Getaways around Cape Town

The local people of a city are a busy lot with regular work, which does not leave them with much time to enjoy the beauties of the places they are in. The only time they can then spare are perhaps the weekends. In such circumstances, destinations close by that can be visited in a day, serve as the much needed respite for the local people.

Giving such respite to the local people, there are a lot of destinations at some distance from the main city of Cape Town. Not only do the make pleasant short trips for tourists, they serve as stress-buster getaways for the local people, giving then a respite from the rushes of a city life.

Here are some places worth a short tour.

1.Blouberg

At less than half-an-hour drive from Cape Town city, on the west coast of the Table Bay, is the Blouberg beach. This place is apt for a perfect snap of Cape Town, with the calm sea set against giant Table Mountain.

Historically too, this is an important place with protected archaeological sites. British took over the place after a battle with the Dutch.

It is a still developing area with many tourist attractions being built, that are also catching the ire of environmentalists. With a lovely beach, water activities like sailing and affordable accommodation, Blouberg is a nice destination for a short holiday.

2.The Wine lands

These are like icing on the top of a pretty place that the city of Cape Town is. Not far from the town, they speak of the taste bud of the country, an integral art of culture. These places have their interesting histories, preserved and told by the museums here. Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington are few of the luscious vineyards around Cape Town.

These lands are perfect for a rejuvenating trip, with good food, drink and farmhouses to relax all your senses.

3.The suburban areas in the North

Along with wine lands, you have plenty for fun and frolic here. Ratanga Junction Theme Park with all its rides is something you would want visit with your family. For shopaholics or window shoppers, there’s the Century city with its Canal walk and all kind of shopping centers.

The Grand West Casino is par-excellence with amusement parks, ice-rinks; eating-joints open 24/7 with posh accommodations.

4.Bellville

This one is a lively suburban city, not very far from Cape Town. As a commercial center, it serves the need for shopping, business center, is host for sports like cycling, and holds concerts and other festivals.

5.Cape Point

At a distance of about 66 kilometers from the city, it is just about 100 kilometers from where the two oceans – the Atlantic Ocean and the India Ocean meet. As a result, the place is known for its biodiversity, with rarest of species found here. Some places worth visiting at Cape Point are the Buffelsfontein Visitor centre with an ample of information about the place.

If you have sports in your mind all the time, try hiking between the Cape Point on one side and The Cape of Good Hope on the southwest. When here, do check out the Two Oceans restaurants, on the cliff above the Atlantic Ocean.

6.The Boland

Mountains and rivers, valleys and vineyards make a tour of Boland worth it. You could wander about here all by yourself with a map from Cape Town Tourism, though an authorized driver would be advisable.

7.Somerset West

This close-by town is in the basin between the Helderberg Mountains and Hottentots Holland Mountain. Know for its wine farms, Dutch style farmhouses, cellar tours, fine dining and library with vast literature about the place makes for an interesting trip. Also located here is the Helderberg Nature Reserve.

8.Overberg

This place en-route the 3 hour trip to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, has beaches, museums, other places of interest for the tourists. The light house, about 1 kilometer from Cape Agulhas, also serves as a museum and is more than 100 years old. You could also plan a visit to Cape Agulhas National Park.

The Overberg region also has small fishing villages, the Dyer Island now colonized by penguins, the Geyser Island inhabited by seals with sharks in the channels between the islands. To come across whales, you should visit Hermanus, a coastal destination of this region.

These are just some of the many destinations from the City of Cape Town, promising not only wonderful scenery, but also a good road trip being just a drive away.

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