Cape Town is a city with diverse range of attractions, sights and activities to offer. From the landmark beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay to the vibrant V&A Waterfront and Cape Town city centre and the award winning wine farms of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten.
Few cities completely fulfil even the most wildly optimistic expectations of a visitor as Cape Town does. With plenty of places to shop from internationally branded stores, to local and even informal stalls on the side of a pavement, Cape Town is a shopper’s dream. And if it’s the food you’re after, Cape Town has an eclectic mix of local African food, Cape Malay dishes and specialised restaurants serving international cuisine. Activities range from indoor to outdoor and even below the waterline! December is the best time to visit as it is in the heart of summer, but with all the attractions and activities to do in and around Cape Town, any time of the year is a good time.
Things to do in Cape Town
- Relax on the white sandy beaches of Camps Bay or Clifton
- Cruise on a boat from the V&A Waterfront harbour to Robben Island
- Watch the sunset at the Sea Point Promenade
- See the South African national flower, the King Protea at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
- View over 3 000 marine life at the Two Oceans Aquarium or even go cage diving with the sharks
- Visit Mount Nelson Hotel for their world famous High Teas
- Hop on the Table Mountain cableway and enjoying the panoramic view of the city from the top
There are also plenty of historical buildings and museums outlining the city's fascinating history and its many cultures. With all this and so much more it’s easy to see why Cape Town is so loved by locals and tourists alike.
Local Cuisine
The term “rainbow nation” also applies to the kaleidoscope of foods that one can find in South Africa - the country boasts the most extraordinary range of cuisines. For the more daring diner, South Africa offers culinary challenges from crocodile sirloins to fried caterpillars to chicken feet and sheep heads. For the not-quite so brave, there are myriad indigenous delicacies such as biltong (dried, salted meat), bobotie (a much-improved version of Shepherd's pie) and boerewors (hand-made farm sausages, grilled on an open flame).
There are varieties of biltong in almost every café. On weekends one can smell the tantalising aromas of spicy sosaties (meat skewered on a stick) and boerewors being grilled over the braai (fire). Steak houses may specialise in flame-grilled aged steaks, but they also offer the humble boerewors as a dish.
Potjiekos is a delicious slowly cooked meat and vegetable stew, which is traditionally cooked over an open fire. Mielie Pap is a stiff corn meal mix and is a staple food in South Africa. In smarter restaurants one might find the occasional fusion dish such as marinated ostrich carpaccio, oxtail ravioli or even Tandoori crocodile. There is crocodile on the menu and kudu, impala, even warthog at a number of restaurants that offer game.
For those who prefer to play it altogether safe will find that most restaurants offer a global menu - anything from hamburgers to sushi to spaghetti bolognaise.
Those in search of best places eat in Cape Town can make use of the following websites:
Sources:
University of Cape Town – Department of Information Systems
Location: Upper Campus, University of Cape Town
Building: Leslie Commerce Building
Department: Information Systems (Level 3)
View campus map
The conference will take place at University of Cape Town, Upper Campus. We will use various lecture venues within the Leslie Commerce Building to run the different conference sessions and workshops. Registration will take place at the Department of Information System where attendees will also get directions to the appropriate venues.
Accommodation
For convenience, you are encouraged to look for accommodation close to the conference venue. Below is a list of some Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts and Guest Houses that are relatively closer to campus and have profiles on websites such as Booking.com, Hotels.com Expedia.com and Tripadvisor, where one can easily find information on availability, pricing and quality of service. Use Google Map to see the exact distance from the different accommodation options to University of Cape Town (Upper Campus). Often Uber or Taxify services tend to be the most convenient transport options from hotel to campus and back. However, we also encourage you to consult with your specific hotel/B&B and seek advice on transport options.
Recommended Hotels
- Southern Sun Newlands – www.tsogosun.com/southern–sun–newlands
- Park Inn by Raddison Newlands – www.parkinn.com/hotel–capetown–newlands
- Protea Hotel Mowbray
- Double Tree by Hilton – Cape Town Upper Eastside
Recommended B&Bs and Guest Houses
- Little Scotia Guest House – www.scotia.co.za
- Devonshire House – thedevonshirehouse.co.za
- Knightsbury Guest House – www.knightsbury.co.za
- Carmichael House – www.carmichaelhouse.co.za
- Villa Garda B&B – www.villagarda.co.za
- Riversong Guest House – www.riversongguesthouse.co.za
AirBnB
You can also consider making use of AirBnB (www.airbnb.com) . It offers a variety of options depending on your needs and can be convenient for those looking for simple and affordable accommodation as well as those travelling with family and want a self–catering accommodation. AirBnB works slightly differently from a typical hotel or BnB so if you are going to be using AirBnB for the first time, please do some research on the basic dos and don’ts before making a booking. Here is a one you can start with.
Conference participants from outside Africa are encouraged to take an inter-continental flight directly into Cape Town or Johannesburg on well-known carriers or their alliance partners. Those who will fly to Johannesburg can make use of various domestic airlines which offer flights on the hour to other major cities. For connecting flights, the flying time from Cape Town to Johannesburg is 2-hours.
Travelling from the Airport and around Cape Town
My Citi - The MyCiti buses offer the most cost effective way of commuting from Airport to city centre and around certain parts of Cape Town. Buses leave a stop just outside the Cape Town International Airport every 20 minutes and they operate between 05:00 and 22:00. This map provide a good outline of all the MyCiti bus routes. For more details on MyCiti buses and their airport route check Travelstart website. For details on exact timetable and bus fares check the myCiti website.
Uber and Taxify Uber and Taxify are ride / taxi ordering services. Both services operate in Cape Town and can be used to travel anywhere in Cape Town. For more information and to install the relevant application on your smart phone, please visit their respective websites.
- Uber : https://www.uber.com/en-ZA/
- Taxify : http://taxify.eu/en-za/
Taxis - taxis are available at the airport. They are relatively expensive with the fare's ranging from R8 to R12 per km. Confirm with your driver beforehand.
Car Rental - All of the major car rental companies have branches at the airport. You can both collect and drop-off your vehicle directly at the airport.
Airport Transfer - If you have pre-booked accommodation there is a good chance that your hotel and/or hosts offer an airport collection and drop-off service. Make enquiries when booking your accommodation.
We encourage you to contact the SA Embassy or High Commission in your country or region to inquire about your specific visa requirements. For a complete listing of South African embassies and consulates please visit the Department of International Relations & Cooperation website.
The following constitutes general information on Visas for people attending a conference in South Africa.
- Normal procedures must be followed for applying for a visitor’s visa
- The application for a visa must be supported by a letter of invitation for the conference
- The conference organizer will notify the Department of Home Affairs that the conference is taking place - giving all the relevant details and a list of delegates, if possible
- The Department of Home Affairs will then notify all South Africa representatives abroad, authorising them to issue visas to the delegates providing that
- nothing detrimental is known about the delegate, and that
- all visitor visa requirements are met