Book your own Mother City

February the 14th is fast approaching, so what can you do for the one you love? How about a romantic tour in Cape Town or perhaps a basket or roses for that special person in your life? There are of course, many options for the budding Cupid, but take a tip from us and see what you can do in Cape Town to improve your chances of a happy Valentine's day.

A table for two at the best restaurant
There are many, many amazing restaurants you can book for the day of love and roses. Most hotels, such as the Mount Nelson (Cape Colony), The Cape Grace, Mandela Rhodes and various others offer a pre-set meal, which is usually a three course dinner, including dessert. For a true treat, select a restaurant by the beach, such as Blues, Salt (overlooking the ocean and inside the Ambassador hotel) or On the Rocks (Blouberg Strand). A restaurant may seem like a clichéd answer, but a good meal truly is the way into any lover's heart.

Ordering flowers
Come on, not another cliché? Oh contraire, my friend. This is the modern age and delivering a bouquet of flowers is just about the easiest task in the whole world. With a credit card in hand, choose an online flower store and select the prettiest bunch of flowers you can afford. Set the date (I would option Friday the 13th, as Saturdays are lunatic for delivery stores) and wait for the ecstatic phone call from your loved one.

Propose
Can you think of any better day then Valentine's Day to propose? Cape Town has an abundance of romantic spots, both natural and man-made, so climb the mountain, get down on a bended knee and open your heart to your dearly beloved. Options include: the top of Table Mountain, one of the many beaches, the fanciest Cape Town accommodation you can find, or a hot air balloon as it floats over the bushveld.

Cape Town enjoys a moderate Mediterranean climate with warm to hot summers and mild, wet winters.

The months of the year fall into the seasons as follows:

December to February - Summer, with average maximum temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius

strong>March to May - Autumn with pleasant maximum temperatures of around 22 degrees Celsius on average.

March to May - Autumn with pleasant maximum temperatures of around 22 degrees Celsius on average.

June to August - Winter - wet, cool days with the mercury seldom falling below 7 degrees Celsius and reaching an average high of 18 - 20 degrees Celsius some days.

September to November - Spring - high pollen counts make this a difficult time for hay fever sufferers but the weather is a fresh blend of cool and ever-warmer days, and a maximum temperature average of up to 25 degrees Celsius towards the end of the season.

Even in winter you may be lucky enough to experience some lovely clear, sunny days in-between all the much-needed rain. However on colder days you will need to wrap up so do bring sufficient winter clothes too!
In summer make sure you drink plenty of water to keep hydrated and wear a good sunscreen all year round as protection against the African sun, which can burn even in autumn and winter months.

Summer is renowned for the Cape Doctor - a strong southeasterly wind which often reaches gale-force and can blow for days on end. It does seem that in recent years with the change in climate world wide that this wind has abated somewhat, but there will be days when it seems it will never cease! At these times you'll be advised to stay off the unsheltered beaches or risk being sand-blasted! But hang in there - it does eventually pause for a breath.

There is never a bad time of year to visit Cape Town. The winter months bring the Green Season where you can get great discounts on everything from accommodation to car hire.

While South Africa has received a lot of bad press with regards to the crime rate, Cape Town is still a relatively safe city to visit when compared with other tourist destinations around the world.

Cape Town has lower crime statistics than Johannesburg, and it is a fact that many crime-related stories are exaggerated by the media to boost sales.

As with travel to any destination, it is wise to take certain precautions in order to not become a victim of avoidable crime.

When holidaying in the Cape take note of this safety advice and you'll be able to avoid any unpleasant or dangerous encounters during your holiday.

Avoid walking around quiet and dimly-lit streets late at night. Stick to areas such as the Waterfront and the busier streets in the CBD and Camps Bay area, which are generally well-lit and under the watchful eye of contracted security guards.

When going out at night always stay in a group and not alone or with just 2 or 3 women only.

Don't 'wave' your bag, camera or cell phone around while walking in the city. Pickpockets watch from the sidelines and notice where you stash your valuables. Avoid keeping anything of value in back pockets or open backpack compartments.

Keep the windows up and the car doors locked when driving around the city.

Discourage theft of property from your car by keeping bags, keys, cell phones or anything 'tempting' on the floor and not on the seats where they are visible to passers-by

If you wish to visit a township, there are many excellent tour companies that will escort you. They will make sure you don't get lost (some townships are enormous and confusing), arrange meet-ups with locals and take you to the best sites, keeping you out of less safe neighbourhoods. Once again don't flash your cash, phone or camera around. Be sensitive to the fact that many of the people you encounter are poor, so flaunting your valuables is not going to be appreciated.

If you make use of the trains you may wish to go on one with a blue 'Biggsy's Restaurant Car' and stay in this section of the train, enjoying a cup of coffee or a yummy breakfast while watching Cape Town's suburbs pass by the window. Travelling in the restaurant car is a safer, more comfortable experience than in the main carriages.

Rather than giving cash to beggars, make a donation to a registered local charity that assists the homeless and street children, or keep fruit or bread in the car as a healthier alternative. Money gained through begging, unfortunately, is inevitably ill-spent.

At restaurants and movie houses, keep your bag on your lap.

We have increasing numbers of international celebrities visiting South Africa, and some even purchasing property here in order to spend extended periods of time in the country. There are, as a result, some excellent security companies offering private bodyguards, for stars and the general public.

If you require the services of a bodyguard at any time during your stay in Cape Town, Book Cape Town can assist you. Contact us for more details.

Don't let fear put you off visiting the beautiful city of Cape Town.

Pickpockets and muggers are a sad fact of life the world over, and if you take care you can be sure of finding Cape Town as friendly, safe and enjoyable as any busy cosmopolitan city in the world.

Air

1. Paragliding

Cape Town - Signal Hill and Lions Head

Two of the most popular launch sites for paragliding are located right near the Cape Town CBD. Signal Hill and Lion's Head are both favourite local paragliding launch spots, which offer stunning views of the local mountain ranges right across to Hout Bay.

2. Jet Flight

BAe Buccaneer

Want an experience unique to Cape Town? A flight in the BAe Buccaneer is only available here! The tandem two-seater aggressor is designed for low-level, high-speed attack. Powered by Rolls Royce, it performs just below the speed of sound at zero altitude!

Land

3. Car Racing

Calling all wannabe Schumachers and Barrichellos! Race in a real racing car for a once in lifetime experience!

4. Sand Boarding

Sandboarding Day Tour

Want a fun, action-packed day out in Cape Town? Eager to do something different but not too complicated? Our Sandboarding Day Tour is the answer. Learn how to master the basics on a streamlined sandboard, then up the ante with more difficult dunes once you're feeling more confident.

5. Quad Biking

Three-Day Tour

A fantastic 3-day tour along an awesome trail starting at Grabouw. We head out to the Hemel en Aarde valley near Hermanus on Day 2. You will spend Day 3 at the Kegelberg Reserve which has an abundance of plant species as well as spectacular sea and mountain views.

Water

6. Shark Cage Diving

Experience a close encounter with one of the most feared, awe-inspiring creatures on earth - the great white shark

7. Whale Watching

Cape Town and the surrounding coastline offer some of the best land-based whale watching opportunities in the world

8. Scuba Diving

Scuba Storm
One day not enough for you? Real scuba-junkies will love the Scuba Storm - a 4-day Cape diving experience that will leave you exhilarated and energized! For non-stop adventure from day one to day four, you'll get to dive at the best sites and explore the Peninsula on land too.

Sightseeing

9. Robben Island

Visit Nelson Mandela's former prison location for a unique perspective on the apartheid era & lovely views across the Bay.

10. Table Mountain

Table Mountain is the instantly recognizable iconic symbol of Cape Town - one of the best known landmarks on earth.

Common Cape Town activities are synonymous with panoramic beach and mountain views, international shopping haven of note and generally being to tourists what honey is to bees.

Not all that is beautiful in Cape Town is superficial. In the heart of it lies a precious treasure that awaits only those sophisticated enough to discover it. The historically rich art galleries and museums that can be found in the mother city showcase only the greatest of artists the country and the world has to offer. One such museum is the Iziko Museum.

Iziko SA Museum is one of South Africa's National Museums and was created in 1825.The museum is one of a kind and consists of four splendid levels that showcase a host of exhibitions, from rock art to fossils, marine animals and meteorites. The precious artworks Iziko has feature a variety of painters from far and beyond such as acknowledged Dutch masters Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jan van Goyen, Pieter de Hoogh, Abraham van Beyeren and Rembrandt van Rijn. These great artists are exhibitied on the permanent collection at Iziko.

The exhibitions at Iziko include the works of South African great, William Kentride. Kentridge is perhaps best known for his animated films which he constructs by filming a drawing, making erasures and changes, and then re-filming it. These drawings are later displayed along with the films as finished pieces of art. Artworks by Kentridge and others are thought-provoking or simply great to marvel at, whichever the case, art is definitely another reason why a Cape Town tour is worth all the while.

What is not to love about permanent holidays in Cape Town? The weather, the trees, the breeze in the trees, the sour people who allow you to carry on with your daily chores, the sea-side cafes, the cheap accommodation (Formula One Hotels I'm looking at you), tours in Cape Town up the side of the ever-looming Table Mountain, a fresh spring day, the unbelievably gorgeous women - the list is practically endless. I love Cape Town. It is an amazing city. Just look out of your window. If you have a cubicle, then type 'view of Table Mountain' into Google and stare at that instead. Wow. Just, wow. What a rock. It is the size of at least three lesser mountains, all for the price of your citizenship.

Why am I so mushy-eyed about my Mother (city)? Simply put, I just came back from Jo'Burg, the land of excess and smog. The clear views we take for granted are nowhere to be seen in this alien city. Streets are crammed together without even a care in the world and cars rush past at all times of the night and day. I woke up at 3am in the morning and there were 100's of cars running up and down the road. In Cape Town, we have the decency to sleep through the night. No waking up at four in the morning to miss the 7am rush hour traffic for us. No sir! We prefer to wake up at 6:30am and then inch our way to work! That's how Capetonians do it!

Plus, how can anyone live without the ocean. That cool, undulating sea of the deepest azure you will ever see. My eyes glaze over with awe whenever they scan across the sea's endless wonders. I won't swim in it though, its way too cold for that. I will never leave you again; my accommodation in Cape Town is now forever.

Cape Town Property is amongst the most beautiful and stunning plots of property available in the world. Large, Bantry Bay homes of glass and steel are quietly juxtaposed between Cape-Dutch architecture and the brutal symmetry of Camps Bay mansions. On the slopes of the mountain, in the grassy plains of the winelands or down on the shores of the beaches, Cape Town has more than its fair share of remarkable homes. With the prices starting as low as a half-million Rand, you two can own your share of remarkable Cape housing.

If you can stand the wind, then Cape Town is the place for you. An increased investment in security at many of the more prominent Cape Town Villas has sparked a renewed interest in Cape Town as a retirement haven for the old and wealthy. Many property investors are also interested in sites which have money-saving attributes, such as homes fitted with solar-panels and gardens which use sewage water to fertilise their lawns. Interest rates are a rising cost which many must combat against and if a home can indeed save you money, then the property will actually appreciate because of this.

If it is value for money you seek, then choose the northern suburbs as your accommodation in Cape Town. It may be further away from the heart of Cape Town so to speak, but the cost of homes out by the 'Boerewors curtain' as it is so affectionately known, can sometimes equate to half the price of a home in Millerton or Cape Town central. It seems that the closer the proximity of the property is to the CBD, the more you will have to pay. What many do not realise is that living in central Cape Town may beat the traffic, but your quality of life is lessened to a greater degree.

Come home to quality Cape Town accommodation and experience the better side of living.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is just a little over three short years away and the escalating excitement is already palpable on the streets of Cape Town. If you're planning on being in South Africa for this football extravaganza you'd do well to start preparing now - a predicted 400, 000 fans are expected to flock into the country!

While Cape Town currently offers numerous accommodation facilities, it is speculated that these will not prove sufficient for this vast number of visitors. Don't let this possibility ruin your dream of enjoying the biggest, most exciting sporting event in the world! Let Book Cape Town put your mind at ease, by taking care of your Cape Town accommodation needs now. From Five-star Hotels, Guest Houses and Lodges to B&Bs and luxury self-catering accommodation - we cater for every need and every budget.

Whether your accommodation is located in close proximity to the Green Point Stadium or further away in the surrounding regions, why not organize your own transport now and avoid disappointment? Book Cape Town offers everything from classic cars to luxurious limousines.

There can be no better venue than South Africa for the FIFA World Cup and the beautiful Mother City of Cape Town boasts the most scenic venue of them all. In-between the escalating excitement of the football matches you can laze on our pristine beaches, sample our excellent wines in the Cape Winelands, shop till you drop at the V&A Waterfront and other great shopping venues, eat at our world-class restaurants and paint the town red at our fabulous clubs and cocktail bars.

Some concerns expressed in the time leading up to the World Cup have been centered on the issue of local crime. However, by following a few simple guidelines - as you would in any large city around the world - you will enjoy a safe vacation unmarred by any unpleasant incident. Please read our Safety Tips page for advice in this regard. You might consider having Book Cape Town organize one of their many exciting guided tours of the city and its spectacular surroundings. This will offer you peace of mind while providing the luxury of easy hassle-free traveling.

If all the sporting excitement leaves you feeling energetic, why not spend a day trying out some of the many adrenaline sports activities on offer in this outdoorsy haven - from paragliding and hot-air ballooning, to helicopter rides and abseiling down the iconic Table Mountain - there are so many things to do here! For those more interested in relaxation sports, Cape Town also offers some of the best golf opportunities in the world. Book Cape Town can organize it all!

We all know that sport in general and football in particular appeals to people from all walks of life, and Cape Town will cater for each one of you - there really is something for every visitor.

If you come with the family you can be sure of the holiday of a lifetime for mum, dad and all the kids. Ratanga Junction for exhilarating rollercoaster rides and its neighbouring Canal Walk shopping center (the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere) will keep the whole family entertained. Furthermore, various interesting and fun day trips that can be enjoyed in-between games. Book Cape Town also offers various exciting safaris right here in the Cape where all Big 5 can be seen!

Cape Town may be the most beautiful World Cup venue, but no doubt you won't want to miss the other games played all over South Africa. Avoid spending hours haggling for limited flights when you should be enjoying your once in a lifetime vacation! The experts at Book Cape Town can organize all your national flights so that you can focus on just having fun.

So don't procrastinate, thinking you can sling your flag, face paint and other fan paraphernalia into a rucksack - hoping that an affordable flight and decent accommodation will land in your lap. Begin with Book Cape Town's excellent information on all aspects of Cape Town tourism and start planning an unforgettable 2010 World Cup experience today!