Book flights to Cape Town

Don’t be alarmed if you hear a boom at midday during your trip to Cape Town; it’s just the noonday gun on Signal Hill, one of the most popular locations for visitors who want to get a panoramic view of the city and surrounding countryside. At a height of 350 metres, its summit gives you an uninterrupted vista that stretches for miles. Originally a lookout point for Cape Town’s early settlers, Signal Hill now lies within Table Mountain National Park.

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to attractions during your trip to Cape Town. Choose from The Castle of Good Hope – the oldest colonial-era building in South Africa; the Bo-Kaap Museum; the exquisite art collection at the South African National Gallery; or the tranquil beauty of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

To discover more about South Africa’s most famous son and what inspired him to become such a powerful voice for peace and justice, visit Robben Island. Here you will find the scene of Nelson Mandela’s nearly three-decade spell as a political prisoner. However, if you do want to visit the island, it’s best to plan ahead well in advance, as tickets are snapped up quickly.

South Africa is world-famous for its wide menu of pastimes, whether indoor or outdoor, active or sedentary. Go on safari, to catch a glimpse of the continent’s most iconic animals, or take to the awe-inspiring ragged coast for an adrenaline-pumping experience of swimming with sharks. You should also take a cable car ride up Table Mountain to drink in some truly astonishing views.

If spectacular views are your staple, then one elegant solution is to take a helicopter trip that flies over the city and Table Mountain and then down to Table Bay. If conservation is close to your heart, then guided tours will introduce you to the region’s baboons, or take you deep into the bush at the Aquila Game Reserve.

For culture-lovers, the Armchair Theatre puts on some impressive shows, while the Masque Theatre delivers a more traditional African experience.

Cape Town is renowned for its culinary experiences. Seafood is particularly good here and the best restaurants for this are located on the V&A Waterfront. Long Street has many fine-dining venues and up-market cafés, but if you’re in the mood for a quieter spot, head for Lower Main Road in Observatory.

Dishes to try while you are visiting Cape Town include line fish such as yellowtail, Cape salmon, kingklip and kabeljou for seafood lovers. Meat-eaters should sample the local game such as eland and springbok.

You will find plenty of outlets for designer goods and labels in the city’s many malls; Bayside Centre, Blue Route Mall and Cavendish Square are among the best. On the slopes of Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront is a hugely popular entertainment and shopping area. Or, if you are yearning for a more authentic memento of your trip to the Rainbow Nation, try Greenmarket Square for a heady mix of local crafts, jewellery and clothes.