

Lonely Planet
Cape Town & the Garden Route
Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Soak in the view from the summit of Table Mountain, take a boat to Robben Island for an insight into the country’s history, and explore the beaches, forests and verdant mountains along the majestic Garden Route – all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Cape Town and begin your journey now!
This is the Around Cape Town chapter from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
There’s an abundance of day and overnight trips you can make from Cape Town. Northeast the magnificent mountain ranges around Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl provide ideal mi-croclimates for growing vines: this is South Africa’s premier wine region.
- explore elegant Stellenbosch, and its colonial architecture, good museums and scores of wineries
- maps
- decide which of the many excellent restaurants to eat at in the gourmet paradise of Franschhoek
- transport
- admire old Cape Dutch architecture and vineyards in Paarl, the Winelands’ largest town
- restaurants & accommodation
Coverage includes: Winelands, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Tulbagh, Robertson, The Overberg, The Elgin Valley, Hermanus, Gansbaai, Stanford, West Coast, Darling, Langebaan, Paternoster.
This is the Cape Town chapter from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
Known as the ‘Mother City’ for its historical role in modern South Africa, Cape Town is domi-nated by Table Mountain. This magnificent rock is often draped with cascading clouds, while at its base are sun-kissed beaches.
- ride the cableway to the top of magnificent Table Mountain and look down on the city
- maps
- sail out to infamous Robben Island and ponder the country’s past and present
- transport
- saunter through historic Company’s Garden in the city centre and admire the surrounding architecture
- restaurants & accommodation
Coverage includes: Sights, Activities, Tours, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping.
This is the Garden Route chapter from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
You can’t help but be seduced by the glorious natural beauty of the Garden Route. The dis-tance from Mossel Bay in the west to Storms River in the east is just over 200km, yet the range of landscape, wildlife and outdoor activities is remarkable.
- wax your board at Mossel Bay’s surfing spots and take part in a host of other activities in-cluding shark-cage diving and coastal hikes
- maps
- explore George, the largest town along the Garden Route, with attractive old buildings, world-class golf courses and superb mountain drives
- transport
- stroll along the windswept beach and kayak the lagoons around Wilderness
- restaurants & accommodation
Coverage includes: Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Buffalo Bay, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Nature’s Valley.
This chapter contains the Welcome to Cape Town & the Garden Route, Cape Town & the Garden Route’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Eat Like a Local, Wine & Wineries, Activities, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
Your journey to Cape Town & the Garden Route starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on outdoor activi-ties.
- tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
- list of highlights and best experiences
- everything you need to know about Table Mountain National Park
- user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing
Coverage includes: Welcome to Cape Town & the Garden Route, Cape Town & the Garden Route’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Beaches, View-points, Free Stuff, Parks & Gardens, Art Collections, The Luxe Life, Activities & Sports, Enter-tainment, Live Music, Shopping & Markets, Month by Month, Itineraries, Eat Like a Local, Wine & Wineries, Activities, and Regions at a Glance.
This chapter contains the Cape Town Today, History, People & Culture, Architecture, The Arts, The Natural Environment, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
All the info you need on everything from history, wine, culture and the arts to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and les-bian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.
- a rundown on the area’s world-famous wine industry
- information on the natural environment of Cape Town
- full coverage of architecture from Cape Dutch Colonial to township shanties
- details on history, people and cultural events
Coverage includes: Cape Town Today, History, People & Culture, Archi-tecture, The Arts, The Natural Environment, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language.
Inside Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route:
- Colour maps and images throughout
- Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
- Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
- Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices
- Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
- Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics
Coverage Includes: City Bowl, Foreshore, Bo-Kaap & De Waterkant, East City, District Six, Woodstock & Observatory Gardens & Surrounds, Green Point & Waterfront, Sea Point to Hout Bay, Southern Suburbs, Simon’s Town & Southern Peninsula, Cape Flats & Northern Suburbs, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Robertson, Hermanus, Stanford, Darling, Langebaan, The Garden Route
ISBN: 9781786571670
Edition: 9th
Publication Date: October 2018
Writers: Simon Richmond, James Bainbridge, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Lucy Corne
304 pages, 304pp color, 49 maps | Dimensions: 128mm × 197mm
Next edition due: November 2024
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