The Ultimate Top 10 Must-Do Experiences in Cape Town!
The list of things to do in Cape Town is sheer endless! The city offers so many unique experiences, it’s near impossible to do them all! From mountain hikes to indoor markets, museum visits, boat cruises, relaxing by the beaches and wine tastings and dining experiences… the list goes on and on! Let’s, therefore, break it down to the 10 Must-Do bucket list items in the city. Many can be combined, so you have your perfect day planned! Let’s go!
If this is your first stay in Cape Town, the sightseeing bus is a relaxed and easy way to see the city and tick off a few “must-see” items. The big advantage is that you don’t have to worry about transport, parking, how to get there etc. You plonk down in your seat and enjoy the ride. Even as a seasoned and independent traveller – give it a go! It’s a great way to get around the most interesting sights. The tickets are affordable and valid for at least 24 hours. There are plenty of options to combine different routes plus you have a free walking tour included. Tickets can be bought online, from the V&A Waterfront office or from the sales office on Long Street. If you go with the red line, you’ll get a nice introduction to the city centre, you can hop off at the cable car to get up Table Mountain, you can stop at the beaches in Camps Bay and Clifton or stroll along Sea Point promenade. The blue line gets you further out of the city to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Constantia and Hout Bay and it too returns via Camps Bay, Clifton and Sea Point to the centre. It is honestly a fabulous way to get an overview of the city with ample time to get off at the places that interest you most. Give it a try!
Well, it would be rude not to visit South Africa’s most iconic mountain! The keeper of the city and overall dominating presence! There are endless options to hike the 1082 meters up and down the mountain, but if time doesn’t allow – just take the cable car! The views from the rotating cable car are just stunning. The top of the mountain is obviously flat so you can go and explore to your heart’s content without breaking much of a sweat.
The return tickets for adults currently cost between 300 – 380 ZAR (20 – 25 USD), while one-way tickets are 200 ZAR (about 13 USD) per adult. The views from the top are definitely unforgettable! If you have opted to use the sightseeing bus as your mode of transport, the red line stops at the cable car station and if you pre-book the cable car ticket with the bus, you’ll get a discount. Otherwise, just catch an Uber to the cable car station. It’s cheap and easy!
When planning your trip up Table Mountain have an eye on the weather and stay flexible! If the wind gets too strong the cable car will be closed and being caught on the mountain in gusty winds is not fun. Usually, the mornings are less windy and cloudy than the afternoons, which is why the morning tickets are slightly more expensive than the afternoon ones. Most late afternoons you’ll see the famous ‘tablecloth’ dragging over the mountain – great to watch when you are off the mountain, very inconvenient being on the mountain! Therefore, it is usually best to not book the cable car tickets too far in advance as weather conditions on the day might prevent you from going up.
You could easily spend an entire day around the V&A Waterfront if you visited all the attractions around here! The Waterfront is situated by the harbour and is home to a shopping mall complex with a wide choice of good restaurants and home to many of Cape Town’s attractions.
For shopaholics, it’s probably the best place to find the big international brands next to local shops with typical South African goods. Tourists and locals come here alike for shopping, a good meal and generally enjoying life! Buskers and traditional dance groups add a nice festive vibe, a little amphitheatre houses occasional events and you can buy yourself into oblivion on African souvenirs.
Foodies will be delighted to find food markets and international cuisine from all corners of the world, most culinary delights come paired with great views over the mountain or the sea! Or both!
At the Two Oceans Aquarium, you can get up close and personal with the fascinating sea creatures that live in the waters of the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans surrounding South Africa. Spend some time with the penguins or watch the sharks getting fed! The aquarium is definitely worth a visit, especially for families.
If you like a good view but have no interest in getting up any mountains, the Cape Wheel located at the heart of the Waterfront might be your answer! Hop on this ferries wheel to catch a good view over the Waterfront, the harbour and the city.
One of the latest additions to the Waterfront attractions is the Zeitz MOCAA – the Museum of Contemporary African Art! The museum is set up in the old silo building that has been vacant for a long time. Since 2017 the silo has been beautifully renovated and is now home to the breathtaking museum and The Silo Hotel, a luxury 5-star hotel with possibly the best views over the city. If your budget doesn’t allow for a swanky stay in the hotel, at least treat yourself to a cocktail and a meal at their rooftop bar after you immerse yourself in contemporary African art!
Cape Town offers great accommodation for every budget and every taste. From small intimate boutique hotels, backpacker accommodation to some of the most unique high-end hotels – Cape Town offers it all. Have a look on Booking.com and book your stay today!
When you come to Cape Town, a visit to Robben Island should definitely be on your itinerary. The island was used during the Apartheid era as a prison for political convicts. Nelson Mandela spends 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island. A visit to the island explains not only Nelson Mandela’s life but also South African history. The tours on the island are guided by ex-inmates of Robben Island, which makes the experience even more personal. The first-hand stories of the guides’ experiences here will definitely leave a lasting impression.
Tickets are available at the Nelson Mandela Museum at the Clocktower area at the V&A Waterfront. From here it’s a 30-minute boat ride to Robben Island, where you first explore the island by bus to see where the inmates had to spend their days with hard labour in the quarry. The next stop is the prison, where you learn more about the every-day life of the inmates and the conditions they had to live in. During the walk around the prison, you’ll get to step into Nelson Mandela’s cell, his involuntary home for nearly a third of his life. It is an emotional and eye-opening experience, an important piece to understand South Africa a bit better.
The tour takes about 3.5 hours and tickets currently cost 600 ZAR (about 40 USD) for non-South Africans and 400 ZAR for South Africans. Once again, the tours are weather dependent since the boats to the island can’t depart if the sea is too rough.
This is a personal favourite of mine and I have done it probably too many times for any sane person. But hey – I guess there are worse guilty pleasures!
The tours start from the boat station at the waterfront and from about 360 ZAR (about 24 USD) you get 1.5 hours of cruising-fun on a catamaran including free-flowing sparkling wine! Yes, let that sink in for a moment!
The views from the boat over Table Bay, the Mountain and the city are unforgettable. With a bit of luck, you might even see dolphins, seals or whales. The sparkling wine gives it the extra festiveness to reaffirm that life is actually pretty good! Honestly, what better way to end the day, than gliding along Table Bay on a boat, sipping on free-flowing sparkling wine? Make sure to bring a warm jacket or pullover along, because no matter how warm it is when you get on the boat, you will be cold before returning to the harbour. Believe me!
If you prefer clean boating-fun without sparkling wine or sunsets just don’t do it for you, there are of course plenty of other options available. Cruises can be booked throughout the day and on different vessels completely depending on your personal preferences. My recommendation however is to give the sunset cruise a try!
#6 - Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden & Constantia Wine Estates
These are technically two highlights, but since they are situated closely together you can easily combine them to make it the perfect day in Cape Town!
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is a special place and home to an impressive amount of local flora. Even though most of Kirstenbosch’s nature is set in well-manicured flower beds, it still has a wild and vast feel to it. Maybe it’s Table Mountain with its untamed nature towering over the gardens that make for the special atmosphere?! You can stroll around the grounds for hours always discovering something new! Even one of the many Table Mountain hiking routes starts from here.
Next to indigenous nature, the garden also showcases sculptures made by local artists throughout the grounds. Two restaurants cater for all your culinary needs, but if you want to do as the locals do, pack a picnic basket and enjoy the day with some delicious snacks and maybe some wine under one of the shady trees.
During the summer months every Sunday, the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts take place in the gardens! A line-up of local bands and artists use the concert stage for the weekly show. Capetonians flock to Kirstenbosch with their blankets and picnic baskets to enjoy the live music in this unreal setting. Should you visit Cape Town during this time, make sure to go to one of the summer concerts.
From Kirstenbosch, it’s only a short distance to some of the best and oldest wineries in the Constantia area. With a quick Uber ride, you can go straight to any of the wine estates in the area such as Groot Constantia or Klein Constantia for example.
Another great option is to go with the Sightseeing Bus! The blue route stops at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where you get off and take your time to explore the grounds. Once you are done, you can hop back on the bus and continue on to the next stop called Constantia Nek. From here you can change to the Wine Bus, which stops at 3 wine estates in the area – Groot Constantia, Eagles Nest and Beau Constantia! All of them offer outstanding wines, delicious food and beautiful views over the Constantia area. If you could do with a little walk in between wine tastings, you can add Constantia Glen Wine Estate to the list as it’s located right between Eagles Nest and Beau Constantia! Pick and choose whatever you prefer and make it your own perfect day in Kirstenbosch and Constantia.
#7 - Explore Bo-Kaap & the City Bowl
Time to find your feet in the city centre! You surely have seen pictures of the Bo-Kaap area with its cobblestone streets and the iconic colourful houses. This neighbourhood is one of the oldest and historically most significant ones in the city. It was initially set up by freed slaves mostly from South-East Asia, which gave the area the name Malay Quarter. The ‘Cape Malays’ were able to buy the houses which they had to previously rent and started to paint them in bright colours as an expression of their new-found freedom. Despite all people of colour being forcefully removed from the city centre during the Apartheid era, the Malay Quarter and its inhabitants stayed. More than half of the Cape Malay community is Muslim which is why you’ll find several mosques in and around the Bo-Kaap area. The Nurul Islam Mosque, located in the Bo-Kaap, is the oldest in Cape Town.
Easy to find on the corner of Wale and Buitengracht Streets, this fascinating neighbourhood is definitely worth a visit. If you like to learn more about the history and significance of the former Malay Quarter, visit the Bo-Kaap Museum.
Just a few streets over from Bo-Kaap, you’ll find Bree Street, Loop- and Long Street. These streets form the heart piece of the city centre, with many restaurants, cafes and shops. If you are looking for some African souvenirs, drop by Greenmarket Square, where you can peruse the stalls at the daily market and haggle with the vendors over their African artwork!
Long Street used to be the party mile of Cape Town! In the ‘good old days,’ many young backpackers would stay here, celebrating the start or the end of their African adventure. The street used to brim with backpacker accommodation, bars and clubs – always something going on. Today – especially with the COVID crisis still going strong – the street is quieter. Many longstanding establishments have disappeared or relocated to other areas. Long Street is still worth a visit to have a drink in one of the local bars or to treat yourself to a meal!
Bree Street offers some fabulous bars, often with some enticing drinks specials and great seating on the street, where you can spend hours watching the world go by. A favourite place to sit in the sun and enjoy their fabulous Happy Hour is Burger & Lobster on Bree Street! Give it a try!
Kloof Street is another fantastic area to find culinary delights from around the globe as well as great bars. A definite favourite especially amongst locals is Van Hunks.
On Adderley Street you’ll find the entrance to Company Gardens, South Africa’s oldest park set up by the first European settlers in 1650! The Gardens are adjacent to the Parliament building and home to two of Cape Town’s main museums – the South African Museum and the South African National Gallery. Take a stroll up the wide shady walkway and stop to observe the feisty squirrels! Not afraid of anyone or anything, the squirrels are the real stars of the Company Gardens. There is also a lovely café, ideal to relax over a good coffee or meal and enjoy the serenity!
#8 - Cycle the Sea Point Promenade & visit Mojo Market
The Seapoint promenade stretches along the entire length of what is called the ‘Atlantic Seaboard’. A Capetonian’s favourite to walk, run and stroll with their dogs right next to the sea. The promenade has undergone some upgrades over the past few years and artworks of local artists have been added. The entire walk stretches from the V&A Waterfront all the way to Camps Bay, hugging the waterline, making it an approximate 12 km walk in total. You can obviously pick and choose sections if you don’t want to do the entire length.
Alternatively, you can also now rent a bicycle and ride along this beautiful stretch of land. UpCycle has three rental stations conveniently located at the V&A Waterfront, at the swimming pool on the Sea Point promenade and on Main Road Camps Bay. You can pick up and drop off at any of the three stations at your convenience. Pick one of those bright orange bikes and off you go! Rentals can be done hourly, on a half-day- or full-day basis at an affordable rate. It’s a great way to cover some ground and explore the Atlantic Seaboard area without having to battle the traffic on the road.
On a side note – another great way to enjoy the Sea Point area is by kayak! Guided tours usually start between early morning and midday to show you the beauty of Table Bay. Smell the fresh sea air and enjoy the silence on the water while you paddle past Sea Point and Lions Head. If you make it out of bed early there is a good chance you might even encounter some wildlife during your trip!
Anyway, back to the promenade! If you finish your bike rental at the Sea Point promenade you could celebrate your day of exploration at the Mojo Market, which is just across the road on Sea Point Main Road. The motto here is Local is Lekker– a famous South African slogan to promote locally sourced products that are embraced wholeheartedly by South Africans. This indoor market offers food & drink stalls as well as clothes and artwork made by local designers. Relax with your drink while listening to the live music playing in the background. It’s a place you can easily forget time and you end up spending an entire afternoon. If you would like to stay in the area, why not stay right above the market at the Mojo Hotel? It’s a great location to base yourself in!
#9 - Walk up Lions Head & Sundowners on Signal Hill
The Capetonians favourite mountain in the city is Lions Head! It is the smaller peak to the right of Table Mountain and even for the untrained hiker, you can make it up in 60 – 90 minutes maximum. Locals use the mountain as their training ground with runners shooting up and down the mountain as well as families hiking with small kids and dogs. It’s an easy thing to do with much less hassle and preparation than walking up Table Mountain.
As the path winds up around Lions Head, you have amazing, ever-changing views over the city, Table Bay and Table Mountain as well as Camps Bay and Sea Point. You start off with a wide trail, which becomes narrower and steeper the higher you get. The last few meters have you clambering over rocks, where you might start cursing, asking yourself why you have committed to such foolishness. Once you reach the top though, it’s all been worth it! The views are spectacular, and you can’t help but be proud of having made it all the way up! I
It’s a quick Uber ride to get to the starting point or if you stay in Gardens and surroundings you might even choose to walk up to the starting point. If possible don’t choose the middle of the day to walk up as it gets really hot in summer! You should also bring enough water and sun protection with you.
If physical exertion is not for you, go for sundowner drinks on Signal Hill. The hill is just further down the road from Lions Head, offering similarly spectacular views over Table Bay and Sea Point. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset with a little picnic and some sundowner drinks. Bring something warm to wear as it gets cold quickly once the sun goes down. It’s a definite Must-Do when in Cape Town.
For the adrenaline junkies amongst you try a tandem paragliding flight off Lions Head and Signal Hill! What a way to see the city from above! Your launch site will depend on the weather conditions of the day, but either way, it is a once in a lifetime experience!
#10 - Cape Town’s Beaches – Clifton, Camps Bay & Llandudno
Cape Town has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Surrounded by mountains and white sand, the crystal-clear blue water beckons you to come for a swim. What better way to spend a day in the sun than at one of these beaches?! Coming from the Seapoint side you will first get to the four Clifton beaches. They are all equally beautiful so it’s up to you to find your favourite spot. Clifton 1 and 2 are said to be mostly frequented by families, Clifton 3 is where you find the gay community and Clifton 4th beach is the most popular beach with the most infrastructure – meaning there are public toilets plus you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas in high season. None of the beaches has any bars or shops, but usually, you’ll have vendors walking up and down the beach selling cool drinks, ice cream and other important beach utensils. The safest bet however is to bring your own drinks and snacks.
Camps Bay beach is located straight across the road from Camps Bay’s many bars and restaurants, so once you had enough beach fun you can just cross the road and enjoy some drinks and meal, maybe enjoy the beautiful sunsets that can be seen from this side of the city.
Llandudno beach is situated between Camps Bay and Hout Bay, the furthest away from the city. This little paradise is less frequented by tourists and more popular with locals. Good surfing conditions attract the local surfers, but also swimmers and sun lovers. It’s a beautiful bay surrounded by mountains and boulders with the small community of Llandudno in the back. It’s a high-end residential area without any shops or restaurants – therefore don’t forget to pack some provisions if you plan to spend your day here. Public toilets are available, and lifeguards are on duty during the busy summer months.
If you had a read through the previous blog – All you need to know about Cape Town – you’ll know that the sea is ice cold with temperatures around 10 – 16 °C, especially on this side of the peninsula. It, therefore, depends on your own stamina how long you’ll stay in the water. Cape Town waters are also home to sharks, but attacks are generally rare and there are no attacks on this side of the city, so you don’t have to worry about getting into the water in Clifton, Camps Bay or Llandudno.
This brings us to the end of our recommendations. Hopefully, these 10 Must-Do’s will help make your first time in Cape Town an unforgettable stay! The list could go on and on with cool things to do, but let’s leave at this for now. Please keep in mind that all prices mentioned can change at any time and might be seasonal. Please have a look at the sights website for the most updated information!
Follow us next time when we explore the Cape Peninsula! Join us for the perfect day to explore all the amazing places around the peninsula such as Hout Bay, Chapmans Peak, Noordhoek, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope and let’s not forget the Penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
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