When we learned that we would be visiting Cape Town, we knew this was a good add to the itinerary based on how much our friends Bev Kalil, David Cox and Melissa Stanford love it. We knew it to be a vibrant city, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and False Bay to the east, with award-winning wine regions close by. And of course, we knew the storied South African history of European suppression, apartheid and eventually national democratic independence led by Nelson Mandela.

We had no idea how mountainous the region is, with towering peaks that lead down to the seas, nor the rich bio-diversity and Mediterranean-like climates. Cape Town was established by the Dutch East India Company as a supply station in 1652 and after many battles between the Dutch, French and British, it became a British territory in 1814. South Africa gained its independence in 1961. There are currently 4.8 million people living in the metro area.

After passing through a very efficient South African immigration process at the port, our first day in Cape Town took us down the Cape Peninsula, all the way to the Cape of Good Hope. The scenery along the way was stunning and I cannot emphasize enough what a beautiful drive this was. As we traveled down the western coast, we passed the communities of Camps Bay, Hout Bay and Scarborough before visiting the Cape Point Lighthouse. Heading up the east side of the peninsula, we visited Boulders Beach for lunch and then a visit to a colony of African penguins.

Back in Cape Town, we took a revolving cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain, with perfect weather, to view the whole of the peninsula and city from 3653 ft. We enjoyed a small hike and sweeping vistas of the region. Our final stop was the neighborhood of Bo-Kaap, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its colorful houses, cobblestone streets and rich history. The area contains the largest concentration of pre-1850 architecture in South Africa, and is the oldest surviving residential neighborhood in Cape Town.

Our 11-hour day of touring left us physically and mentally exhausted, but crazily fulfilled.