Activities
There are various activities organised in Cape Town throughout every calender year. One of them is the annual Cape Town Jazz Festival which takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and also, the City Harvest Festival which see the exhibition of the local food, wine and entertainment.
Climate
Cape Town has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate with mild, moderately wet winters and dry, warm summers. Winter (from June to August) may see large cold fronts entering for limited periods from the Atlantic Ocean with significant precipitation and strong north-westerly winds.
Summer (from December to March) is warm and dry; the region can get uncomfortably hot for a couple of weeks in February or early March. Also, Late spring and early summer may sometimes feature a strong wind from the south-east, known locally as the Cape Doctor.
Eating Out
The food quality in Cape Town is generally quality but prices vary according to meal offerings - be it on a budget (below R60), mid-range (R60 - R120) or splurge (over R120). The wines in the region are much celebrated and there are wine tours for those interested in learning about how South African wines are made and processed
Getting Around
Hiring a Car is the best way to go around in Cape Town as it is not as expensive as in Europe and other countries of the world. There are numerous car rental companies located at the airport and scattered around the town.
Other means includes the use of metered taxis, minibus taxi, bus, and by scooter or motorbikes. Most locals use the public train transport which could be over-crowded atimes and are prone to theft of belongings and accessories.
Language
South Africa has Eleven official languages. In Cape Town, the major languages spoken are Afrikaans, Xhosa, and English.
Money
The official South African Currency is the Rand (ZAR).
Negatives
Crime is an important issue in South Africa and Cape Town is no different. Knife attacks are very common here. Although the media, sometimes exaggerates happenings; it is however important for people to be aware and look after themselves and their belongings.
It is advisable to avoid hitch-hiking, never walk at night or drive to unknown places and never receive help from strangers at the ATM when making transactions. Also, watch out for con artists, pick-pocketing and smash-and-grab thefts.
Shopping
Cape Town is like any other large city, there are shopping malls with department sized stores and chain labels; and there are also local markets with some of them less pronounced.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is one of the prime tourist destinations for buying souvenirs while more authentic curios can be gotten at the Green Point market. There are a couple of shops on Church Street with price sticker attached on commoditied but prices in the open markets are negotiable.
Some of the other known shopping spots include the Bayside Centre, Blue Route Mall and Maynard hall.
Time
SAST (South Africa Standard Time) - UTC+2