The History & Attractions of Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities in S.A and is nicknamed the “The Friendly City” or “The Windy City” and is one of the major seaports in S.A.

The town was founded in 1820 to house British settlers to strengthen the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. The town now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which also include the towns of Uitenhage and the Despatch, and has the population of over 1,3 million. The attractions of the town include the untainted game reserve such the Addo Elephant Park, The Kagga  Kamma Game Park, View Lion Park and the Cape Recife Nature Reserve. Other unique attractions include Port Elizabeth Apple Express and the Oceanarium and a number of indigenous forests and walking trails which include The Flamingo Trail. The Blue Flag beaches which are Kings, Humewood and Hobbie attract visitors by the events that are held there including the Nelson Mandela Bay Splash which is takes place every year. There are also historic attractions which surround the friendly city, buildings which date back from 1858 and 1862 which is the City Hall. All of this is why the tourism industry is not only growing in Port Elizabeth but also in the Eastern Cape.