South Africa’s touristic (and legislative) capital, Cape Town has no shortage of things to do, and is a stunning city in many ways. You will not get bored if you come to Cape Town!
At a glance…
- Days To Spend: 1-2 weeks
- Get Around: Mostly by Bolt, or your own car. Walk in some areas
- Get In and Out: By plane
- Pay: Using a bank card in South African Rand
- Speak: English
- See: The Castle, V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, the Cheetah Outreach Program, a wine farm, and many, many more
- Should you go?: Without a shadow of a doubt
General Impressions
I loved Cape Town. We were there for just over a week, and we already have a list of activities we missed out on that we will do when we return (a certainty in our minds). There’s a ton to do in Cape Town, and it’s surrounding areas, with something for everyone, whatever their interest.
Public Transport
Getting Around
If you stay in the City Bowl, or on the Waterfront, a fair amount of attractions will be within walking distance to you. Further out though, it’s generally best to use a ride hailing app like Uber or Bolt. Bus and train services do exists, but we never used them. It’s generally a good idea for tourists to avoid the minibus taxis, as they drive dangerously, and you’re a target for potential robbery as a tourist.
It’s a very good idea to rent a car for the more distant destinations though. The drives themselves are very beautiful, and having your own car gives you the opportunity to get out, take photos, and appreciate the stunning scenery. Be aware that it is customary to tip car park attendants (anywhere from R5 to R20 is typical as of 2024), and fuel is pumped for you by attendants at petrol stations.
Getting In and Out
Flying is your only real option to get in and out of Cape Town. The only cross-country train going into Cape Town is the luxurious Blue Train, that can cost into the thousands of pounds for a one way ticket. Flying domestically, on the other hand, is fairly cheap (though not as cheap as European budget airlines), and much quicker.
Food
South African food is meat-heavy and often grilled. It is good, but after nearly 4 weeks of it, we were quite tired of it. It is just as well then, that Cape Town has a lot of variety in it’s food, and Capetonian cuisine is as colourful as it’s cosmopolitan inhabitants. Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Italian, American – you’ll find what you want in Cape Town.
Drink
Cape Town is well known for it’s wines – the vast majority of wines (and all the good ones) from South Africa come from the Cape. Wine is cheap and delicious, and there is an excess of vineyards (called wine farms in SA) that are well-worth visiting. Some notable areas include:
- Constantia – the oldest vineyards in South Africa are actually located in Cape Town itself, in the Constantia district. We visited the Groot Constantia Wine Farm for a tasting.
- Stellenbosch – the most famous wine town in South Africa.
- Franschhoek – near Stellenbosch, famous for it’s wine tram that enables one to go on many wine tastings without worrying about having a driver.
Money
South Africa uses the Rand as it’s currency (denoted by an R in front of the numbers, ie R50 is 50 Rand). It is largely a card country, as cash is seen as dangerous to carry. Nearly everywhere you’ll be able to pay by card. The only occasion you’re likely to need cash, is if you wish to buy something from street sellers at red lights.
Language
The lingua franca of South Africa (which has 12 official languages) is English, and pretty much everyone you interact with will speak it.
Time
A week is a minimum for Cape Town, but you could fill 2 weeks with all the activities you can do in it’s surroundings. It is best to err on the side of having too many days in Cape Town that too few.
Safety
South Africa is far from the safest place in the world, though Cape Town is probably the safest city to be in. It is advised to stay at your hotel after dark, though walking around the Waterfront (or parts of the City Bowl) after dusk can be ok, especially when there are community safety officers around.
The Townships are definitely an area to avoid at any time of day. Most notably, the N2 road which goes to the airport is to be avoided after dark, so try to time your flights so that you arrive during the day.
My Favourite Spots
Castle of Good Hope
The oldest building in South Africa is a fort constructed by the Dutch soon after they arrived at the Cape. It now features a motley of displays, ranging from pottery to the first circumnavigation. It’s a an interesting place, and has some great views of Table Mountain.
Victoria and Albert Waterfront
Cape Town’s premier tourist spot, the V&A has many restaurants, shops, and is just a pretty place to walk around. Restaurants here are a good deal more expensive than in the City Bowl, but the location is definitely very nice.
Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap is the district that Malays (people from modern-day Malaysia) were moved to during Apartheid and before. Nowadays, it is an epicentre for Cape Malay culture, and has many brightly coloured houses and mosques. It’s quite small, but well worth a visit.
Minstrel Parade
Traditionally, on the day after New Years Day (but for us it was actually on the 4th of January, as that was a Saturday), a large musical and dance parade passes through the centre of Cape Town, starting by the Castle and finishing in Bo-Kaap. It takes about 8 hours for all the colourful groups to pass by, and is definitely an event worth witnessing. We were very lucky in that our hotel window was faced the route of the parade, so we could watch it from up-above, but you should be able to see it from street level quite easily. The spots in front of the barriers get reserved days in advance, but you should be able to still see from the pavement.
Hout Bay
On the other side of Table Mountain, by the blue Atlantic, lies Hout Bay, the gateway to the Chapman’s Peak Drive, as well as a great little beach destination. The beach is nice, though a little cold, but we preferred to spend a couple of hours kayaking around the bay. If you do this, you’ll be guaranteed to see some seals in the harbour, and maybe even some dolphins or a sunfish. We only caught the former.
Chapman’s Peak Drive
One of the most spectacular drives in the world, the drive around Chapman’s Peak takes you along the mountainous coast, and spits you out directly on the way to Cape Point. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful mountains, azure waters, and pristine white sandy beaches.
Table Mountain
Nothing is more iconic about Cape Town than Table Mountain. You can hike up the mountain (supposedly taking about 90 minutes), or take the cable car, though the latter option can get very busy. It’s busiest in the morning and early afternoon, when conditions are likely to be the best. In the later afternoon and evening, clouds are often caught on top, giving Table Mountain an iconic “table cloth”, but, unfortunately marring any views. We found it’s best to wait for an afternoon where the mountain looks clear (you can see it from pretty much anywhere in Cape Town), then going to the cable car straight away (after 3pm, there are cheaper tickets offered as well).
World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary
We went to this place on a whim, and it really surprised us. There are dozens of different bird species to find here, and they all look wonderful! The absolute highlight, however, was sitting with the monkeys as they are fed, and having them play on us!
Betty’s Bay
Far to the south of Cape Town is the best beach for spotting African penguins. The colony at Betty’s Bay is far bigger than the more famous one at Boulder’s Beach. You can also see the penguins in large numbers without paying, as many sit by the free part of the beach. You can also sandboard on the nearby dunes, but be aware it is an extremely tiring activity.
The Cheetah Outreach Program
Have you ever petted a Cheetah? This is the highlight activity at the Cheetah Outreach Program. They look after a number of male Cheetahs who are not suitable for the breeding programmes, and use the revenue generated to fund Cheetah conservation. Definitely a unique, and exciting activity.
Groot Constantia Wine Farm
The Constantia Wine Farms are located within Cape Town, making them a great target for a quick tasting. They are also the oldest wine farms in the country, and Groot Constantia, at least, has a little museum showing it’s history. We had a lot of fun here, and it’s worth doing both the regular wine tasting, and the chocolate pairing.
Muizenberg Beach
Cape Town has beaches aplenty, but Muizenberg is the one we chose to go to. Located on the slightly warmer False Bay (as opposed to the Atlantic at Hout Bay), the water here is pleasant to swim in, but the sand is just as soft and golden!
Churches
For church-lovers like us, South Africa is not a great country, as the majority of churches shut their doors, unless a service is on. Fortunately, that rule doesn’t hold true for Cape Town’s major churches, namely Groot Kerk, St George’s Cathedral, and the Central Methodist Church (make sure to have some coffee at their cafe, Heaven)
Spots That Might Be Good
Simon’s Town
Simon’s Town is a small town located on the western side of False Bay. It’s most famous for the penguins at Boulder Beach, but it’s also a nice place to spot navy worships, or go swimming on one of the little beaches.
Iziko Slave Lodge Museum
Once, this building houses the few thousand slaves who served domestically in Cape Town. Now it is a museum about slavery in South Africa, as well as having a few other random galleries, generally pertaining to the history of oppression in South Africa.
Cape Town Diamond Museum
Owned by the Shimansky jewellery company, you can go on a guided tour through their museum to learn about the history of diamond production in South Africa. The second half of the tour involves watching the craftsmen at work, and browsing their selection of jewellery.
Afrikoa Chocolate Experience
A chocolate shop on the V&A offers a short experience where you get talked through the process of making chocolate, as well as offered a tasting of many different kinds of chocolate, including cocoa nibs. As far as chocolate experiences go, this one was not the best, but it was still good.
Conclusion
Cape Town is without a shadow of a doubt, one of my top 10 cities. Indeed, Cape Town is one of those cities you simply must see before you die.
We May Roam 