Cape Town: Language Learning in Paradise

True, Cape Town may not be the most obvious place to go and learn English. But then, think about this: which destination offers you first class service in every respect at a very reasonable price? Which destination can offer you more hours of sunshine than the Bahamas throughout the year? Which destination has often been named the most beautiful city in the world? Where do people speak clear English that's easy to understand? Where are people extremely friendly?

Exactly, the answer to each question is Cape Town.

Have a glance at what Cape Town offers to the language traveler:

Your advantages

Lots of carriers fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town on a daily basis. Air fares
are quite expensive, but this is compensated for by lower living costs in
Cape Town compared to other English language destinations.

Traveling from Europe you don't need to adapt to a different time zone.

With a mediterranean climate, the weather in Cape Town is mild all year round.
As the seasons are reversed in the Southern hemisphere, Cape Town in the
summer (November to March) is an especially attractive alternative to
destinations in the Northern hemisphere.

Cape Town is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
It is a major tourist destination, with world famous attractions such as
Table Mountain, Robben Island and the Cape of Good Hope.

The friendliness of the people often takes the foreign visitor by surprise.

Cape Town offers the same infrastructure as most modern big cities
(with some limitations regarding public transport).

With 3 major universities, Cape Town also attracts a high number of young
people, who ensure a very active entertainment scene at night.

You have probably heard something or other about safety in South Africa in the media. Although safety always is a concern when traveling, it is also important to understand that the violent crime international media reports is limited to specific areas where tourists are advised not to go. On the other hand in areas tourists do go, it is mostly petty crime which is an issue. By following certain rules, however, you can minimise your personal risk. In that respect, Cape Town is not different from many other big cities in the world. Having said that, we do recommended that you inform yourself before arriving. In addition, we will give you some safety advice on your first day of school.

A second issue amongst language travelers to Cape Town is public transport. Besides the MetroRail and a few buses during the day time and minibus taxis along major routes, public transport does not exist. When deciding which school and accommodation to choose you need to take this into consideration. Both our City Centre school as well as our school in Newlands are close to a MetroRail station. All accommodation options are located along the same rail route. In the evening, lots of excursions are offered using our school bus.

Things to see in Cape Town

Insider tips

Drive up Table Mountain or Signal Hill and enjoy the sunset. Have a drink with
your friends, but note that it's not a good idea to go on your own.

Visit some of the many wine farms and do some wine-tasting. Some farms even
offer a picnic lunch. A must!

Have a picnic at Camps Bay beach.

Hike up Table Mountain. Either you start at Kirstenbosch
(about 3 hours) or at the lower cableway station (1,5 hours).

Go horse-riding along Noordhoek beach. Don't worry if you have never been
on a horse before.

Watch the whales at Hermanus (July to October).

Visit the District Six museum.

Enjoy the sunset at Blue Peter in Bloubergstrand.

Keep your eyes open. You will find many more things to make your trip special.

More information about Cape Town

Fun stuff

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