Cape Town

Visit the City of Cape Town and enjoy

City information

It's a place where old and new harmoniously converge - in history, architecture, cultural pursuits and the essence of its people.

Warmed by the African sun, the city is dominated by a towering, table-shaped mountain, set on a peninsula of soaring, rocky heights and lush valleys, where two oceans converge- Indian and Atlantic. Immense natural beauty, and the fast pace and bright lights of a great urban centre meld effortlessly here. Firmly positioned on the international map, Cape Town offers a myriad things to do and places to see, whatever your tastes, inclinations or budget Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad /ˈkɑːpstɑt/; Xhosa: iKapa) is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming 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 famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography, Cape Town is the most popular South African destination for tourism.

Cape Town originally developed as a victualling station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and Asia more than 200 years before the advent of the Suez Canal in 1869. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in sub-Saharan Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope. It was the largest city in South Africa until the growth of Johannesburg and Durban.

According to the 2001 Census, the city has a population of 2.95 million.[2] Cape Town's land area of 2,499 square kilometres (965 sq mi) is larger than other South African cities, resulting in a comparatively lower population density of 1,158 people per square kilometre (2,999/sq mi).[2] Cape Town is town twinned with Nice in France.