Cape Town is the largest city in the west and proudly sits as the legislative capital of South Africa. The beauty of Cape Town lies in the people, the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean that form a magical landscape. Languages spoken in Cape Town are Afrikaans, Xhosa, and English.
The weather in Cape Town is normally cool. December, January, February, and March are the warmest months with average high temperatures ranging from 68°F to 73°F (20°C to 23°C). June to September are the coldest months averaging 55°F (13°C).
The transportation system is smooth in Cape Town, which makes it easy to reach places, including neighboring countries such as Eswatini and Zimbabwe. Hiring a car is straightforward and guided tours to main attractions are plenty. Cape Town is known as one of the best cities to vacation in the world—there is good infrastructure, diverse culture, and epic landscape. However, for those wanting a beach holiday, the weather is not warm enough to enjoy a swim in the ocean. Also, what really makes Cape Town vibrant is not only in the glitz, glam, and touristic places like V & A Waterfront and Table Mountain—the resilient townships’ residents and their rich culture complete the equation. The money used is South African Rand.
Table Mountain is one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. In the heart of Cape Town, the flat-topped mountain is the best place to visit if you are looking to enjoy the views of the city of Cape Town. Table Mountain is part of the Table Mountain National Park–you must visit this area if you want to experience the true beauty of Cape Town.
As you drive out of Cape Town city center towards the south—following the coast road, you will be met by astonishing and heart-stirring views of the ocean and an exclusively posh neighborhood. This place is called Camps Bay, known for its famous promenade that is full of trendy restaurants and shops, Camps Bay Beach, and four Clifton beaches (Clifton 1st to Clifton 4th).
The Bo-Kaap neighborhood is located right at the foot of Signal Hill. The neighborhood used to be known as Malay Quarter before small houses were built to accommodate freed slaves. In addition to seeing these colorful houses, enjoy the food shops and craft markets in this area, starting from Wale Street—indulge in Cape Malay cuisine and be amazed. After exploring Bo-Kaap, head over to Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for more shopping, thereafter, enjoy the stunning views of Cape Town at Table Mountain.
Robben Island Museum is a very popular place to visit in Cape Town because tourists want to see the cell where Nelson Mandela was held for twenty-seven years as punishment for fighting for the rights of the South African people.
Tour guides (which can be booked via your hotel or online tour operators like Viator) usually pick you up from your hotel and drop you back after the tour. Tours are approximately 4 hours long, including the boat transfer.
Since there is quite a lot of walking when touring the prison facilities, it is recommended that you wear walking shoes, sun protection accessories, and sunscreen. Cameras are allowed but tripods are banned.
Strolling in the vibrant pedestrian paths, one can’t help but notice how clean and well managed the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront shopping areas are. This is an upscale area of the city of Cape Town—all tourists flock here for shopping and water activities, after coming back from the Table Mountain. The shops here are slightly more expensive than those in other shopping places in Cape Town.
Lion’s Head is at the top of Signal Hill and is one of the popular spots for hikers. People usually hike the hill, following trails to Lion’s head for breathtaking views of the city of Cape Town and the coast. This location overlooks Cape Town City and the waterfront shopping area, V&A Waterfront.
Signal Hill got its name from its former site usage of communicating about weather conditions by flying flags. To the north of Signal Hill, there is Noon Gun, the military museum. The hill, just like Lion’s Head, offers beautiful views of Cape Town and the coast. There are well-marked trails to the hill and guided tours from Cape Town.
Cape Point National Park is located down south at Cape Peninsula, right where the Cape of Good Hope is. You need a car or guided tour to get to Cape Point. The views here at Cape Point are why people visit this location. Visitors are also drawn to the lighthouse, wildlife at the national park, and walking trails. Enjoy baboons as you are entering the park.
South Africa as a country is known for its wildlife and sea life. The Two Oceans Aquarium showcases the many species of fish and other marine life harbored in the deep waters of Cape Town. You will find crabs, sharks, starfish, penguins, jellyfish, and etcetera. Kids love the activities here.
District Six Museum is a memorial museum located in Buitenkant Street that holds photographs and maps of District Six before it was destroyed by the apartheid government in the 1960s. Walking tours (most of which are offered by ex-residents) are available to better understand District Six. The entrance fee is small and affordable.
Hout Bay is a former fishing village that is surrounded by mountains, wine farms, and the ocean. The beach is loved by visitors to Cape Town and the location is the perfect spot for a lunch stop at the famous Bay Harbour Market and a depot to book fishing trips and trips to the Seal Island. Chapman’s Peak Drive is also a point of interest for many tourists. The promenade offers a variety of shops—try some fish and chips.
Inverdoorn Game Reserve Safaris is a perfect spot for those who want to see animals. Located 2.5 hours from Cape Town, passing beautiful mountain views, this Big 5 safari drive has so much to offer. There are many different animals such as lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, ostriches, hippos, zebras, giraffes, lions, and cheetahs. They have accommodation and beautifully done food at the location. Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve Morning Safaris provides a morning drive from their office, departing at 10 am. For this tour, transportation from and to Cape Town is not included, the ticket is just for the drive. Ask your hotel for cheap tour tickets.
Strolling in the vibrant pedestrian paths, one can’t help but notice how clean and well managed the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront shopping areas are. This is an upscale area of the city of Cape Town—all tourists flock here for shopping and water activities, after coming back from Table Mountain. The shops here are slightly more expensive than those in other shopping places in Cape Town.
Located in Dock Road, The Watershed is one of the popular shopping areas in the V & A Waterfront area. This is a market with over 150 stalls selling local crafts and designer goods—from clothes and jewelry to home goods. It is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm.
Green Market Square is a street market that has been in existence for years. There are local crafts, clothes, jewelry, and other items usually found in a flea market. Not all vendors here are selling South African items, a good number of northern African vendors have goods from their respective countries. This is a market worth your visit—just don’t forget to put on your bargaining hat if you want to pay reasonable prices for your souvenirs. Green Market Square is located between Burg Street and Longmarket Street. opening hours are between 9 am and 5 pm every day.
Alfred Mall is part of the V & A Waterfront, right where Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre is located. Shops here are quite pricey—actually, most shops around the V & A Waterfront are pricey, when compared with those located in areas with fewer tourists. Having said that, the quality of the souvenirs here is high.
Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village is a shopping mall in Somerset Road that has many boutiques and restaurants to choose from. It is very clean and inviting. Opening hours are 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday. On Sunday, the mall is open from 10 am to 2 pm. There is a Spar supermarket here for your grocery shopping.
South Africa is known for its delicious food that is inspired by different traditions of indigenous people and other places around the world. To experience real traditional African dishes, go on a tour called African Dinner and Drumming Experience. This tour is about 3.5 hours long, from 6:30 pm. There is a set departure point but visitors are also offered hotel pick up and drop off. Enjoy drumming and other African cultural entertainment while indulging in African cuisine—a 14-dish dinner is served.
Pap is the traditional food of South Africa and most African countries. Try it with slow-roasted lamb with garlic and lemon sauce. Marco’s African Place is one of the most popular restaurants serving South African traditional food in the colorful Bo-Kaap area. The restaurant serves Cape Malay Cuisine and is located at 15 Rose Lane, Schotsche Kloof / Bo-Kaap. They also have a bar and live African music in the evening.
Bo-Kaap Kombuis is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant in Cape Town that overlooks Table Mountain. It serves Cape Malay dishes and has a wide selection of meats and vegetables. When here, try their Denning Chicken served with rice, vegetable salad, and sambals.
Cape Town is known for its wineries that produce some of the best wine in the world. The three regions that are well known for wine in Cape Town are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. If you are a wine lover and wants to spend a full day touring wineries in all these regions, there is a popular Full-Day South African Wine Tour that will take you through the mountains and vineyards of Cape Winelands—four different wineries are visited and they make a stop at a local restaurant for lunch. Wine, cheese, and chocolate are sampled in these wineries. This is a small group tour with hotel pickup from Cape Town.
There is also a Half-Day Stellenbosch Winelands Tour from Cape Town that takes about three and a half hours. This tour includes wine and cheese tasting and a guided tour of Stellenbosch. They offer hotel pickup and drop-off.
These MyCiti Buses help tourists get to most well known destinations. They run from Atlantis (up north) to Hout Bay (down south), passing through the Waterfront, Seapoint, and Campsbay. There is a free MyCiti Shuttle for those going to Table Mountain from Lower Tafelberg Road (off Kloof Nek Road).
The Cape Town City Sightseeing Tour Bus runs every 20 minutes stopping at almost all major tourist attractions. You can purchase a 24 hour ticket or 48 hour ticket from one of their bus stops (they are all over or ask your hotel for a nearby stop).
If you decide to rent a car, please know that Cape Town roads, especially in and around downtown, can get very busy—however, driving can still get you to remote places quicker. Choose a reputable rental company like to avoid problems.
You can also take a taxi or Uber. Taxis are all over Cape Town you can just flag one. Uber is widely used by South Africans and it is efficient.
Many people opt for guided tours when in Cape Town. Some tours focus on individual popular attractions, like the Table Mountain, while others take you to a few main attractions in and around Cape Town, such as Cape Point.
