Property Cape Town
Cape Town´s beautiful pristine beaches offering swimming, surfing or just sunbathing and real estate property investment oportunities. But our summers are more than just sun, sea and sand. You will find properties for sale in the Cape Town area that will provide a rewarding lifestyle as a vacation home. Property can be found that is an easy walk to local amenities that offer good food, served with a chilled glass of Overberg wine while admiring stunning sunsets. Your beach house is an easy access to relaxing hikes in one of the many nature reserves of the region or just lying around at the pool of your superb property. Explore the Cape to cater for all your summer break needs.
Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, strategically situated at the south-western tip of Africa. When the world carried out its trade by boat, Cape Town was an important stopping off point on the spice route to and from Asia. The city lies about 60km north of Cape Point, in a natural bowl with the magnificent Table Mountain to the rear and the vast Atlantic Ocean to the front.
It has the reputation as being the most laid back city in the Southern Hemisphere with Capetonians adhering to "Africa time", which is somewhat slower than most other major cities. This relaxed atmosphere is attributed to Table Mountain which is known to be amongst the most spiritual places on earth. You only have to look up to see the quartzite granite cliffs towering over the city with a protective presence. People are drawn towards the mountain and every visitor feels the need to climb up or take the revolving Cable Car to the top. At 1086 metres above sea level, you are privy to the most dramatic views of the whole of the Cape Peninsula.
The city is safer than most on any continent with a bustling street life of shops, cafes, market stalls and street artists. This vibrancy is set amongst historic buildings of old Cape Dutch and English architecture with the Castle of Good Hope dating back to 1666, when the first Dutch settlers set up a re-victualling station for trading ships.
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
The hugely successful Victoria & Alfred Waterfront complex has been developed around older wharves of the scenic Cape Town harbour. It is one of the most popular places to dine and stroll, day and night, and has the charm of a working harbour with seagulls and fur seals waiting for scraps from fishing boats, and tugs tied next to luxury yachts. The smell of salty sea air mingles with that of lobster and garlic prawns on the magnificent seafood platters served at smart patio tables. It is an excellent example of the worldwide trend to revitalise big city ports and has a vibrant atmosphere visited by locals and tourists alike, but with prices a little higher than elsewhere. The harbour buildings date back to 1860, when Prince Alfred (Queen Victoria's son) tipped the rock for construction of the breakwater. Original buildings have been renovated and new buildings have been built in the same Victorian style.
Along with a dazzling choice of restaurants, there are two shopping centres and two craft markets offering something for every shopper, as well as multi-screen cinemas and bars. During the day, an assortment of helicopter flips and boat rides are on offer, including a high speed catamaran to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Don't miss the Two Oceans Aquarium, offering 300 species of underwater creatures. Scuba divers will enjoy the opportunity to dive with sharks.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is Cape Town's most famous landmark and one of the city's greatest attractions. There are over 100 scenic ways to climb the mountain, which stands at 1086 metres above sea level, but most people take the revolving cable car which whisks you to the top in a just a few minutes. The views in all directions are magnificent and the feeling of being on top of the world is what makes this such a popular destination. It's best to visit on a clear day, though a tablecloth of clouds can descend at any time, flowing over the edge like a breaking wave. Legend has it that the tablecloth is due to an old Afrikaner called Van Hunks who sits on Devil's Peak having a smoking contest with the devil himself; they just keep puffing away and neither ever wins.
The mountain is part of a nature reserve and wooden walkways and designated paths allow you to wander around without damaging the unique plant life. Excellent food, refreshments and ice creams are available and a small shop sells curios and stamps. You can even post your cards from the top of the mountain. Dassies (rock hyrax) that look like giant guinea pigs, laze around on the rocks in the sun and accept little titbits from curious visitors. Believe it or not, these funny little creatures are more closely related to the elephant than any other species.
Be warned that it can get very cold up there, so bring a jacket. Pre-booking is recommended in summer. Maps of the mountain with designated hiking routes are available.
What to do in Cape Town
Nature´s Nursery
Fynbos is the characteristic vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the six floristic kingdoms of the world and can be found throughout the Cape Peninsula and Western Cape in a natural environment, in wild flower gardens, nature reserves and a botanical garden. Many of the vacant stands and properties for sale in this area are still covered in natural fynbos. Although fynbos is at its most spectacular during late winter and spring, there are flowers to be enjoyed throughout the day in any season.
Southern Right Whales
Why would you want to purchase property in the Cape Town area? The coming of the whales to the Cape peninsula coast between June and November creates a stir when reports of sightings draws crowds who gather to watch the greatest mammal show on earth. Stroll to the coast line from your property to where the whales are most frequently seen along False Bay between Simon's Town and Muizenburg, along the coastal view points of the Atlantic Seaboard around Hout Bay , Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and at the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Some of the world´s best land-based whale watching spots are found along the Overberg´s Cape Whale Coast. There are two areas where licensed boat based whale watching operators offer boat based whale watching. These two areas are not in land based whale watching areas.
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