widely known as being a friendly and social city - yet another reason why no other city beats Cape Town in the world.

·       Mediterranean climate

The Mother City has a Mediterranean type of climate. You can expect cool wet winters, with warm dry summers. Summer is experienced from December until March, with winter beginning in June and ending in August. Summer days average between 16.0 °C and 26.0 °C. Winter days average between 8.5 °C and 18.0 °C. Summer is the best time weather wise to visit Cape Town with long warm sunny days but don’t be deterred by the winter months. This is the perfect climate to experience as you can expect Cape Town to be mostly pleasant and mild all year round.

·        Abundance of beaches

Cape Town is home to loads of beautiful beaches with some of these beaches even achieving international blue flag status. Cape Town has it all, a beach for every occasion, making it the perfect city to visit for all beach and sea lovers. Our top picks are Blouberg Beach, Big Bay Beach, Camps Bay Beach, Melkbos Beach, Muizenberg Beach, and Llandudno Beach.

If you are an avid surfer then you will have to visit Blouberg, Table View and Muizenberg Beaches which is known for surfing, paddling and kite surfing.

For the best beach Instagram images, you should visit St James Beach near Muizenberg to take a shot next to the striking multicolour beach huts, and from Blouberg Beach with Table Mountain in the background across the blue bay.

Cape Town offers you unique experiences and our beaches are no different. Go horse-riding along Noordhoek Beach for a truly unique experience.

Still not convinced? Cape Town’s beaches have received recognition in their own right. In 2014 TripAdvisor held the annual Traveller’s Choice Awards and awarded Camps Bay beach the 24th Best Beach in the World title.

·       Spectacular Views

Whether you are on top of Lion’s Head or Table Mountain, up in the Cape Wheel, taking a drive-up Chapmans Peak, or standing on a beach, you are guaranteed to witness incredible views. Cape Town is a city that truly allows you to take it all in. The Cape Wheel at the V & A Waterfront provides you with 360 degrees of panoramic views. Watch the stunning sunset at Blue Peter situated at Bloubergstrand while sipping on a delectable cocktail and yummy pizzas.

·       Food and Wine

Cape Town is well known for its wide selection of eateries available throughout the city as well as the large variety of different types of food on offer. Just another reason why Cape Town is the best tourist city on the planet.

Cape Town offers some incredible dining experiences. A lot of restaurants pride themselves on making use of freshly caught fish, a firm favourite of many locals and tourists. GOLD Restaurant is a must-visit with a 14 course African and Cape Malay menu coupled with traditional décor and live entertainment. For unreal burgers and chips head on down to Jerry’s Burger Bar or Rocco Mama’s. Be sure to try out some local favourite traditional desserts such as milk tart, koeksisters and malva pudding at the many local cafes and bakeries. Don’t miss out on a visit to Charley’s Bakery in District 6 where you will be treated to a wide selection of sweet treats and coffees.   

A Cape Town visit is not complete without visiting the famous Cape Winelands regions. This includes Stellenbosch, Wellington, Paarl and Franschhoek. The Constantia Vineyards are also part of the winelands however these are located in the Southern Suburbs of the city. We suggest that you visit the following Wine Farms to have the best Cape Wine Experience: Steenberg, Groot Constantia, Eagle’s Nest, Beau Constantia, Morgenster Olive and Wine Estate, Vergelegen, D’Aria, De Grendel, and Diemersdal.

·       Hiking and adventure activities

If you love to experience the great outdoors then you are in luck! Cape Town is the best destination to immerse yourself in all the adventure activities that you have ever wanted to do. From surfing, kayaking, hiking, shark cage diving, paragliding, rock climbing, to tobogganing, you can do it all. With so many adventure activities on offer and such spectacular scenery, you will not be lacking in things to do.  

Cape Town has lots of fun hiking routes to choose from, with the most popular being Lion’s Head or tackling one of the various Table Mountain trails. Paraglide off of Signal Hill and take in the beautiful sights as you descend down. If you are brave enough to come face-to-face with a Great White Shark then head on down to Gansbaai for an experience unlike no other. Cage Dive with these magnificent creatures in their natural habitats.

·       Things and activities to do, and places to see

Cape Town has endless fun things to do and activities to partake in. Come rain or shine, Cape Town will not let you down. The best part is that there really is something for everyone.

A trip down to Boulders Beach is essential for any visit to Cape Town. Get up close and personal with the colony of African Penguins who call Boulders Beach home.

If you are keen to shop till you drop then head on down to Canal Walk Shopping Mall, located in Century City, this mall has over 400 stores that stock a large variety of items and have an abundance of restaurants and takeaway stores to get refreshments from.

Cape Town also has a really great nightlife buzz. From craft beer or cocktails, pubs to night clubs, there is a little something for everyone. Arcade Café is a fun and vibey spot located in Bree Street that offers top-class cocktails and first-rate DJs and is a popular spot amongst locals and tourists alike. Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar is located on Longmarket Street in a 200-year-old historic building. This bar has exquisite views, delicious cocktails and craft beers, accompanied with a yummy tapas menu. Sitting on the water’s edge, Shimmy Beach Club is known as Cape Town’s very own world-class seaside club. You have to experience this incredible club during the summer months when they are home to various DJ’s, entertainment and more.   

·       Top accolades

Cape Town has continuously been awarded some incredible accolades throughout the past years. This year the Mother City was added to the World Best Cities list by Travel and Leisure. UK Telegraph's readers voted Cape Town as the “best city in the world” in 2017 for the 5^th year in a row. The Telegraph Travel Awards chose Cape Town as the Best City for the 2015-2016 season. In 2016 Cape Town was awarded the title of the number one food city in the world by Condé Nast’s Reader’s Choice Awards. Cape Town was crowned the World Design Capital of 2014.

·       Affordability

The best part about Cape Town is that it is very affordable for tourists visiting from overseas. You can expect to receive first-rate service at affordable prices. Prices are very reasonable throughout South Africa for those travelling from around the world. And you can expect even more affordability when travelling here during the winter months. Most restaurants and hotels/guesthouses/bed and breakfasts run specials during the off season. So, take advantage of these specials and book your Cape Town holiday off season to take even greater advantage of the city.

As you can see Cape Town offers you the complete package experience. You get natural beauty, flora and fauna, cultural diversity, fun activities to do, great wine, a wide variety of foods and craft beers, outdoor activities, shopping malls, tours and more. You name it, Cape Town has it. Affordability with first class service, that is what you can expect when visiting the Mother City. A cosmopolitan modern city with something for everyone, Cape Town is the best city in the world and continues to shine and prove why it has been awarded this title over and over again.