Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a slight European feel. I spent a week in Cape Town July in 2023 and quickly fell in love with it. The kinetic energy of its people, the gorgeous views all around and the amazing dining options made our stay there one of my top favourite city vacations. With a favourable exchange rate your money goes a long way here!
Where to stay:
The Victoria & Alfred Hotel, a four star hotel in the heart of the V&A waterfront, is a great choice in accommodations. Some rooms have striking views of Table Mountain. You cannot ask for a better location and the restaurant in the hotel is a great choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Protea by Marriott Waterfront Breakwater Lodge is a three star hotel an more budget friendly located in the V&A Waterfront. The great reviews of this hotel make is a superior choice. An onsite restaurant provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fun fact! The hotel was built in 1859 as a British prison!
Another great option is to rent a condo/apartment in the area. Having more space, especially dealing with jet lag, helped my husband and I when one was sleeping and the other was awake at odd or not so odd hours. There are plenty to choose from in secure locations.
What to do: A week in Cape Town was not enough! We booked a few tours with Beyond Africa Safaris, and we were thrilled with our experiences. They have excellent customer service and excellent guides. I would highly recommend this company. We chose to do some tours to save us some time and to learn more about the area from a local.
Boulders Beach was fun to watch African penguins. A stop at Cape of Good Hope is visually stunning.
We spent a long time at Boulders Beach watching the penguins! Tour provided by Beyond Africa Safaris
2. Taking the funicular at Cape Point to have some of the most fantastic ocean views that is definitely on the hit list, but be careful of wild baboons. One came quite close to us looking to steal a purse (which I was told to keep in the car). A baboon did steal someone else’s purse . I need to admit that watching the baboons was my favourite part during this tour!
Watching this mama baboon and her baby was so fun! Tour provided by Beyond Arica Safaris.
3. Table Mountain where the best views of Cape Town can be seen is a must do. Book the aerial cableway early in your stay as the tram may be closed due to inclement weather and it can give you an opportunity to rebook.
View of Table Mountain from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
4. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, the Cape Winelands was my personal favourite. Beyond Africa Safaris teamed us up with the most amazing guide, Rueben, and there was only one other couple on the tour. We visited many vineyards, drank A LOT of delicious wines and even did pairings with chocolate and biltong (cured local meats such as springbok, kudu, and venison.) And if you are lucky enough, you may even get to see a REALLY big goat!
Too much wine at this point that I forgot to note which vineyard this was! Tour was provided by Beyond Africa Tours
5. Two Ocean’s Aquarium is right in the centre of the V&A Waterfront. You can book a penguin experience that includes your entrance into the museum. Go behind the scenes to see how they care for the penguins and get opportunity to snuggle with a rescued Rockhopper penguin!
6. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for 18 of his 27 years in prison, is now a popular tourist destination as well as a World Heritage Site. Many of the guides here are former prisoners. Book this early in your stay as inclement weather can be a factor. In fact both dates we had this booked for had to be cancelled so we missed it altogether. A huge disappointment! But we can’t fight with Mother Nature!
7. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront - With Table Mountain as the backdrop, the V&A Waterfront is a multi-use destination right on the ocean. This entertainment hub is full of quaint shops, restaurants and attractions that can keep you busy all day and night.
8. Bo-Kaap - This multicultural area of town is known for its brightly coloured homes and cobblestone streets. It is nice to walk around the oldest surviving neighbourhood in Capetown to see the largest amount of pre-1850 architecture in South Africa.
9. Chapman’s Peak Drive - Affectionately known as « Chappies » this 9 kilometre winding road on the Atlantic Coast’s southwestern tip is one of the world’s most scenic drives. There are numerous areas to pull over and enjoy the breathtaking views and for amazing photo opportunities.
10. Cape Town Diamond Museum - Learn, experience and discover the history of diamonds and their significance to South Africa. You will have the opportunity to see how diamonds are mined to the final product of beautiful jewelry. Buyer beware! This museum tour ends in a very luxurious jewelry store!
Places to eat.
Here are some of the favourite places we ate. They are all in the V&A Waterfront.
Den Anker
Ginja (best avocado toast ever!)
Dash Restaurant
La Parada
The Waterside
I would love for you to join my mailing list! Once a week my article will be sent directly to your inbox!
If you missed my article on Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii, click on it below!