Cape Town,
South Africa

European Flare Below the Equator

Tucked beneath the storied Cape of Good Hope, South Africa’s capital is awash in contrasts. Mountains meet oceans. Warm trade winds intermingle with icy waters. A decidedly European climate in Africa’s most southernmost city.

A world-focus during the 20th century, South Africa’s struggles with colonialism and apartheid have defined Cape Town. A global, multicultural metropolis with a thriving LGBTQ community, today the port city has emerged as a beacon of change. Get a local perspective as you learn about Cape Town’s segregation-era at the District Six Museum. See its past history of artistic censorship at the South African National Gallery. Understand the remaining effects of Apartheid with a township tour.

Also known as the gateway to the Cape Winelands, no cruise to Cape Town is complete without an exploration of nearby Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, and Paarl. Dip your toes in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on one of the area’s many beaches—renowned by surfers and divers alike. Rugged coast meets cosmopolitan city as you peruse the shops and restaurants at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Catch a waft of fresh market spices and exotic street fare as you explore quaint streets lined with colorful buildings in the Malay Quarter.

From sea kayaking at the West Coast National Park to climbing at the Table Mountain National Park—and all the wine sipping and museum hopping in between—you’ve never experienced a city so far from ordinary and so close to perfection.