The South African city of Cape Town remains in the radar screen of most tourists these days despite of the worldwide economic difficulties that cut into tourism and vacation budgets. This continuing popularity arises from the many tourist bargains that could be had in Cape Town. For instance, there are many B&Bs, as well as self-catering establishments, where visitors on a tight travel budget could stay.

Touring Cape Town on their own even without the luxury of tourist guides is quite easy for visitors as the city is a friendly place for tourists. One can design an itinerary in order to maximize the places of visit especially if the time for the stay is limited. With an international driving license, it would be possible to rent a car and take a peninsula tour, driving along Champan's Peak Drive, a narrow thoroughfare linking Hout Bay with Noordhoek which affords panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains nearby. Alternatively, a visitor could either hike up or drive to Signal Hill to enjoy fantastic sceneries offered by the City Bowl and Table Mountain.

The Cape Town visitor is also never far away from a beach because of the city's unique coastal geography. Within a day, it is possible to visit several beaches, each offering its own charming atmosphere. Wallowing in warmer waters is ideal at False Bay. There tourist can swim at waters up to 10 ?C than beaches at the Atlantic Coast. Cape Town beaches located along the Atlantic are have colder water because of the passing Benguela current which flows from the Southern Ocean. The water temperature difference notwithstanding, beaches at both False Bay and those at the Atlantic Coast are popular to locals and visitors alike.

The better developed beach resorts with cafes, bars and restaurants could be found on the Atlantic Coast area like those in Clifton and Camp Bay. Observing wildlife is another beach attraction which could be enjoyed at Simon's Town's Boulders Beach which is home to a colony of African penguins. For spectator sport, there could be a surfing competition or two to watch, particularly if the visitor's stay is timed during the Big Wave Africa event which Cape Town hosts annually.

For some historic flavor, one could board a ferry to Robben Island where political prisoners where once detained. A former inmate will be the tourist guide for the island tour. After this, some shopping could be done at the V & A Waterfront's markets and boutiques. After replenishments for the day at the restaurant and cafes in the area, a tourist can ride the cable car taking visitors to the top of Table Mountain where the view of the harbor and the city is breathtaking, especially behind a fading sunset.

Day trips could also be taken to the towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek where wine tasting is de rigueur in tours for any of their many wine estates. The Cape Town tourism office provides a wine route map from which a visitor could follow on the trip. There are restaurants in these wine estates as well as bistros and cafes in the towns' main street. Both towns are quite a long drive from Cape Town but the spectacular scenery en route makes the trip all worth it.