AfricaPhoto by Casey Allen on Unsplash
Cape Town
Table Mountain cloud, Cape-vineyard reds, and penguin-dotted coves.
Why visit
01 / 10The case for going
Cape Town wraps a flat-topped mountain in two oceans, so a single day can run from a cable car above the clouds to a wine estate in Stellenbosch to a sundowner on a cold-Atlantic beach.
South of the city the Cape Peninsula trails past Boulders' penguins to the wind-scoured cliffs of the Cape of Good Hope.
What to do
02 / 10Ways to spend a day
Activities €80–180 total
- 01Ride the rotating cable car up Table Mountain. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 02Drive the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 03Watch the penguin colony waddle across Boulders Beach. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 04Taste your way through the Stellenbosch winelands. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 05Wander the botanical paths of Kirstenbosch. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 06Photograph the painted houses of the Bo-Kaap. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
Book activities & tickets
Table Mountain cloud, Cape-vineyard reds, and penguin-dotted coves.
Where to stay
03 / 10The right base
Accommodation €45–100/night
In Cape Town
City Bowl
central and walkable, cafes and galleries
Sea Point
the seafront promenade, sunset crowd, easy buses
Camps Bay
beachfront and pricey, see-and-be-seen
In Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch town
leafy wine-country base, walkable old centre
Find a place to stay
How to get there
04 / 10Easiest way in
How to get around
05 / 10Once you land
A rental car is the key to the peninsula and the winelands; MyCiti buses and Uber cover the city itself cheaply. In Franschhoek the hop-on wine tram loops the estates so nobody has to drive between tastings.
Get around
What to eat
06 / 10Order this
Food €20–40/day
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Braai
open-fire barbecue
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Bobotie
spiced baked mince
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Bunny chow
curry in a bread loaf
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Snoek
smoked line fish
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Koeksisters
syrup-soaked plaits
By the numbers
07 / 10Cards on the table
Safety index
60/100
General guide, not advisory data
Best seasons
Summer · Fall
When it's at its best
Stay for
5 days
The sweet spot
Daily spend
$$
Mid-range
How to fit in
08 / 10Read the room
Book Table Mountain for a clear, wind-free morning, the cable car closes when the tablecloth cloud rolls over the top. Locals chase the sun west for sundowners on Camps Bay or Clifton, and a winelands day is best with a driver so everyone can actually taste.
How to pack
09 / 10What goes in the bag
Best in Summer
Summer: warm dry days around 22 to 28C with strong sun and the gusty southeaster, the long Cape beach season.
- layers for fast-changing mountain weather
- a windproof shell for the southeaster
- a swimsuit for the cold-Atlantic beaches
- strong sunscreen and sunglasses
- broken-in shoes for the trails
How to prepare
10 / 10The boring bits
Three things worth sorting before you fly.
Tomorrow's detour
One place worth the trip.
Curated destinations, one a day.