The Cape Peninsula stretches south all the way to Cape Point, with the cold Atlantic ocean, with it’s rocky shoreline (and several shipwrecks!) on the west side and the warmer False Bay on the east side.

Close to town is Green Pont, famous for its lighthouse, which is the oldest in the country (1824). The Green Point common is a well known recreational area which also has a 9 hole golf course. There is also the Green Point Stadium, made famous for the first 46664 concert in 2004. 46664 was Nelson Mandela’s prison number all the years he was imprisoned on Robben Island.

Between Green Point and the Waterfront is the Somerset Hospital, which was founded in 1859. This hospital houses the Cape Medical Museum. Close to Somerset Hospital, in Fort Wynyard Road, is Fort Wynyard, which is a naval museum focusing on the history of coastal defence the Mouille Point lighthouse is also on this road.

After Green Point you will come to Sea Point, a busy seaside suburb with many high-rise apartment blocks. There is a very good walk all along the sea front on a paved path from which you can watch boats going in or out of Cape Town harbour, and you also get a very good view of Robben Island theres also an outdoor pool. Seated on a bench along the walk you can watch one of the stunning sunsets for which Cape Town is famous.

Further along from Sea Point is Bantry Bay – an elite suburb with mansions built clinging to the rock face. Here you can find Saunders rocks which has a tidal pool for safe bathing. At the southern end of Bantry Bay is Clifton with its world famous 4 beaches of sparkling white sand.

Around the corner from Clifton you come to Camps Bay, the French Riviera of South Africa with its palm-lined beach front. All along the coast road in Camps Bay there are restaurants where, particularly on summer evenings, people sit at tables on the pavement enjoying the passing parade of humanity.

Bakoven is a small residential suburb right on the sea-front which has small picturesque beaches.

Continuing along Victoria Road with the Twelve Apostles Mountains on your left you will come at Llandudno, a residential suburb in a stunning setting with houses running right down to the sea. At Llandudno is the famous Sandy Bay, Cape Town’s nudist beach, which is a 20 minute walk from the parking area at the end of Sunset Avenue.

From Llandudno you go over a “neck” and down a steep hill to Hout Bay, which is an active fishing village as well as being home to many wealthy people. Here you will also find The World of Birds, which is well worth a visit as you walk inside the cages and can see all sorts of exotics.

The Hout Bay Museum shows the natural and cultural history of the area. There is also the 200 year old Kronendal homestead on the main road, which houses a restaurant.

From Hout Bay you can turn right at the circle and take the wonderful coastal road, Chapman’s Peak Drive (now a toll road), to Noordhoek, which has a wonderful long flat beach which was used for the filming of Ryan’s Daughter several years ago. The Noordhoek valley is home to many artists, some of whom display their work on the roadside. Camel rides are also available!

The coastal road continues on the west side of the peninsula to Kommetjie, a very laid-back suburb where fishing and surfing are the main pastimes.

Continue along the road and you will come to Scarborough, another holiday village. At Scarborough the road branches left towards the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. >> more details on Cape Point

There is a levy to pay to enter the reserve, but its well worth it as the fynbos and proteas are wonderful and there is quite a lot of game such as baboons and small buck. Continue south along the Park road and you will come to Cape Pont, where there is a restaurant. Once your strength is replenished you can make your way to the actual tip of Africa via cable cars.

On leaving the Cape Point Nature Reserve you turn right and head east towards Simon’s Town, a famous Naval base with a dog called “Nuisance” in its history (there is a Nuisance statue in the town).

Heading north between the railway line and the mountain you pass several small towns clinging to the mountain side and will eventually come to Fish Hoek, a busy place with a lovely flat beach which is ideal for families.

Continuing north you will come to Muizenberg, which is in the top, north-west, “corner” of False Bay. Muizenberg was a thriving community, which as experienced a slump, but is now on the u and up. Muizenberg also has a wonderful long beach and along the beach are colourful “bathing huts” dating from the Victorian times, but still in use, which can be used to change into bathing gear. Muizenberg is another favourite surfing beach.

From Muizenberg you head north, past the fire station, and wind your way through the ribbon development that is Main Road, passing several suburbs on the way, until you come to Wynberg, which is famous for theatre in the park during summer at Maynardville – ballet and every year a Shakespeare work (the high school set work for the year), as well as various musical events.

Next is Claremont, a bustling shopping area (the Main Road is always busy!) and here you can find Cavendish, an up market shopping mall, with cinemas, restaurants and well-known brand-names.

Continuing up Main Road you come to Rondebosch and the Baxter Theatre. At the next intersection next to the Baxter you turn left, go up the hill towards University of Cap Town but turn right immediately after gong under M3 motorway. Go up to the M3 and find your way back into the centre of Cape Town. There are magnificent views of Table Bay, the West Coast and Robben Island from the M3.

Going back to Hout Bay, if you turn left at the circle, instead of right, you go up to Constantia Nek, with it’s famous wooden restaurant among the trees where you can get wonderful teas, lunches and dinners. In winter there’s a wonderful log fire.

Winding your way down from the Nek you will come to Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa and there you can taste wines. Ask them for info on the many other wine farms in the area of Constantia and Tokai (which is next door to Constantia).

To find your way back to town follow the sign-posts to the M3 and turn north – this will take you back into town, driving past the famous Bishops Court suburb, so named because that is where the Archbishop of Cape Town lives (was Desmond Tutu a few years ago).