Table Mountain

Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most famous landmark. A cable car trip to the top of the mountain is the perfect way to for visitors to orientate themselves on their first trip to the city.

Cape Point

At Cape Point, see where Portuguese mariner Bartolomeu Dias first sailed around the Cape, discover the legend of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship, and take the funicular railway up a steep slope to the lighthouse at the top.

Cape Winelands

Constantia, Durbanville, Darling, Walker Bay, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek, Ceres, Worcester and more … wine estate tours and wine tasting are a must.

Robben Island

Take a boat trip to Robben Island, where humanitarian, freedom fighter and former South African president Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Tours take in this World Heritage Site, a museum and the stone quarry where prisoners worked.

Shark cage diving

For something thrilling and different, shark cage diving is a safe and popular attraction, with specially equipped tour boats and cages affording face-to-face meetings with great white sharks in Gansbaai and Mossel Bay.

Garden Route

Take a trip along the picturesque Garden Route, which stretches along the N2 highway from Mossel Bay eastward, taking in the towns of George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.

Cape Town

Undoubtedly the jewel of the Western Cape is Cape Town. The Mother City, as it is also known, is an extremely popular destination for local and international visitors, and is home to scenic and natural attractions, beautiful beaches, a vibrant nightlife, and a rich history.

It is the perfect launch pad for many of the Western Cape’s attractions, including the famed Cape Winelands, the Garden Route, and the attractions of the West Coast and interior.

The most well known of Cape Town’s attractions is Table Mountain, which offers amazing views, a selection of hiking trails, and abundant flora and fauna.

From the top of Table Mountain (as well as from Cape Town itself), visitors can see the infamous Robben Island, where political prisoners were jailed during apartheid. Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island.

Cape Town is also home to the V&A Waterfront, South Africa’s most-visited tourist attraction. The V&A boasts shops, restaurants, nightlife, museums and the Two Oceans Aquarium.

And no description of Cape Town would be complete without mention of its wide, sandy beaches. From the trendy Clifton and Camps Bay, to beaches on the warmer waters of False Bay (Muizenburg and Fishhoek), to the more adventure-oriented Noordhoek and Blouberg, there’s swimming, sunbathing, surfing and kitesurfing for all.

The most widely spoken language in the Western Cape Province is Afrikaans, but English is also almost universally spoken here.