Locals affectionately refer to Cape Town as the Mother City, a name it earns as a longstanding, welcoming, and stunning metropolis. One of the oldest cities in South Africa, Cape Town is the country’s second-most populated city behind Johannesburg. This stylish urban center is surrounded on all sides by natural beauty—from the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crashing on beaches to the iconic wildflower-lined Table Mountain. Get your bearings on a sightseeing tour to absorb a little history, and browse the shops and restaurants in central Cape Town on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. Ride a cable car up Table Mountain for the best views over the city. Visit points of interest beyond the city center easily with a day tour: Learn about South Africa’s tumultuous history at the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Robben Island, where you’ll see Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell. Explore the wildlife and dramatic cliffs of Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope, and Hout Bay. Visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach not far from Simon’s Town. Head inland to sip unique vintages produced in the Western Cape Winelands region in historic towns like Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. Get your adrenaline pumping with a shark cage diving tour off the coast near Hermanus; or tame things down, and admire the flowers along the Garden Route. Finally, go on a private safari tour at a nearby game reserve to look for Africa’s “Big Five,” including the grand African lion.
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