The ultimate Cape Town bucket list – Top 20 places to visit

Cape Town is one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. It’s one of only three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa, and it’s particularly well known for its natural beauty. The city is surrounded by several rivers and waterfalls which make it a perfect place for relaxation. Plus, all seven hills of the city are capped with breath-taking sights and gardens. Boasting such beautiful scenery, it’s no wonder that Cape Town is one of the world’s most famous cities. Let’s see now our Cape Town bucket list, which are the places we recommend to visit in this wonderful city.

About Cape Town

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa and the most populous city in the Western Cape. Cape Town is also known as the City of 7 Hills because it’s located on several hills. Each of these hills has a distinct function, making it easy to tell where each hill ends and the adjacent suburbs begin. The city is famous for its beautiful beaches and trendy streets that attract people from all over the world.

Cape Town is home to many government buildings, including the Parliament of South Africa. This building hosts many different cultural events and exhibits from around the world. It’s also a popular tourist destination in its own right, with people coming from all over to see it firsthand. Many people also choose to visit Parliament while in Cape Town- it’s a great place to witness democracy in action firsthand.

When to visit Cape Town

Many people from around the world visit this city to enjoy its warm climate, scenic neighborhoods and exciting nightlife. However, some people choose to visit Cape Town during the winter months when it’s cooler and less busy. This is a good choice because it allows tourists to see the city at its best.

Spring and fall are also good choices because these seasons aren’t too busy but are still cool enough to enjoy outside. Furthermore, these seasons have plenty of natural attractions that are open anyway and make for a great trip around the city.

Things to do in Cape Town – Cape Town Bucket List

Colourful Buildings of the Bo-Kaap

Bo-Kaap means “above the Cape” in Afrikaans. It is an area and district of Cape Town, formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is a former racially segregated area, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre and is a historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town. The Nurul Islam Mosque, established in 1844, is located in the area. Bo-Kaap is known for its brightly coloured homes and cobble stoned streets. The area is traditionally a multicultural neighbourhood, and 56.9% of its population identify as Muslim. According to the South African Heritage Resources Agency, the area contains the largest concentration of pre-1850 architecture in South Africa, and is the oldest surviving residential neighborhood in Cape Town.

Waterfront

One of the most common meeting point in Cape Town is around the Waterfront district. The V&A Waterfront is an iconic mixed-use destination located in the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s packed with amazing restaurants, shops and lovely squares to meet. With Table Mountain as its backdrop, the 123-hectare neighbourhood sits within the beautiful city of Cape Town, welcoming millions of people from all over the continent and the rest of the world. Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is also located in the heart of Waterfront. Moreover, the calm, wave-free canals are the perfect training ground for aspirant SUPers.

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art

The largest collection of contemporary African art on the continent features works from all over the diaspora. London-based architect Thomas Heatherwick outdid himself in converting an abandoned grain silo into 80 galleries. The works speak for themselves. Check out the Afro-futurist goggles by Cyrus Kabiru, anti-patriarchal needlework by Ghada Amer, oil portrait by Kehinde Wiley, and cowhide sculptures by Nandipha Mntambo.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. Table Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in South Africa, attracting 4.2 million people every year for various activities. The mountain has 8,200 plant species, of which around 80% are fynbos, meaning fine bush. 

The Aerial Cableway

Since October 4, 1929, the city of Cape Town have been providing visitors with a world-class cableway experience when accessing Table Mountain. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company operates in and across the National Park. This gives the visitors a unique experience when making their way up to the Table Mountain. The mountain’s magnetism has a way of drawing people in, compelling them to reach the summit either by hike or by cableway. But getting to the top was not always the effortless trip it is today.

Lion’s Head

Lion’s Head is a mountain between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. Lion’s Head peaks at 669 metres above sea level. The peak forms part of a dramatic backdrop to the city of Cape Town and is part of the Table Mountain National Park. You can hike, cycle or drive to the top of this peak with 360-degree views of the bay. The sunsets are here are phenomenal and a favourite for locals and visitors alike.

 

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

This botanical garden is sloping down from Table Mountain through Cape Town’s leafy southern suburbs. The Tree Canopy Walkway (also known as ‘the Boomslang’ or tree snake) provides an elevated spot perfect for views, bird-watching and selfies. Don’t miss the protea garden, dedicated to South Africa’s national flower. There aren’t many places to sit back and soak up some sunshine in Cape Town’s city centre – so enjoy the time you can spend here.

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, situated about 50 kilometres east of Cape Town, at the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountain. First, the town became known as the City of Oaks or Eikestad in Afrikaans and Dutch due to the large number of oak trees that were planted by its founder, Simon van der Stel, to grace the streets and homesteads.

Besides that, Stellenbosch – together with Paarl and Franschhoek valleys form the Cape Winelands, the larger of the two main wine growing regions in South Africa. The South African wine industry produces about 1,000,000,000 litres of wine annually. Stellenbosch is the primary location for viticulture and viticulture research.

The region has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Stellenbosch lies at the foot of the Cape Fold mountain range, which provides soil favourable to viticulture. Grapes grown in this area are mainly used for wine production, as opposed to table grapes. The region possesses a wide range of soils in the area, from light, sandy soils to decomposed granite. The Stellenbosch Wine Route established in 1971 is a world-renowned and popular tourist destination. This route provides visitors the opportunity to experience a wide range of cultivars and includes farms such as Warwick and JC Le Roux.

Tokai

South Africa is well known for its wines and sparkling wines. No wonder one district of Cape Town bears the name Tokai, after the Hungarian wine-growing city Tokaj. The district is located in the southwestern part of the city, next to the mountains.

Tokai, named after Tokaj, a range of hills & a famous wine region in Hungary, was originally an open area with various wine farms, vineyards and smallholdings. Today, though most of the wine farms are no longer there, there are still a few old Cape Dutch houses like those found in Constantia. The suburb was built in the late 1940s, and was built quickly because of the urgent need for housing for predominantly white, English-speaking South African soldiers returning from World War II.

Camps Bay

Camps Bay is maybe the most picturesque suburb of Cape Town. It has a small bay on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula after which it is named. In summer it attracts many South African and foreign visitors, too. It has undoubtedly some of the most beautiful beaches on our planet.

Fun fact, that Camps Bay was used as the scene of the virtual ‘perfect’ town (San Junipero) in the episode of the same name in season 3 of Black Mirror. Additionally, Apple’s Watch Series 4 advertisement features multiple parts of Cape Town including Camps Bay, too.

Chapman’s Peak Drive

It is also called as One of the world’s most scenic drives – for a reason. Chapman’s Peak Drive is a toll road that winds its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast on the south-western tip of South Africa. Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most scenic and spectacular marine drives in the world.

The Beaches of Cape Town

One of Cape Town’s greatest assets is its beaches. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean, and it boasts several miles of pristine beaches. The beaches are especially beautiful at night when the sun sets. There are also several public swimming areas along the ocean where people can swim or boat. Some of Cape Town’s most famous beaches include Robben Island Beach, Kalk Bay Beach and Fouries Run Beach. These beaches are lined with souvenir shops and restaurants where people can spend their days sunbathing and having fun in the water.

Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is a sandy stretch of shoreline on the Cape Peninsula with rocky outcrops and wild waves. Not so super for lounging on or swimming, but it makes for a wonderful coastal walk. The main draw is the colony of wild African penguins. We can find there penguins in all seasons. We can observe them while they are just standing, or waddle, then when they swim, they squawk at each other. And they are there in their hundreds, so it’s really the perfect spot to observe them. Amazing experience, don’t miss is this out!

Beach at Muizenberg

Muizenberg Beach is one of the most well-known beaches along the False Bay coastline. As you enter the area, you can’t miss the colourful beach hunts dotted along the sand. Muizenberg holds a high appeal due to its warm water and family-friendly atmosphere. Recently awarded Blue Flag Beach status, Muizenberg Beach is one of the most popular Cape Town beaches and offers excellent facilities. The adjacent Muizenberg Pavilion offers water slides, kiosks, a swimming pool, and putt-putt course.

Aquila Safari

A visit to South Africa wouldn’t be complete without a safari. Aquila is just under 2 hours from Cape Town and they organize any kind of tours you can just imagine. The 10 000 hectare conservancy is situated between the Langeberg and the Outeniqua Mountains in the Western Cape, and home to the majestic big 5 legends: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhino.

Game drives are offered on traditional safari vehicles, on horseback, or on quad bikes. Each of these offering their very own unique personal encounters with the wildlife at the reserve. Guests also have the opportunity to experience a fly-in safari by helicopter. The reserve has a large swimming pool with a poolside bar, serving cocktails and ice-cold beverages for socials around the 35m long crystal clear pool.

There are large dedicated dining areas and an African-style restaurant that serves local cuisine and traditional South African dessert. Furthermore, overnight visitors can relax in the dedicated mezzanine-level bar and lounge with magnificent reserve views.

The Cape Point

Cape Point is about 2.3 kilometres east and a little north of the Cape of Good Hope on the southwest corner. Although these two rocky capes are very well known, neither cape is actually the southernmost point of the mainland of Africa, that is Cape Agulhas, approximately 150 kilometres to the east-southeast.

Cape Point is claimed to be the place where the cold Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean and the warm Agulhas Current of the Indian Ocean collide. In fact, the meeting point fluctuates along the southern and southwestern Cape coast, usually occurring between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point. The two intermingling currents help to create the micro-climate of Cape Town and its environs.

The meeting point of the currents produces no obvious visual effect in colours, but there is a visible “line in the ocean” where strong and dangerous swells arise, as well as tides and currents around the point and in adjacent waters. These troubled seas have witnessed countless maritime disasters in the centuries since ships first sailed here.

Cape of Good Hope

A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, based on the misbelief that the Cape was the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. When following the western side of the African coastline from the equator, however, the Cape of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward. Thus, the first modern rounding of the cape in 1487 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was a milestone in the attempts by the Portuguese to establish direct trade relations with the Far East. Dias called the cape Cabo das Tormentas (“Cape of Storms”), which was the original name of the “Cape of Good Hope”.

Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas (Cape of the Needles”) is a rocky headland. It is the geographic southern tip of the African continent and the beginning of the dividing line between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans according to the International Hydrographic Organization. Historically, the cape has been known to sailors as a major hazard on the traditional clipper route. It is sometimes regarded as one of the great capes. It was most commonly known in English as Cape L’Agulhas until the 20th century. As the town of L’Agulhas is located near to the cape.

Robben Island

Robben Island is a South African National Heritage Site as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is approximately 6 kms west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (robben), hence the Dutch/Afrikaans name Robbeneiland, which translates to Seal(s) Island. Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 kilometres long north–south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.08 km². It is flat and only a few metres above sea level, as a result of an ancient erosion event. It was fortified and used as a prison from the late-seventeenth century until 1996, after the end of apartheid.

Political activist and lawyer Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on the island for 18 of the 27 years of his imprisonment before the fall of apartheid and introduction of full, multi-racial democracy. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was elected in 1994 as President of South Africa, becoming the country’s first black president and serving one term from 1994–1999. In addition, the majority of prisoners were detained here for political reasons.

Neighbourgoods Market

It is a very popular Saturday food market in Woodstock’s Biscuit Mill development, now home to dozens of independent businesses. It’s peak gentrification, but there’s no ignoring the quality of what’s on sale. The sheer variety of influences on South Africa’s cuisine is showcased at Neighbourgoods. Expect to snack your way through everything from biltong to Black Forest gâteau via fresh juices, coffee and craft beer.

Where to eat in Cape Town

Most restaurants in Cape Town are located near the city center or in popular areas like Camps Bay, Woodstock, and Strand Street. Cape Town has many culinary traditions deriving from its Dutch, French, and Indian heritage. One of the most famous dishes is mussels served with a choice of two sauces- buttery garlic or spicy tomato- based on local preference. Fish dishes are also common and extremely tasty here. Local fish include bream, calamari, prawns, and various types of snapper.

Codfather

If you are planning to eat out only once (very unlikely, but fits here) in Cape Town, it should be at the Codfather. They have an amazing extravaganza of fresh fish, delectable shellfish and delicious, innovative sushi. The freshness quality and variety is spectacular – prawns, oysters, langoustines and crayfish, tender falkland’s calamari and huge variety of the freshest linefish. Regardless it’s one of the most recommended places in Camps Bay, it’s (luckily) not in the front row – so don’t look for it among the other touristy places on the promenade, but one street upper.

Where to stay in Cape Town

Cape Town is home to a wide range of accommodations ranging from charming apartments to five-star hotels. You can find all the services that you need – the limit is the sky. One of our favourites was the charming Vineyard Hotel.

The Vineyard Hotel

This hotel is situated on the banks of the Liesbeek River in Newlands, Vineyard Hotel offers rooms with garden or Table Mountain views. It features a pool and is a 10-minute drive to the centre of Cape Town.

For other option, you can check the below map.

How to get to Cape Town

By plane

There are a large number of direct flights to Cape Town from national and international airports. You can check your options here and book it right away.

By car

You can pretty much walk and Uber your way around the city. Getting Ubers is so simple (unlike in other countries) and affordable. You can also hire a car and drive around. It’s easy enough, particularly if you’re from the UK, as it’s the same side of the road.

Best experiences in Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the most popular destinations in South Africa. It’s also one of the most populous cities in the country. Located on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town is a city with beautiful beaches, natural beauty and historical landmarks. Many people visit Cape Town to enjoy the city’s many attractions and to take in the city’s vibrant culture. Here you can choose from the most popular tours.

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