Whether you are a visitor to Cape Town or a local, 11 June to 11 July will be a memorable time for us all, and we therefore ‘welcome’ each and every one of you to the experience of a lifetime – the 2010 FIFA World Cup as it will be played out in the Mother City.

For more than four years, the Cape Town Central City has been preparing for the World Cup. Along with our stunning new Cape Town Stadium in Green Point, surrounded by the ‘green lung’ known at the Green Point Urban Park, we have gone a long way to ensuring that your experience of our City during the month-long event is one that will last a lifetime – and be enjoyed by visitors and locals alike for a lifetime and beyond.

Along with our many new pedestrian- and bicycle-prioritised sidewalks, luscious landscaping and new pedestrian bridges, a number of our Central City partners are also rolling out the red carpet for the World Cup – both on match days in Cape Town and non-match days. In this special souvenir issue, we let you know who’s doing what and where to find it all.

WHATS ON IN TOWN

• The Cape Town Stadium: Many ticket holders will of course be able to experience the stadium inside and out during the eight match days in Cape Town. Holding 68 000 people, this stadium is only 2.5km away from the heart of the CBD at the Cape Town Station. We would urge even those of you who do not have a ticket to take a walk along the Host City Fan Walk route to see the Stadium for yourself, up close and personal.
• The Host City Cape Town Fan Walk: On the eight match days in Cape Town this route will be an integral part of the City’s 2010 FIFA World Cup experience, as up to 18 000 fans make their way from the CBD to the Stadium on foot, taking in not only the restaurant, pub and retail experiences throughout one of the City’s most popular entertainment districts, but enjoying the special carnival-type atmosphere that will be brought into play on match days. Signs throughout town will lead you directly to the Host City Cape Town Fan Walk on match days, but remember it’s a route you can enjoy at any other time during the World Cup. The Host City Cape Town Fan Walk begins at Exchange Place on St George’s Mall, just off Adderely Street (and directly opposite the Cape Town Station). It then heads up the recently pedestrian-prioritised Waterkant Street, crossing over Buitengracht Street via a pedestrian bridge, heading onto to St Andrews Square and along Somerset Road in vibrant De Waterkant, before heading down Main Road, Green Point, to the Stadium forecourt. It effectively links the FIFA Fan Fest on the Grand Parade, the Main Transport Hub in Hertzog Boulevard, and essentially the entire Central City with the Cape Town Stadium, and on match days it will be chock-a-block with exciting activations – from fire dancers, giant flaming vuvuzelas and jazz crooners to djembe drummers and marimba players, opera singers, stilt-walkers, street circus acts, diski dancers and more. There will also be a mini-parade of giant puppets, a marching band and other carnival characters along Somerset & Main Roads to set the tone before each big game.
• The FIFA Fan Fest: This is the venue of the official FIFA ‘jol’ (‘party’ in Cape Town talk) and will take place on the Grand Parade in the East City of Cape Town Central. For more information on this exciting month-long event, please see further on in this issue of City Views.
• Global Icons’ Expo-tainment and Cool Britannia at the Cape Town International Convention Centre: Enjoy 25 days of football and incredible entertainment, with top international (Fatboy Slim, Dizzee Rascal and Steve Sutherland) and local (DJ Fresh, Black Coffee and Roger Goode) DJs, fabulous fashion shows, themed parties, food and fanfare. A great place to be come rain or sunshine, this event – being held at the world-renown Cape Town International Convention Centre on the Foreshore – will see all matched broadcast on giant screens. For more information on the schedule of entertainment and for ticket prices, go to www.coolbritanniasa.com
• The Central City itself: Along with “Ready to welcome the world!”, The City of Cape Town’s motto during the World Cup is “No ticket? No problem!” and along with events happening at the venues listed above, the Central City boasts a plethora of restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and the like, all of whom will be happy to host visitors in their venues to enjoy the matches on TV screens while partaking in a meal or a beverage. But it’s not just about match days – there’s a vibrant City for you to explore during ‘rest’ days as well. The Central City is home to a number of shopping centres and high street retail experiences, as well as a number of outdoor markets – the most famous being the 300-year old Greenmarket Square in Shortmarket Street. For those that are more culturally inclined, we are home to a number of museums, and venues of historical appeal. Our City rocks in local music venues, and for those who need a breath of fresh air, be sure to take in The Company’s Garden – our own version of New York’s Central Park. For a full list of venues and experiences in the Central City, be sure to pick up a free copy of our Timeout Best of Cape Town Central City 2010 guide – available in all information centres throughout town or, if you can’t find a copy, call us on 021 419 1881 and we’ll direct you to the closest stockiest. The maps which follow will also point you in the right direction of many of the greatest attractions.

Related posts:

1. Doing it in the Central City during the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2. Planning for 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP TM in the Cape Town Central City
3. Host City Cape Town Fan Walk a huge success
4. 2010 FIFA World Cup Fan Guide Now Online
5. City of Cape Town: The First Signs of 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Economic Success are Starting to Show