Cape Town sits at the foot of Table Mountain, a flat-topped sandstone wall about a kilometre high, and on a day when the tablecloth of cloud spills over the edge it is one of the great sights of the world. The city lies between the mountain and the Atlantic, with a harbour that was founded in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company as a supply station for ships on the route to the East. It grew into a port of many cultures, and the mix of Dutch, Malay, African and British influences is still visible in its food, language and architecture.
Robben Island, visible from the waterfront, was where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years in prison, and ferries run from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The city centre has the Company's Garden, the Castle of Good Hope, the colourful Bo-Kaap quarter and the lively bars of Long Street. The winds can be fierce, especially the southeaster known as the Cape Doctor, which blows in summer and can make riding hard work.
For riders the city is a base and a beginning. Route 62, the long scenic alternative to the coastal N2 highway, starts inland and heads through wine country and the Karoo, with a few passes along the way. For a taste of coastal riding, Chapman's Peak Drive on the Atlantic side cuts along cliffs above the sea, and the Cape Peninsula leads to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Traffic can be heavy at rush hour, and in the city centre you should watch for minibus taxis, which stop without warning.
Fuel, repair shops and hotels are everywhere. Keep your valuables out of sight, and park in guarded areas where possible, since car and motorcycle crime exists in some neighbourhoods. The best months are from October to April, when the weather is warm and dry. Winter brings storms and cold rain from the Atlantic, but also bright clear days after the front has passed. Eat fish and chips on the harbour, and see the sunset from Signal Hill.