The 12 Best Things to See and Do in Cape Town

In this article we tell you 12 things to do within Cape Town, but the city is in a strategic point to visit the Cape Peninsula on a 1-day route and South African Winelands, two areas that cannot be missed on your trip to South Africa, that is why we have dedicated specific articles to each of them.

Table Mountain presides over Cape Town, giving a very curious appearance to the city that is surrounded by this curious mountain range. Definitely, Table Mountain is the most recognizable icon of the city and it even appears on their flag.

It stands out for its unique shape, with vertical walls of More than 1000 meters and a practically flat summit 3 kilometers long that gives it the shape of a table. Apart from its shape, it is also famous because it is estimated that there are about 2200 different species of plants that are only found here.

If you want to go to the top of Table Mountain you can use the cable car, a great experience thanks to the panoramic views during the trip. The cabins are spacious and rotate slowly so you can enjoy the entire landscape until you make a complete turn. The journey is quick, it takes about 5 minutes. that go by very quickly thanks to the views. The round trip price by cable car in the morning costs 420 rand, about 20 euros, and from midday it costs 360. If you have the Wild Card, you get a 20% discount if you buy the tickets at the ticket office.

To get to the cable car station you can use Uber or go by private car and you can parkcar on the sides of the cargate that provides access to the station. 

I recommend you check the weather and see if you see clouds at the top before going because it is common for there to be fog above due to a common atmospheric phenomenon in the area. Also you should bring something warm because it is usually windy and it is still a mountain. 

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If you like hiking you can climb to the top on foot. There are different trails and the average duration for the climb is 4 to 5 hours.

This is the little sister of Table Mountain and is known for offering Stunning panoramic views of Cape Town, the Atlantic coast and Table Mountain. It is especially popular at sunset, since it has a privileged location to observe the sunset over the ocean. The trail is accessible to anyone who is used to walking.

Stroll through the old port converted into a city entertainment area. At the Waterfront you can find street performances, live music, lots of shops, some good restaurants with terraces and you can even see sea lions resting on some of the piers. 

If you like art you should know that The Museum of Contemporary Art is located here from Africa Zeitz.

This small island off Cape Town would not attract anyone's interest if it were not for the dark history and bad reputation it has earned over several centuries. Is about an island that was used as a prison for 200 years, the South African Alcatraz. 

It gained popularity during Apartheid when it was used to isolate political prisoners. The most famous prisoner during those decades was Nelson Mandela, who was on this island for 18 of the 27 years he spent in prison. 

Today this island has been converted into a museum to remember its dark and not so distant past. It is visited on a tour with the ferries that leave from the Waterfront itself. In many cases the guides are former Robben Island convicts.

Walk down Long Street, famous for its good atmosphere and for the great gastronomic offer that exists along the entire street. 

then visit Greenmarket Square, the place where the old town hall was located and which initially housed a local farmers' market but over time it became a point for buying and selling slaves.

Today it houses an African crafts market with vendors from many neighboring countries. Is a good place to buy some souvenirs hand made.

I also recommend visiting the very classic style town hall located in front of a large square. On one of its balconies there is a statue of Nelson Mandela in memory of his first speech after leaving prison. 

Very close to the town hall you can visit the Castle of Good Hope, which houses a military museum. I also recommend visiting the District Six museum, which shows the city's tragic Apartheid past.

These beautiful gardens are located in the center. Walk among ancient trees, enjoy the tranquility of the park and look for one of its albino squirrels. There are at least 5 different ones running around the park. 

The gardens are completely surrounded by buildings of great importance. in Cape Town such as St. George's Cathedral, the South African Parliament, the National Library, the Iziko museum, the Holocaust museum, the slavery museum and the High Court of Justice, which has two benches at its door, one reserved for whites and another for blacks. 

As you can see, taking a walk through these gardens and surroundings means taking a walk through the most important area at an institutional and historical level of the city.

This colorful and steep neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city. Although Today it is known for its brightly painted houses and some art galleries the historical origin is, as in many other places in South Africa, somewhat murky.

This is the first Muslim neighborhood in Cape Town, It originated due to the large number of Muslim slaves that the Dutch colonizers brought from other colonies such as Indonesia or Malaysia. As at that time the colonizers were very Catholic, they preferred to use slaves who were of another religion, so the black slaves, who in many cases were Christians, were sent to other areas of the world such as the Caribbean.

Today the Bo-Kaap neighborhood It is home mainly to the Malay community, it is not unusual to hear the call to prayer through its streets. An interesting place to see in Cape Town and it won't take you more than an hour.

Cape Town Botanical Garden It is the most important in the entire continent. It has an infinite variety of plants of all kinds and is located in a perfect place with views of Table Mountain to isolate yourself from the city for a few hours. 

Entry to the Botanical Garden costs 220 rand per person, about 10 euros.

During the week you can take free tours that start at 10 a.m. and 14 p.m. and tour the garden for an hour and a half. 

Woodstock is the trendy neighborhood of the moment and is known for its street art, art galleries, cafes and the famous Neighborgoods market, also known as The Old Biscuit Mill because it is located in an old cookie factory. This market stands out for a varied gastronomic offer from all over the world. It is open every day of the week until 4 in the afternoon and it is a great option to stop for a walk and eat something.

A beach plan couldn't be missing This list features the 12 best things to do in Cape Town. All along the coast you can find huge beaches with a fairly rough sea, perfect for practicing [sport/sport/etc.].car Surfing. Just outside Cape Town is Camps Bay, a very fashionable beach thanks to its boardwalk full of restaurants and hotels with views and it is a very common beach plan among locals. Also on this beach there is a tidal-pool, it is an artificial pool that fills thanks to the tides.

The beach faces west, therefore It is perfect for an afternoon plan and take advantage of watching the sunset from the sand. Then you can have dinner at the restaurants in the area.

This farmers market is much more upmarket than you might think from the name, It seems like you are in any fashion market in some European city.. Here you can find a wide variety of fresh products, organic foods, local crafts and many food stalls that offer things so delicious that you won't know which one to choose.

The entrance to the Oranjezicht market is free and opens Saturdays and Sundays until mid-afternoon.

I hope I've helped you plan.car Your days in South Africa are already spent choosing what to do in Cape Town. To continue organizing your itinerary, you can read our guides for travel to south africa. 

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