It has been many a year since the Cape of Good Hope was referred to by this olden-day moniker. Nowadays, locals, foreigners and seafarers alike refer to it simply as the Cape - but the story of how the region got its name is an interesting one nonetheless.

Top station of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (image by Cape Town Media – http://www.capetown.travel/media/images-video/entry/1375/)From the time it was discovered in 1488 by Bartolomeu Dias, the Cape was celebrated for its beauty and maritime importance. However, when the Portuguese explorer first came upon the region it was its perilous seas, rather than its scenery or nautical significance, that made the greatest impression upon him. Thus, he named it The Cape of Storms - or Cabo das Tormentas - for the dangerous waters and inclement weather that had put paid to many an exploration.

However, although treacherous, the Cape of Storms also presented much hope and relief to the sailors who later arrived on its shores. Not only did it mean that fresh water and supplies would soon be available, but it also provided a valuable channel to India and the East. Thus, it was later renamed Cape of Good Hope - Cabo da Boa Esperança.

From then on, the term “Cape of Good Hope” was used to refer to the entire region, until it became the Cape Province in 1901. It’s also interesting to note that during the time of Jan van Riebeeck, Cape Town was known as The Tavern of the Seas, due to the fact that it provided vital supplies to sailors travelling around Africa.