Cape Town

Three bays, three wine routes, a national park and two world heritage sites... surely that sets it apart from all other cities to start.

The Cape of Good Hope, the Tavern of the Seas or the Mother City, it's known worldwide for Table Mountain, one of the most recognised landmarks in the world.

Click here to read why it's iconic Cape Town.

What really makes Cape Town so unique is that the mountain spine down the middle of the Cape Peninsula, separating Table Bay and Hout Bay from False Bay, creates suburbs with completely different natural environments, climates and personalities. Add to that the Cape Flats that stretches from the Peninsula to the hills of Tygerberg and the mountains of Helderberg.

The oldest settlements are clustered around the Table Mountain chain - from the CBD at the foot of Table Mountain, to Hout Bay (wood bay) where settlers went in search of wood when the forests near the Castle of Good Hope had been depleted. The homes of the gentry was established at Newlands and Constantia to the south of Table Mountain, which offers a milder climate. Simon's Town was established as the winter mooring for ships visiting the Cape, when north-westerly gales lash Table Bay.

Constantia -- with Groot Constantia, Steenberg and Alphen -- saw the Cape's first vineyards and its wines found favour in the courts of Europe. It was also the fourth wine appelation area to be established in the world.