Situated in the country's far-southwestern corner, Cape Town is physically separated from the rest of the continent by a barrier of #mountains. It feels -- and is -- very different from the rest of #Africa (so much so that during the 2009 national election campaign, a group calling itself the Cape Party campaigned with a call for regional independence). The hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters are #Mediterranean, while the #Atlantic #Ocean remains icy throughout the year. It is by far the most cosmopolitan city in Southern Africa, and you're as likely to hear locals speak #German and #French as you are #Afrikaans, #English, and #Xhosa. Unique, too, is the architectural #heritage -- a multifaceted #colonial past gave us Cape #Dutch homesteads, neo-Gothic churches, #Muslim minarets, and Georgian and #Victorian terraces that punctuate an evolving #Art #Deco and brutalist cityscape where cranes seem to be ever in motion. Many who come to #CapeTown choose to just whip straight out from the #airport to the Winelands, where you can stay amid some of the best-preserved examples of Cape Dutch #architecture, sample award-winning wines, and play #golf on a variety of gorgeous courses. This area makes a great base if you're looking for a relaxing, rural escape, with the bright lights of the #city a mere 60-minute drive away; the coastal town of Hermanus, capital of the Whale Coast, a 70-minute drive away; and the lakes, lagoons, and forests of the Garden Route an easy 4- to 5-hour drive along the N2. Alternatively, visit the Winelands or Whale Coast as a day #trip, and base yourself here, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where the sun sets on an unbelievably azure sea. Regardless of where you choose to stay, you will leave Cape Town wishing you had more time to explore, so plan your stay, then add at least 2 more days or a week, if possible.

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