ACIST 2017 - CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, 10th – 11th July 2017

About Cape Town

Cape Town is a city with diverse range of attractions, sights and activities to offer. From the landmark beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay to the vibrant V&A Waterfront and Cape Town city centre and the award winning wine farms of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten.

Few cities completely fulfil even the most wildly optimistic expectations of a visitor as Cape Town does. With plenty of places to shop from internationally branded stores, to local and even informal stalls on the side of a pavement, Cape Town is a shopper’s dream. And if it’s the food you’re after, Cape Town has an eclectic mix of local African food, Cape Malay dishes and specialised restaurants serving international cuisine. Activities range from indoor to outdoor and even below the waterline! December is the best time to visit as it is in the heart of summer, but with all the attractions and activities to do in and around Cape Town, any time of the year is a good time.

Things to do in Cape Town

  • Relax on the white sandy beaches of Camps Bay or Clifton
  • Cruise on a boat from the V&A Waterfront harbour to Robben Island
  • Watch the sunset at the Sea Point Promenade
  • See the South African national flower, the King Protea at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
  • View over 3 000 marine life at the Two Oceans Aquarium or even go cage diving with the sharks
  • Visit Mount Nelson Hotel for their world famous High Teas
  • Hop on the Table Mountain cableway and enjoying the panoramic view of the city from the top
There are also plenty of historical buildings and museums outlining the city's fascinating history and its many cultures. With all this and so much more it’s easy to see why Cape Town is so loved by locals and tourists alike.

Local Cuisine

The term “rainbow nation” also applies to the kaleidoscope of foods that one can find in South Africa - the country boasts the most extraordinary range of cuisines. For the more daring diner, South Africa offers culinary challenges from crocodile sirloins to fried caterpillars to chicken feet and sheep heads. For the not-quite so brave, there are myriad indigenous delicacies such as biltong (dried, salted meat), bobotie (a much-improved version of Shepherd's pie) and boerewors (hand-made farm sausages, grilled on an open flame).

There are varieties of biltong in almost every café. On weekends one can smell the tantalising aromas of spicy sosaties (meat skewered on a stick) and boerewors being grilled over the braai (fire). Steak houses may specialise in flame-grilled aged steaks, but they also offer the humble boerewors as a dish.

Potjiekos is a delicious slowly cooked meat and vegetable stew, which is traditionally cooked over an open fire. Mielie Pap is a stiff corn meal mix and is a staple food in South Africa. In smarter restaurants one might find the occasional fusion dish such as marinated ostrich carpaccio, oxtail ravioli or even Tandoori crocodile. There is crocodile on the menu and kudu, impala, even warthog at a number of restaurants that offer game.

For those who prefer to play it altogether safe will find that most restaurants offer a global menu - anything from hamburgers to sushi to spaghetti bolognaise.

Those in search of best places eat in Cape Town can make use of the following websites:

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