Cape Town’s Central Business District is better known as the City Bowl. It lies at the foot of Table Mountain and is bounded by Lion’s Head to the west, and Devil’s Peak to the east. The city centre is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by Table Bay Harbour and the V&A Waterfront. The City Bowl is a culturally varied and sophisticated district with superb restaurants, open air markets, historic buildings, and a vibrant night life in the bars and clubs of Loop and Long streets.

The City Bowl: Street by Street

This central part of Cape Town is quite compact and therefore custom-made for walking tours. St. George’s Mall is a bustling pedestrian thoroughfare with plenty of snack bars and coffee shops. Here you can be entertained by street musicians and dancers and also see displays of local art. St. George’s Cathedral, of Victorian Gothic design, is of historical significance in the struggle against apartheid; and Greenmarket Square is famous for its market, which dates back to 1806. Among other historical buildings surrounding this cobblestone square is the Old Townhouse. Long Street is a well preserved historic street lined with elegant Victorian buildings. Trafalgar Place, off Adderly Street, is famous for its flower sellers while Church Street is the place to go if you’re looking for authentic antiques at competitive prices. Government Avenue is an oak-lined pedestrian boulevard that is one of the most serene walks in Cape Town. Towering 32 storeys over the City Bowl is the Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel on Strand Street. Its bronzed-glass fa