Cape Town - cities with similar natural beauty

[OutOfMyHead]

I would love to have gone and see all the natural beauty but yes the crime stats terrify me.

Can anyone recommend any better and safer cities in the world that have outstanding natural beauty?

My mind draws to Sydney

Innsbruck.
Positano (although it's not a city)
Sydney is beautiful around the harbour and beaches.

Also Kyoto.

Thank you @Weesiewoo

The Western Cape coastline and the South Island of New Zealand have a lot of similarities in terms of stunning landscape imo but that doesn’t really tick the city category.

Hong Kong has a scenic hinterland with some great hikes and beaches within touching distance of the city.

Rio, but I guess it also has a crime issue.

Cape Town is one of my favourite cities ever. I’d just bite the bullet (no pun intended) and go for it.

I'm a South African so feel free to ask away if you want to hear from someone who lives here, and not just go by crime stats.

Rio and Hong Kong already mentioned here, though I find Capetown has a lower feeling of danger about it than Rio. Can’t think of anywhere else really that has the spectacular backdrops those places have. In terms of cities with something to look at round every corner Rome is up there, as is Venice.

I immediately thought of Rio but no safer - Azores were very beautiful (esp around Furnas) but not a city but went back by Porto which is attractive. Norway fjords - between Bergen and Alesund is very attractive but very pricey. Venice very pretty. Costa Rica is stunning but more rainforest than cities.

Vancouver

I visited Cape Town a few years ago and it was safe for us. We only stayed a few days and didn't encounter any issues. It's such a beautiful place to go.

Did you have a guide?

Tell me what's it like to live in cape town then?

Go to Cape Town, observe the usual cautions, you'll be absolutely fine. I go twice a year for work and I adore it, its one of my favourite places in the world. Use taxis booked for you by your accomodation, don't get into an uber alone (admittedly I have done this) and don't walk around with valuables on display - same for any unfamiliar city. I've never felt unsafe there at all. Its absolutely stunning: I've done Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden - when I go in December I'm going to try to squeeze in a visit to the penguin beach. Its primarily work but I can usually get a day either side, even if I pay a bit.

I've had two truly scary experiences in cities: one in Jaipur, India, and the other in Cardiff.

Oh gosh. What happened in Jaipur and Cardiff?

Thank you. Have you been out at night?

The crime stats shouldn't put you off seeing this wonderful city and the surrounding areas of the western Cape.

I agree. My cousin lives there and I've visited twice. If I could afford to go again, I'd be there like a shot. I live in London with knife crime abounding, have lived also in New York and Paris. Both cities have problems. You just have to be aware of where you go and when.

LIke @isthismylifenow I am Cape Townian although I now live in the UK. I still have plenty of family there and we visit regularly.

Obviously, I am biased but I don't think there is any city in the world as beautiful as cape town. If you want to go there, you should go, or find another place that you want to go to for what that city/place offers.

As for visiting Cape Town - as a tourist, like with any unfamiliar city, if you stick to well trodden paths, use taxis or hire cars (our public transport system is not suitable for tourists) you will be fine. If you are nervous, choose hotels over Air BnBs or smaller guest houses. You do not need a full time guide in Cape Town but of course, you could hire one if you really wanted to. The truth is, while this is not really a good thing in the bigger scheme of things, tourists spending pounds or euros or dollars can get so much for their money that they can insulate themselves almost completely and have an amazing time dining in the best restauraants, visiting the most amazing places etc.

Do not walk around at night outside of major areas (eg you'll be fine in the waterfont) and like in any tourist spot, please keep your valuables close or out of sight - As a South African, I have been gobsmacked as I watch tourists in destinations all over Europe being totally casual about their bags and valuables while sitting in the sort of hotspots that are absolutely heaven for thieves.

Of course you can go out at night. But, for example, if you're staying in the Waterfront and want to go to one of the lovely restaurants in the city or de Waterkant or Tambourskloof or similar, it's a distance you might walk in any European city, but in SA, get a taxi. But as I said, it's cheap, so you won't mind doing it!

I've also been to Cape Town, a while ago now, but also very nervous re crime but wanted to see Table Mountain and penguins etc. We stayed in the Vineyard Hotel and had a wonderful time, can see Table Mountain, tropical gardens with two giant turtles, swimming pool, lovely food, quite safe there but not in centre and we used the hotel booked tours to go round initially which had about 10 people in them. Once got our bearings we hired a car, made sure not to have valuables on show and saw penguins etc.

Though on one of the trips a man got on and the tour lady asked him to introduce himself and he said who he was and that he was representing Robert Mugabe at a conference 😂as he was his advisor.

I've been out at night but not very late, with colleagues. Mostly to the waterfront and restaurants. The experiences were that in Jaipur a taxi driver took me and another woman very far out of where we were going on a deserted backroad then rang some other men who turned up, but it was OK, he was just lost. The other was in Cardiff where a guy cornered me outside a club while I was waiting for it to open to see a band I thought he was going to force me into his car, but someone in the venue saw, turned on all the lights, leaned out and yelled, "everything OK?" and he ran off.

Rio is similar, I’ve been to both. Cape Town felt safer. Both incredible and worth visiting.

For cities near to natural beauty you can't beat the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Portland or Vancouver - or road trip incorporating all 3 stopping of at National Parks and Vancouver island

Honest to god. I read a MN thread saying how bad of an idea it would be to move to Cape Town. And how fearful the people who live there are. But gosh I want to see the scenes.

Well, I don't see this constant terror.with any of my family. Sensible precautions, sure. Terror? No.