THE HOST CITY

Cape Town - the Mother City and legislative capital of South Africa is nestled in one of the world's most dramatic scenic settings with the overwhelming backdrop of Table Mountain, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. The city was born on 6 April 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck dropped anchor in Table Bay to hoist the Dutch flag.

Today the city is one of the world's most primary port for the export of goods, and is the major base for deep-sea fishing. You can walk for hours on unspoilt beaches, hike through forests or one of the world's great plant kingdoms, explore mountain trails or semi-desert areas, and tour historic wine estates where old slave bells are startlingly juxtaposed against their backdrop of Cape Dutch elegance. Nature lovers can enjoy the best whale, shark, ostrich and penguin watching in the world.

Cape Town's been called "San Francisco, with history". The history is in the streets, buildings and people of the city. There is opera, ballet, universities that have produced Nobel Prize winners and statemen, and all year round, there are other celebrations of life from a carnival older than the Mardi Gras, one of the world's great jazz festivals, a whale-watching festival when the Southern Right whales return to the region to calve, to an oyster festival.

But there is much more to the Cape. It has pristine beaches and opportunities to give adventurous spirits free rein. It has more than a dozen spas and health retreats, and the sporting life is hard to beat, with paragliding off Lion's Head to sailing at local academies, scenic walks, several world-class 18-hole golf courses and much more.

For those keen on retracing historic and cultural paths, there are trips to Cape Dutch monuments, museums, cultural or township tours. By night, Cape Town puts on her glitter with nightclubs, jazz clubs, restaurants and theaters offering a wide range of entertainment.

Not only is Cape Town one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, it also offers travelers great value for money and is blessed with six of the top seven tourist attractions in South Africa:

1. Table Mountain
South Africa's world-renowned icon, the beloved Table Mountain, boasts 6 000 different plant species, and offers something for everyone - magnificent views, cable car rides, mountain-biking, hiking, rock climbing, cross-country running, botany, and birding and for the more adventurous - abseiling and paragliding.

2. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront has established itself as a leading world-class waterfront. The unique working harbour with scenic views of Table Mountain combined with entertainment options like shopping, street musicians, museums, an aquarium, boat trips and cinemas promise to make any visit an unforgettable experience.

3. Robben Island
Robben Island is one of South Africa's seven World Heritage sites. This barren windswept island was the prison home of former President Nelson Mandela for 15 years. Here you can experience the view that kept Nelson Mandela's dream of freedom for his country alive.

4. Winelands/Wine Routes
South Africa and the Western Cape produces some of the world's best wines. The first wines in South Africa were produced at Steenberg in 1695 with Groot Constantia as the oldest productive wine estate in the country.

5. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Kirstenbosch is internationally acclaimed as one of the greatest botanical gardens of the world. Situated on the eastern slopes of the magnificent Table Mountain, the estate covers 528 hectares and includes a cultivated garden and a nature reserve.

6. Cape Point
The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point form part of the Cape Peninsula National Park which is managed by the South African National Parks. Visitors can enjoy the 7 750 hectares reserve of indigenous flora and fauna with over 150 bird species while they ponder the Cape Peninsula geological history where spectacular cliffs reveal clues on the creation of one the of the world's oldest mountains.

But, that is not all. Visit www.tourismcapetown.co.za for more information on why you should visit the beautiful Cape.