Situated on the south-eastern tip of
Africa, at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, Cape Town is undoubtedly one of the world's most
beautiful cities. It is also a melting pot, where East meets West in Africa, and the resulting
blend is a fascinating mix of cultures, flavours and history - a diversity that is easily seen
in the faces of its people, their languages, architecture and food. It's easy to see why Sir
Francis Drake, when he circumnavigated the globe, described it as "the fairest Cape of them all."
"By any standard, the Cape
Town region ... is one of the most beautiful and compelling places to visit on the planet.
Here, in addition to a city with fascinating historical sites, excellent museums,
vibrant markets and a handsomely restored waterfront, I encountered mountain wilderness,
rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, lush gardens, beautiful wine estates, superior hotels
and some of the warmest, most welcoming people I've ever met." (Richard Busch, Travel
Editor, National Geographic Traveler)
The Mother City, as she is fondly known, offers visitors a wonderfully diverse range
of activities and attractions. With a breathtaking combination of sea and mountains, few
cities can challenge Cape Town for sheer natural beauty, and you could spend months exploring
this beautiful region. You can however get a good feel for Cape Town in as little as two or
three busy days. But be warned, once you have visited this vibrant city you'll be back again and again.
Cape Town's top 6 tourist attractions are all undoubtedly worth a visit: the breathtaking Table
Mountain - easily accessed on the cable car; the emotional and inspiring trip out to Robben Island;
the Waterfront with its vibrant retail and entertainment areas; and a lazy day sampling world-class
food and wine in the beautiful Winelands. The drive along the Peninsula to Cape Point has few
international rivals and boasts some of the Cape's best seaside restaurants. And last but not
least is Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch is a
wonderful showcase of the unique diversity of South Africa's flora, especially the world-renowned
fynbos of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
International Awards, Recognitions and "Best Of" Accolades
Cape Town City Awards
Best Destination Award - 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism, November 2009
2nd Top City in the World - Travel+Leisure Magazine, 14th Annual World's Best Poll, July 2009
Best City in Africa and the Middle East - Travel+Leisure Magazine, 14th Annual World's Best Poll, July 2009
Included in 50 Places of a Lifetime selection, National Geographic Traveler, 2009
4th Best City in the World, Conde Nast Traveler, 2009
Top City in Africa & the Middle East, Conde Nast Traveler, 2009
Favorite Foreign City, The UK Telegraph, 2009
Best City In Africa & Middle East - Condenast Readers' Choice, October 2008
4th Top City In The World - Condenast Readers' Choice, October 2008
One Of The World's Most Sustainable Cities - Ethisphere Institute, Sept 2008
3rd Best City In The World - US Travel And Leisure, July 2008
Best City In Africa & Middle East - US Travel And Leisure, July 2008
One Of The "Places Of A Lifetime" - National Geographic Traveler, July 2008
Best Destination, Africa - World Travel Awards, May 2008
3rd Best City In The Top 10 World Food Cities - Lonely Planet Blue List 2008
Best City To Live In, Africa & Middle East - Mercer Quality Of Living Survey 2008
Hotels and Restaurants
The Cape Grace Hotel, V&A Waterfront
4th Top City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East, Travel+Leisure Magazine, 14th Annual World’s Best Poll, July 2009
Best City Hotel - Tatler (UK) 2005
Best City Hotel in Africa, the Indian Ocean & Middle East - Condé
Nast Traveller (UK) 2004
Winchester Mansions Hotel, Sea Point
Top 100 Best Value - Budget Travel Magazine and TripAdvisor (USA) 2007
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Camps Bay
No. 1 City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East, Travel+Leisure Magazine, 14th Annual World’s Best Poll, July 2009
No. 1 Hotel Spa in Africa and the Middle East, Travel+Leisure Magazine, 14th Annual World’s Best Poll, July 2009
La Colombe Restaurant, Cape Town
Winner of Restaurant of the Year, Prudential Eat Out Awards 2008
Winner of Chef of the Year, Prudential Eat Out Awards 2008
Winner of Best Restaurant in Africa and the Middle, UK Restaurant Magazine 2006
28th Best Restaurant in the World, UK Restaurant Magazine 2006
Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek
Exclusive accommodation
Top 100 Hotels Travel & Leisure (USA) 2007
The Tasting Room
Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek
Fine dining
The World's 50 Best Restaurants Restaurant Magazine (UK) 2005, 2006, 2007
Conventions and Meetings
Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
• Winner of Best Architectural Design in the Mother City, the Best of Cape Town Awards 2008
• Convention and Exhibition Venue of the Year - Business Britain (UK) 2007
• Bronze Award, Best Overseas Conference Centre - Meetings & Incentives Travel Awards (UK) 2007
• 29th best International Congress Destination (up from 47th in 2003) - International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) 2006
• Africa's Leading Conference Centre - World Travel Awards 2007
International Associations
City of Cape Town
Member
BestCities Global Alliance
A global alliance of convention bureaux (Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore, Vancouver) that deliver the world's best service experience for meeting planners and delegates.
Education
University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB)
Full-time MBA
Global Top 100 - Financial Times (UK) 2008
Global Top 100 - Financial Times (UK) 2006
Open Programmes
Top 10 - Economist Intelligence Unit (UK) 2007
