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I am very blessed and privileged to live in a small sea side resort called Hermanus which is near Cape Town and many of my international friends have asked me about Cape Town and what it has to offer as a holiday destination.
My Answer – “EVERYTHING” you can think of and relatively cheap compared to other similar destinations.
I have covered an overview of Cape Town and what it has to offer in this Blog post, but I have much more detail in the Lifestyles Portal on my website.
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Cape Town – the best holiday destination in Africa
This post is to help anyone who is considering visiting Cape Town on holiday or business for that matter to get a basic understanding of how to get to Cape Town, where to stay, where to eat, what to do and some MUST see attractions while in Cape Town. .
Cape Town has something to offer everyone with it’s coming-together of cultures, cuisines and landscapes, there’s nowhere quite like Cape Town, a singularly beautiful city crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park.
- Beaches
- Viewpoints
- Free Stuff
- Parks & Gardens
- Art Collections
- Historical Insights
- Hidden Gems
- The Luxe Life
Cape Town has a huge diversity of things to do which include the following:
- Table Mountain aerial cable way
- Outdoor Activities
- Cape Point Nature Reserve
- Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens
- Dolphin and Whale watching
- Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
- Golf
- Night Life – Clubs and Bars and Shows
- Wine Estate Tours and Wine Tasting
- Day Trips
- Robben Island
- Water Sports
- Historical and Heritage Tours
- Food Tours
These are just some of the more popular things to do but the travel guides below will provide many more hidden gems for you to experience.
Cape Town is the Premier Food Destination in Africa.
Cape Town was recently named the best food city in the world by Conde Nast Traveler and for good reason. It is undoubtedly the gourmet capital of Africa.
You will find a wide range of choices from the top restaurants like The Test Kitchen which ranks in the top 50 restaurants in the world, to Jamie Olivers Italian restaurant, to Mzoli’s in Gugulethu and everything in between, catering for every taste, including Italian, Spanish Moroccan, African, French, Portuguese, English and Irish. There also many clubs, cafe’s, bistro,s and bars that serve great food.
Cape Town Tours – here are some great tours I recommend.
You may think you’re a fear-defying thrill lover, but can you handle the ultimate heart-pounding experience? Find out in Cape Town by cage diving with great white sharks. This full-day shark-diving experience takes you out into the open ocean off the shore of Gansbaai and puts you within touching distance of one of the world’s most feared predators. Before jumping in, you’ll learn about the sharks from the on-board marine biologist and expert guides. Breakfast, snacks and hotel-pick up and drop off are included.
Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a lover of natural beauty you’ll be swept away on this wine tour to the famous Stellenbosch and Paarl Valley wineries. Combining historic villages, stunning scenery and fabulous wines, this day trip will have your senses working overtime!
· Cape Town Townships including Robben Island Tour.
Experience a thought-provoking guided tour of cape Town and Robben island, where the late Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years.
Location and unique flora combine to make these 52,800-sq-km botanical gardens among the most beautiful in the world. The main entrance at the Newlands end of the gardens is where you’ll find the information centre, an excellent souvenir shop and the conservatory.
The largely black townships of Cape Flats may seem unlikely candidates as tourist destinations, but visiting might well be one of the most illuminating and life-affirming things you do while in Cape Town. North of the city centre are Milnerton, Table View and Bloubergstrand, all blessed with excellent beaches and spectacular views of Table Mountain.
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- get your fingers sticky eating delicious barbecued meats at Mzoli’s in Gugulethu or Nomzamo in Langa
- maps
- learn about the tragedies of South Africa’s past and its hopes for the future on a township tour, or stay at a township B&B
- transport
- sip your way around a dozen wineries on the Durbanville Wine Route
- restaurants & bars
With this Cape Town Super Saver you’ll get two best-selling tours at one discounted price. Combine Cape Point with a Stellenbosch wine tour. You’ll experience the Cape’s highlights in one day and mix relaxing sightseeing with a little wine tasting for the perfect day out.
This fantastic combination tour offers the highlights of Cape Point and the Cape Winelands.
Travel Guides – here are a few Travel Guides that I recommend.
Cape Town is a great place for families, since there are so many entertaining attractions to choose from here. Even better, these family-friendly sights will appeal as much to grown-ups as they do to kids.
- Cape Town Travelers Guide -By Arborantis (Free)
I was with 2 friends to Cape Town to visit their most important sights in a few days. We stayed at Victoria and Alfred Waterfront Hotel, a very nice hotel at the Waterfront tourist area. At the Waterfront were plenty of restaurants with delicious food to reasonable prices. We liked Cap Town very much and the people were friendly. By Arborantics
- Seeing Cape Town with the Welshman– Peter T (Free)
Cape Town is an amazing city and a tourism favourite obviously. I try as a resident here for over 12 years to help find some more out of the way spots, clubs and pubs that the average traveller may miss on the normal routes
Table Mountain is Cape Town’s star attraction, but South Africa’s brightest diamond of a city is also blessed with beautiful beaches, bountiful vineyards and a rainbow array of people, cultures and design.
Lonely Planet will get you to the heart of Cape Town & the Garden Route, with amazing travel experiences and the best planning advice:
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- inspirational images, author recommendations, city walks and the best of local knowledge
- planning features and top itineraries to help you plan the perfect trip
- local secrets and hidden travel gems that will make your trip unique
- plus a Table Mountain feature, wineries guide, Garden Route tour and arts & architecture
Coverage includes: Planning chapters, City Bowl, Foreshore, Bo-Kaap & De Waterkant, East City, District Six, Woodstock & Observatory, Gardens & Surrounds, Green Point & Waterfront, Sea Point to Hout Bay, Southern Suburbs, Simons Town & Southern Peninsula, Cape Flats & Northern Suburbs, Day Trips & Wineries, the Garden Route, Sleeping, Understand and Survival guide chapters.
This chapter contains the Cape Town Today, History, People & Culture, Architecture, Arts, the Natural Environment, Wine, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Cape Town & the Garden Route guidebook.
All the info you need on everything from history, wine, culture and the arts to public transport, climate, money, the internet… you name it. Get tips for women travellers and travellers with disabilities, as well as a handy language guide and glossary.
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- a rundown on the areas wine industry
- information on the natural environment of Cape Town
- full coverage of architecture from Cape Dutch Colonial to township shanties
- details on history, people and cultural events
Coverage includes: Cape Town Today, History, People & Culture, Architecture, Arts, the Natural Environment, Wine, Directory A–Z, Transport, and Language.
I hope this overview has been helpful and enabled you to start planning your trip to Cape Town. For more detail visit the Lifestyles Portal on my site.
Wishing you all the very best and a safe and enjoyable trip.
Take care with love and caring.
