Cape town - the world's most beautiful city?

With the worst of the winter weather over and spring in the air, the Mother City, as it is affectionately known, has much to offer. The magnificent setting of the continent's most southerly city, founded by the Dutch in 1652, makes Cape Town arguably one of the world's most beautiful cities.

It's also the capital of the Western Cape, South Africa's fourth largest province, and pivotal to South Africa's tourism industry. Served by a modern and efficient international airport, located 22km east of the citycentre, visitors arrive from all over the world to sample its diverse attractions.

The city centre itself, generally termed the `city-bowl; features architectural styles ranging from the many classic, historic Cape Dutch buildings to a number of strikingly modern developments.

Many visitors choose the independence and flexibility of a self-drive car hire, public transport being neither particularly safe nor convenient. The big car hire companies are well represented at the airport, and there are plenty of alternatives downtown. Rates, according to some international surveys, are said to be among the lowest in the world, -- unusual for Africa where car hire can be prohibitively expensive.

The only problem with a rental car might be getting to learn local driving practices, navigation and where it is safe to park. To avoid a literal `crash course' in driving locally, be warned: running red traffic lights and intersections is common in Cape Town, and the freeways have plenty of ego-maniacs behind the wheels of fast cars.

PLACES TO STAY

Only in the high season, between December and mid-February, can finding a hotel room be a problem. Amongst the budget options is an interesting development called the Train Lodge. So new that it is missing from the lists in many travel guides; it's located at a disused commuter station 500m from the mainline station. The Train Lodge comprises of restored train carriages 'parked' on the old platforms. One carriage serves as a restaurant car, another a bar. Rates are roughly $10 a night.

At the other end of the scale is Ellerman House in the exclusive Bantry Bay area. Between the two extremes of backpacker lodges and Ellerman House is a whole range of options.

The new Victoria and Albert Hotel is at the heart of Cape Town's pride and joy, its Waterfront development, and is the most modern of a trio of five-star establishments in Cape Town. As with the famous Mount Nelson and Cape Heritage Hotels, expect room rates of at least $150 and all the spaciousness, comfort and facilities of a world class luxury hotel.

Down a scale or two there are the three & four star hotels, many run by South Africa's major hotel chains, including Holiday Inns, Protea, Southern Sun and Karos hotels. Cape Town has a particularly well-located Holiday Inn in one of the older areas of the city, Greenmarket Square, which turns into a lively flea market on weekends.

Most tourists will, of course, want to walkup or ride-up the cablecar to the summit of Table Mountain at least once during their stay. The `glass-fishbowl' cablecars offer incomparable views of the city. The world-renowned Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are also a'must' for many visitors, particularly the 36 hectare landscaped section.

One of the most interesting and central attraction is the Gold Museum of Africa where you can watch goldsmiths at work and view exhibits of and about gold from all over Africa.

It's also worthwhile taking tours out of the city itself, to visit the surrounding vineyards, or make the pilgrimage to Cape Point, Africa's southern extremity - perhaps stop-- ping off at Hout Bay along the way. Hout Bay is a lively little fishing town, just one of many around the peninsula, which also caters for tourists with boat trips, shopping centres, cafes and restaurants. Further south towards Cape Point are some large ostrich farms before you enter the Cape Point National Park.

ON THE WATERFRONT

But it is the Waterfront which is Cape Town's prime draw for tourists. It's been a huge success for Cape Town, a complex of shopping malls, restaurants and bars built around Cape Town's old harbour. It may be a tourist trap, but it has breathed life into what was a few years ago just a run down, near derelict harbour front.

From the harbour you can take trips in catamarans, boats and even sea-planes - to view the seal populations and if you are really lucky, see dolphins and whales. Excursions are also offered to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated as a political prisoner during the apartheid era.

The Waterfront development continues to expand, and a Sheraton Hotel and Convention Centre is currently under construction. Due to open mid-2003, the combined R700m project will provide 485 bedrooms on 18 floors, three floors of underground parking, a fitness centre on the roof of the hotel building and an adjoining convention centre to rival any in the country. The lead construction companies involved, WBHO and Rainbow Construction, are also working in joint partnership on two other major projects in SA: the new Constitutional Court in central Johannesburg, and extensions to the Reserve Bank building in Pretoria.

Not that the Waterfront is Cape Town's sole development. On the outskirts of Cape Town, a 65sq km site at Tyger Falls has got off the drawing board. The residential, office, retail and two-hotel scheme is also on the water. Construction estimates are two years. This is the first project of MvelaProp, a new property company formed in a joint venture by Tokyo Sexwale's Mvelaphanda Investment Co. And Century City is already built. It's a harbour development to the east of the Waterfront. Although more of a business and residential development, it is home to the Ratanga Junction Theme Park and has nearly 400 retail outlets. What is so interesting about this development is something that the visitor will not see - most of the corporate headquarters, head offices, retail outlets and even the 3,700 residential properties are all on a dedicated intra-link. Century City cyber developers, iCTTI and 3Com SA, describe this as the world's first intelligent city.

Another development visitors are unlikely to see are the Cape Flats townships. Here's where the majority of Cape Town's peoples call home, but a no-go area for unaccompanied visitors. In stark contrast to Century City, Cape Flats' poverty and social deprivation have created many of those problems delegates to the World Summit will have been addressing. Meanwhile government, from central to local levels, appears totally convinced that by developing a healthy tourism sector, as Cape Town has, economic gains can trickle down and empower the disadvantaged majority.