In 1488, Portuguese explore Bartolomeu Dias became the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa. The Portuguese dubbed it Cabo da Boa Esperanca, or Cape of Good hope.  During the 17th century, the Dutch and English challenged the Portuguese for control of the sea routes around Africa to India and beyond, and the lucrative trade in spices. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company established a permanent base at Table Bay on the Cape of Good Hope where ships could replenish their supplies.  Under Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch began thoe colonization of South Africa.

Set at the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic oceans and backed by the iconic Table Mountain, the bustling city of Cape Town presents an alluring combination of drawcards. Incredible powdery white beaches, highly acclaimed wine routes, and astonishingly beautiful mountain trails surround a cosmopolitan hub. This diverse metropolis is filled with superb shops and restaurants, extraordinary heritage monuments, a multitude of entertainment venues, and a spectacular, chic waterfront harbour. Highlights include the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art; Table Mountain's jaw-dropping views; Boulders Beach, where penguins might swim right up to you in the warm Indian ocean waters; the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, where you can walk along a treetop canopy among incredible native flora or watch an open-air concert at the base of the mountain; Robben Island, where visitors can see the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years; and many more.