Travel Project the 2010 World

Travel Project

The 2010 World Cup introduced modern South Africa to the world. For most visitors the country's pre-eminent destination is Cape Town, one of the world's most beautiful cities. Located where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic, Cape Town is rich with history, bountiful with nature and the adjacent Western Cape is one of the best wine regions in the world.

Cape Town has a rich history, and this is revealed in the culture of the city itself. European and African influences blend seamlessly here. Historic districts and modern highrises sit side-by-side in modern Cape Town. From the highest of European high culture to tribal African rhythms, Cape Town has all the culture any visitor could ever imagine. South Africa's history, from Robben Island to the World Cup, is on display in Cape Town, enchanting even visitors who thought they had seen it all.

With Table Mountain looming above, Cape Town has one of the world's most iconic skylines. There is an incredible wealth of hiking opportunities within city limits alone. Cape Town's beaches are also fantastic, with both cold and warm water from which to choose, depending on your preferred side of the Cape. And in the water, Mother Nature abounds. This is a land where seals run a gauntlet of great white sharks every day to reach their feeding grounds and where penguins come to breed.

But one of the most spectacular attractions in recent years has become wine tourism. As South African wine has become more noticed around the world, the Western Cape has become justifiably famous. As the commercial center of the region, Cape Town is the natural jumping off point for wine country tourism. Wine tourism now accounts for 7.3% of the region's economic activity (D'Angelo, 2010). Visiting the makers of these award-winning wines with the backdrop of South African savannahs is a wine-touring experience like no other.

There are a number of routes from which to choose, covering the entire Western Cape region. The Stellenbosch Wine Route covers the area around that city; the Constantia wine route is the oldest in Africa and the Durbanville wine route is an up-and-coming tour with unique cellars, horse racing and ample opportunities for high-adventure outdoor recreation (South Africa Guide, 2010). Many wineries and towns along these routes now have guesthouses to host visitors, and wonderful restaurants, to create the most idyllic experience possible.

Back in the city, the wine scene is supported with a number of excellent restaurants. Trendy restaurants feature the region's best and most exclusive wines -- the good stuff we keep for ourselves -- and the bold, innovative cuisine to match. Unbothered by adherence to stiff rules, South African chefs infuse the world's great culinary traditions, leaving no stone unturned to create the ultimate experience for enjoying Western Cape wine. From there, the rest of the city's many pleasures awaits. If you prefer a touch of the exotic or something closer to your own, there is something for every taste in South Africa.