10 interesting facts about Cape Town

Every year, thousands of tourists flock to Cape Town to experience the eclectic mix of cultures, it’s history and breathtaking scenery. The city has so much to offer – and the best way to experience it all is to hire a car in Cape Town.

If you’d like to know more about the ‘Mother City’, here are 10 facts you need to know about Cape Town.

• Cape Town was founded in 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company based in The Netherlands arrived to set up a halfway point for ships travelling to the East.
• Cape Town’s climate is on par with California and the Mediterranean. The winter season starts in May and ends in September and is generally a wet and windy season. Summer starts from November to March.
• Cape Town’s Castle of Good Hope is the oldest building in South Africa. It was built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India company.
• The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town is the most-visited destination in South Africa – ahead of Table Mountain
• The Cape Floral Kingdom is home to 7000 plants found nowhere else in the world.

• Lion’s Head may have a big cat in its name, but it has not seen a lion for over 200 years. After once thriving in the area, the last lion was shot in 1802.
• Simon’s Town is home to a thriving colony of Africa’s only penguin species, the Jackass Penguin.
• Cape Town was the first city outside Europe to get Blue Flag status due to its high water quality, fantastic facilities, safety and cleanliness.
• Cape Town was appointed the best place in the world to visit by the New York Times in 2014
• Approximately 3.5-million people live in Cape Town, South Africa’s second most-populated city.

Travelling through Cape Town Public transport in South Africa is quite sparse, Cape Town has the MyCiti bus route, but most attractions are generally far from each other, therefore we recommend car rental in South Africa or even possibly a larger minibus (for groups) when visiting. Your Uber bill might be a shock otherwise.

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