Things to Do In Cape Town

When you’re staying in a luxury guest house in Cape Town you have more freedom to experience what’s on offer around Cape Town. Cape Town and its surrounds have countless places of interest with some attractions being more well-known and some are slightly off the beaten track. Here visitors to the cosmopolitan Cape will enjoy the myriad of opportunities on offer. Here are some of the major attractions in and around Cape Town.

Table Mountain  
Table Mountain is one of South Africa’s greatest landmarks and towers 1,086m above the City of Cape Town. The iconic symbol of nature’s beauty has revolving cable cars, which transport visitors from the base to the summit and back. There is also numerous walking and hiking paths lead up and across Table Mountain. For the first time visitor, taking the cable car up Table Mountain is essential. From the top the views of the city and coastline are spectacular; there are also plenty of resting points and a restaurant, refreshment and curio shop.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
One of the Seven Magnificent Botanical Gardens of the world, Kirstenbosch covers over 528 hectares, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It is home to more than 8 500 indigenous plant species of Southern Africa. Kirstenbosch is best known for its proteas, picnics and the numerous hiking trails. Here visitors can pack a picnic basket or have a meal at the restaurant. There are many areas of interest for visitors, ranging from the herb garden, brail trail, ancient cycad arena, Kirstenbosch curio shop or the Botanical Society Bookshop. Kirstenbosch Gardens host the very popular Summer Sunset Concerts, where a variety of South African music is showcased every Sunday; it’s a family affair where you can enjoy an afternoon picnic accompanied by music within beautiful surroundings.

Camps Bay and Clifton hotspots
Cape Town has many wonderful beaches. Clifton is known internationally for its beautiful bikini girls and white sand. There are several paths leading down the cliffs to the four different beaches. First and Second beach are frequented by the who’s who social scene, whereas the other two beaches are more family orientated. Clifton offers La Med as a restaurant, bar and semi nightclub, here beachgoers can enjoy sundowners and pizza, right after stepping off the beach.

Camps Bay is the flagship of all beaches within Cape Town, there is so much to do when visiting this beach. Here beachgoers will enjoy the constant buzz while enjoying the safety of this Blue Flag beach. Deck chairs and umbrellas are available daily for hire. The long sandy beach is lined with palm trees, and is accessed directly from the road and is host to many hotspot street side cafes, restaurants and social bars; including the well known Caprice bar which offers the perfect cocktail list for your beach surroundings. Camps Bay is generally more family friendly as it is bigger and there is more space for games and sandcastles for children, and the young at heart.

Sunset Cruises
This is one of the most relaxing, enjoyable and romantic ways to view the picturesque Cape coastline and Atlantic Ocean, while passing some of the most pristine beaches in the cape like Clifton and Camps Bay, with the backdrop of Table Mountain behind you. A number of champagne sunset cruises are available, in Cape Town, each departing from various harbours and quays around Cape Town.

Cape Winelands
One of the most popular of all Cape Town attractions is the wine route. Wine lover or not, this is an absolute must for any visitor to the Cape, and a trip to a local wine farm for a picnic or to sample a fantastic range of local wines. All wines farms within the Western Cape consist of breathtaking vistas and majestic mountain backdrops while being steeped in rich culture and history. The winelands are divided into various different regions, each offering their own 'wine route'. The most popular and well-known are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Constantia and Durbanville.

Robben Island
Robben Island is found 12km of the Table Bay coast, and boasts much of the Cape’s cultural and historical background. Ferries sail daily from the V&A Waterfront jetty, taking visitors to the world Heritage Site. The entire trip lasts about 3½ hours, including the guided tours. Robben Island is a place synonymous with Nelson Mandela, and his struggle for freedom during the apartheid era. The Island was formally used as a prison and leper colony

Township Tours
Visitors on a township tour have the unique opportunity to meet the multi cultural people of Cape Town, often considered emotional; this tour showcases the daily living of South Africa majority population. Despite difficult circumstances and poor living conditions, you will experience the vibrancy and spirit of the South African people. Tours take place in either Langa or Khayelitsha, and include a visit to a township bar or “Shebeen”.

The V&A Waterfront
Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has become South Africa's most visited destination. Set against a backdrop of magnificent sea and mountain views within a working harbour, the shopping complex offers an upmarket shopping mall, arts and crafts markets, theatres, live music and entertainment. For shopping, dining and entertainment the V&A Waterfront is a hotspot for tourists and locals alike, offering over 250 shops ranging from designer boutiques to craft stalls, a host of restaurants and coffee shops and plenty of other activities, including boat rides, museums and the Two Oceans Aquarium fun activities for children. The V&A Waterfront is open daily, and there is plenty of parking available, this is worth a full day of enjoyment.

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