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Why Cape Town has fast become the most sought after travel destination in the world?

Why Cape Town has fast become the most sought-after travel destination in the world?

Cape Town used to be just a Dutch outpost for the merchant vessels heading east around the southernmost point of Africa. But the stunning beauty of beaches, bays and mountains must have drawn people to drop their anchors here and settle. As soon as you get a taste of Cape Town, you’ll never want to leave. Over the past several years, the city has developed tremendously. But in spite of the urbanization undergone, Cape Town has managed to preserve its allure intact. The following destinations will make you understand why the city has become one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world.

Castle of Good Hope

Castle of Good Hope

Castle of Good Hope By Vincent Steenberg at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3228590

The pentagon-shaped castle is the oldest South African colonial building. Castle of Good Hope used to be the central point of the Dutch East India Company outpost in 1666, created to hold provisions for their ships, later becoming the basis around which Cape Town formed. The coats of arms of Dutch cities are still present on the castle gates. Today, it houses two outstanding museums: Military Museum with a collection of historical artifacts and the Iziko Musem with William Fehr’s collection of furniture and paintings.

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Boulders Beach Penguin Colony

Boulders Beach Penguin Colony
Boulders Beach Penguin Colony By Charlesjsharp – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8919198

It’s such a great experience to bathe in the sun, then bathe in the sea and come out to frolic with the penguins. Wait, what? Though we tend to imagine them exclusively in the ice-locked Antarctic, penguins actually enjoy basking in the brisk sun of Cape Town’s Boulders Beach. You can walk all the way up to them and listen to their brays, but you shouldn’t touch as they tend to bite and peck when frightened.

Clifton Beach

Clifton Beach
Clifton Beach CC BY-SA 2.5, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4535648

Hands down the best beaches in the world are found in Cape Town, and Clifton Beach definitely wins the show. Only 10 minutes away from the city, the beach offers impeccably clean waters and a string of sandy shores separated by granite formations. However, remember that we’re close to the South Pole, causing the water to be around 57° F (14°C). Unless you have a thick skin or the sun is blazing, better only dip your tippy toes.

Bo-Kaap

Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap By SkyPixelsOwn work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

This picturesque Cape Town suburb established by the early Muslim settlers shines with vivid colors and absolutely has to be visited on foot. The adorable house have verandas lining the street, which must have allowed the occupants to casually chat with their neighbors and anyone going down the cobblestone road. The Bo-Kaap Museum features authentic furniture and historical records of life in 19th century.

Cape Point

Cape Point
Cape Point By Bernhard Hecker Bernhard Hecker – by author, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=178686

The place where the Cape Peninsula tapers to a point holds magnificent scenery, and it’s only 40 miles out from Cape Town. Electric blue waves that relentlessly smash into sheer rock faces produce an abundance of froth that frills the scenery with beauty. Hiking through the Cape Point offers the inquisitive tourist a chance to see any of 250 bird species, along with zebras and baboons. Those who would rather spare their feet can use the handy funicular railway.

Robben Island

Robben Island
Robben Island De Stephantom – Trabajo propio, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=644850

Found just off the coast of Cape Town, this small island is reachable by a ferry and represents a place full of emotionally charged history. Robben Island was a prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years, and prior to that was a leper colony and a military base. Right now, it’s a beautiful museum where one can only get by boat. The trip with the furry is fascinating in the summer!

Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch De Frode Inge Helland – Trabajo propio, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1752003

Founded in 1913, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden holds swatches of native plants in all imaginable colors. If you’re into flowers, this is the place to visit and breathe in the entire South Africa at once. Rising above Kirstenbosch is the Table Mountain, with a hike trail connecting the two.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain
Table Mountain De No machine-readable author provided. ????6 assumed (based on copyright claims). – No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2780707

Located within the national park with the same name, Table Mountain rises all the way up to 3,563 feet (1,086m) and offers a gorgeous view of the Cape Town, Robben Island, and the Atlantic. Of course, there is a cable car going all the way up to the mountain plateau, allowing you amazing aerial photo ops.

Cape Town is fascinating metropolis where tourists can decide between modern, urban attractions and all-natural landscapes and sights by the ocean. Regardless, there are lots of Cape Town villa rentals that you choose to make your trip comfortable and memorable.

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Written by Melo Villareal

Melo Villareal is the Online Publisher of Outoftownblog.com. He is an Accountant by profession who left the corporate world at the age of 23 to explore his beautiful country and the rest of the world. Today, Melo works as a part-time Social Media Manager for local and international clients. His full-time work focuses on discovering interesting culture, explore different cuisines and take memorable photos from local and international destinations he's visiting.

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