Cape Town (http://www.safarinow.com/destinations/south-africa/map.aspx) is the most south westerly located city in Africa. It is the oldest city in South Africa and was founded by the Dutch in 1652 as stopover for ships on the spice route between Europe and the far East. Here the Europeans met the indigenous people of Cape Town, the Khoisan.

Today Cape Town is a cosmopolitan city comprising of many different cultures and nationalities. It has three offcial languages: Afrikaans, English and Xhosa. But no matter what country you come from you are bound to run into someone who’s accent you will recognise.

If you like the hussle and bussle of city life, then Cape Town is the perfect place for you. It has been described by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s a foreign visitor’s paradise with lots to do, is affordable and has moderate winters and hot summers. It has a big blue mountain right in the middle of it, perfect long white beaches surrounding it, a unique Euro-African city centre and the blue Indian and Atlantic oceans and green Cape Winelands form the perfect border for it.

You can read a lot about it in magazines, on the internet, newspapers or hear about it from people who have visited it, but the best way to experience it is by visiting it yourself.

But remember that Cape Town is not Africa. There are no lions and elephants walking in the streets, sorry man. As the capital of the Western Cape it’s a first world city set in a third world country and as a result has many third world characteristics. Although not as advanced, it’s as modern as most Western and European cities.

It has a population of approximately 3.5 million people and geographically extends over an area of 2480km². The climate is mediterranean and very temperate. The summer temperatures go up to over 30°C and in winter the mercury seldom drops below 10°C.

The best time to visit the Mother City is usually between October and May. March and April are the best months in Cape Town as the days are still warm and there is very little to no wind. Usually the wind can blow non-stop between November and February, but this is good news for the windsurfers and kite-surfers. And remember the old saying - Cape Town has four seasons, sometimes all four in one day.

And remember, here you will find third and first worlds coming together. Despite its beauty, South Africa also has high unemployment which leads to crime. Luckily Cape Town is one of the safest cities in the country, but crime is a reality here too. But by following some simple tips from this site you will be able to take care of yourself and your valuables while still enjoying your time.