Though stuck at the bottom end of the “Dark Continent,” the city is large, sophisticated, modern, and more European than African, with all the amenities to match. Cape Town has accommodation to suit all requirements, from the unique colonial-style Mount Nelson to guesthouses, bed and breakfasts and basic backpacker hostels. They are all there and there are a lot of them.

When you’re looking for a place to stay, you want to know if it’s suitable, of a good standard, and how to get there.

Finding a bunch of places is pretty simple. While many have their own websites, which may or may not show up on Google, there are plenty of general hosting sites that offer a great selection.

Finding good accommodation is easy and where in the city to stay in Cape Town is also easy.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Cape Town was blessed with a forward-thinking and dynamic urban engineer, Dr. Solly Morris, and the city’s comprehensive, easily navigated two-lane road system is his legacy. It is world class and makes getting from point to point fast and painless. This means that you choose a place with quick access to the system and the city is at your fingertips.

Cape Town is a city of unique beauty. There’s hardly any part that isn’t exceptionally picturesque, so you can stay anywhere and enjoy great surroundings.

These coordinates are (-34.00000, 19.28995) in Google Earth. This will give you a good panoramic view of the highway system. Even better would be to get a street directory (not a street guide). A directory is a book of maps, while a guide is a large fold-out map, very difficult in a car.

These maps clearly show the routes up and down the Cape Peninsula, on both sides of the mountain, the main roads leading out of the city center to the west coast (N7), Paarl, then Johannesburg (N1) and the south coast (N2) and its road interconnections

With the Table Mountain system always in view, it’s easy to keep your bearings.

Finding your way on arrival is easy, as it can only be reached by one of the three main roads, either by road or by air. The airport is on the N2, about twenty minutes from the city center.