Table Mountain
Table Mountain is of course at the top of our list! It is no coincidence that Table Mountain was voted as 1 of the 11 natural wonders of the world in 2011! Table Mountain has always been one of the key attractions when talking about Cape Town!
How do I get to the top of Table Mountain?
Cable Car
The easiest way to get to the top of Table Mountain is via Cable Car. Since 1929 a staggering 24 million visitors have used the cable car to experience the spectacular views that Table Mountain has to offer. Travelling to the top takes about 5 minutes on board the cable car, which rotates 360 degrees while carrying its passengers to the top.
Should I take my own food and things to drink?
There is a self-service restaurant at the top that services cool drinks, pre-made sandwiches, cakes and many more treats to purchase.
Once at the top of the mountain, there are a few hiking routes for you to choose from. These routes travel all across the mountain with each having its own amazing views of the mother city.
Please be sure to contact the Cable Car service the morning you wish to make use of their service as they don’t operate the cableway in strong wind conditions.
Hiking
While the cableway is quicker and more convenient, you will have a much greater outdoor experience tackling one of the many hiking routes to the top of the mountain. While some of these hiking routes can be quite challenging, they are definitely worth it!
Hiking Tips:
Be sure to never hike alone. Be sure to stay in contact with someone and notify them of your progress up the mountain.
Make sure you have plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, waterproof clothing, and a mobile phone in case of emergencies.
Wear the correct shoes for hiking.
Be sure to pick a route best for your fitness level. It would be best to hike with someone familiar with the route.
Stay on the hiking path and differ from taking shortcuts.
If visibility is poor, don’t continue climbing. Find a spot that offers some sort of shelter.
The V&A Waterfront
“The V&A Waterfront is one the most visited destinations in Africa, and is situated in the oldest working harbour in the southern hemisphere, with the iconic Table Mountain as its backdrop and extensive views of the ocean, city bowl and mountain peaks.” – waterfront.co.za
While the V&A Waterfront is still technically a working harbour – you will still spot the odd fishing boat and container ships. The V&A Waterfront is more frequently visited as a shopping destination or as a fine dining experience. Covering 123 hectares, the V&A Waterfront is divided up into five shopping districts: Victoria Wharf, the Watershed, The Alfred Mall and Pierhead, The Clock Tower, and Breakwater Point. The V&A Waterfront has over 450 stores, selling everything from local designers to big international brands. For local crafts and handmade items, make sure you pop into the Watershed, and if it’s art or jewellery you’re after, head over to The Alfred Mall and Pierhead.
All that exploring is likely to work up an appetite, and the myriad restaurants, coffee shops and fast-food outlets will keep your stomach lines. Of course, some of the restaurants and bars are reason enough to visit the V&A Waterfront. The majority of the restaurants at the V&A Waterfront have excellent views of the harbour, and those that don’t – such as Willoughby & Co – make up for it with top-notch food. If you are after something a little more relaxed, head over to the V&A Food Market where you’ll find regional delicacies, artisanal bread and cheeses, craft beers, vegan treats, and biltong.
The V&A Waterfront is also home to Grand Café & Beach or the trendy Shimmy Beach Club, offering a unique sundowner experience and a great nightlife experience. Bascule Bar at the Cape Grace hotel offers a sophisticated whisky-tasting experience, and Belthezar on Victoria Wharf reputedly has the widest selection of wine by the glass in the world!
Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is situated near Simon’s Town and is known for its large penguin colony. This little piece of paradise is protected from the wind by huge granite boulders with beautiful rock pools. The beach is always clean and safe because it falls under the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. These are the reasons why this attraction attracts more than 60 000 visitors per year!
When is best to view the penguins?
The Cape town summer is prime to view the penguins. Between January and March, young juvenile penguins can be seen running around on the beach. If it’s pictures you after, the penguins are most active during the early hours of the morning and late afternoon.
Price:
There is a small conservation fee charged to access the beach. R76 for Adults and R41 for kids.
Private Yacht Trip
No trip to Cape Town is complete if you don’t do a luxury yacht cruise down the beautiful coast of Cape Town. Sport Motor yachts offer a luxurious motor yacht experience from 2-hour trips to a full day onboard the magnificent 45-foot Princess Sky motor yacht.
You can expect to see a wide variety of sea wildlife and breathtaking views of Cape Town while cruising down the coast to settle at one of many anchoring spots. Princess Sky’s friendly staff will ensure you are comfortable, fed and well looked after while onboard! The skipper also goes out of his way to show a few of the hidden gems that Cape Town has to offer.
Sport Motor Yachts has the following packages on offer, Sundowners, a Wine and Dine, Sea Safari, Half Day and Full day packages. Princess Sky has space for 2 – 12 passengers including staff. Perfect to spoil your work colleagues, friends and family.
All trips start from the Cape Grace marina in the V&A Waterfront. Booking spots are limited so be sure to book well in advance.
Contact details:
Website: sportmotoryachts.co.za
Tel: +27 21 419 5907
Mojo Market
“Mojo Market is an exciting 7-day-a-week food and lifestyle market in beautiful Sea Point! A great place to meet old friends and make some new ones too, come and find your mojo! From Live Music, Sport Screenings, 30 Food Stalls and an artisan Retail offering – to 4 bars, one of which boasts the widest selection of beverages on Tap in the Southern Hemisphere, we truly have something for everyone!” -mojomarket.co.za
The Mojo Market started trading on 27 April 2017. Since its opening, this hybrid urban street market has been sending excited ripples through the city’s foodie circles. Here’s why…
Mojo market hosts around 45 food, home and clothing stalls in a 2 000-square metre area – is a welcome addition, not just to the Cape’s ever-growing market ranks, but also to the Mother City scene, and particularly Sea Point. This market area is a stone’s throw away from some iconic Sea Point restaurants and cafés.
Owners Graeme Robinson and Robbie Lessem, who also own the Mojo Hotel, established the market to enhance their hotel guests’ experience – and they also wanted to offer Sea Point residents an interesting, diverse and fresh retail and leisure space. Which is exactly what this market is!
Visitors can look forward to amazing food and drink offerings. What got us really excited is The Mojo Coffee Collective, which showcases Cape Town’s best artisan coffee roasters.
Contact details:
30 Regent Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Tel: +27 64 776 8832
Cape Point
“Rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea and cutting deep into the ocean, provide a spectacular background for the park’s rich biodiversity. Cape Point falls within the southern section of Table Mountain National park. The natural vegetation of the areas – fynbos – comprises the smallest but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms.” – capepoint.co.za
Named the ‘Cape of Storms’ by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488; the ‘Point’ was treated with respect by sailors for centuries. By day, it was a navigational landmark and by night, and in fog, it was a menace beset by violent storms and dangerous rocks that over the centuries littered shipwrecks around the coastline.
In 1859 the first lighthouse was completed; it still stands at 238 metres above sea level on the highest section of the peak and is now used as the centralised monitoring point for all the lighthouses on the coast of South Africa. Access to this historical building is by an exhilarating three-minute ride in the wheelchair-accessible Flying Dutchman funicular that transfers visitors from the lower station at 127 metres above sea level to the upper station.
Cape Point is in the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve within Table Mountain National Park, which forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage Site. It includes the majestic Table Mountain chain, which stretches from Signal Hill to Cape Point, and the coastlines of the Cape Peninsula. This narrow stretch of land, dotted with beautiful valleys, bays and beaches, contains a mix of extraordinarily diverse and unique fauna and flora.
Cape Point can be accessed via hiking routes, but the best way to see it is from the sky! Be sure to check out our Cape Point Helicopter Trip to ensure the best Cape Point experience and view this amazing piece of nature from all angles!
Lion’s Head Hike
Situated next to the iconic Table Mountain and surrounded by the ocean like a sentinel, Lion’s Head is an iconic piece of the city’s wondrous topography. Sitting at 669 meters above sea level, Lion’s Head offers a panoramic view of the mother city, Table Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, making it a wildly popular destination for hiking enthusiasts and a #1 spot for Instagrammers.
Duration and Difficulty
This is a relatively short hike lasting around two to three hours, the Lion’s Head trail winds its way around the mountain, offering incredible views along the way.
The route is clearly marked, and most of it can be easily traversed by foot. The trail might be quite a steep climb from the parking lot, but don’t worry, it does get fairly easier as you make your way up the mountain. There is a little rock scrambling as you near the summit, but the only part of the trail that could be considered intimidating are the metal ladders and climbing chains required to ascend the rock face at one point. Thankfully, these can be skipped via a roundabout footpath.
It’s no wonder that the Lion’s Head trail is the most popular among the Cape’s many hikes: it’s relatively short, offers a great workout, and the views from the summit are well worth the trip.
Castle of Good Hope
Obviously, space will not allow us to delve into the rich, difficult history of this world-famous building. Safe to say that the story of his Castle of Good Hope is a story of our young country. It is a story of joy, pain, tears, laughter, disappointment, fear, hope – and all the other human emotions that characterize us as a nation…
Built between 1666 and 1679, the Castle is known as the oldest surviving building in South Africa and has been the centre of civilian, political and military life at the Cape since approximately 1679.
In its current state, the Castle arguably represents one of the best-preserved 17th-century DEIC architecture on the entire globe. The 2015 – 2016 renovation of the Castle – the first in 20 years – will further enhance its appeal and position it well to become South Africa’s next UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This historical building now houses, among others, the William Fehr Collection managed by Iziko Museums of South Africa, a permanent ceramic exhibition (FIRED) and the Castle Military Museum.
The Castle was, however, not the first fort to be built at the Cape. A quadrangular (four-pointed) fort was built after the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 where the Grand Parade and the main Post Office are situated today. This fort was completed towards the end of 1653 and its inner structures were in 1656. However, constant problems were experienced: The walls of the fort, which were constructed mainly of clay, collapsed and required constant repairs.
A model of this original fort can be seen in the Castle Military Museum.
Opening Times: 09:00 – 17:00
The castle is open 363 days a year and is closed 2 days (Christmas and New Year).
Situated on the corner of Castle and Darling Street, Cape Town
Contact details:
Tel: +27 21 787 1249
Camps Bay main road and beach
Camps Bay is the premier tourist destination in Cape Town, South Africa, and is magnificently located on the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Twelve Apostles mountain range and adjacent to Table Mountain.
Camps Bay is a suburb of Cape Town, with a village feel, offering a convenient location only 15 minutes drive to the city centre, 20 minutes from the V&A Waterfront, 30 minutes from the airport, 40 minutes from the Cape Winelands and 60 minutes from Cape Point. You can safely walk to the Camps Bay beachfront during the day and at night.
Camps Bay in Cape Town is well appointed with more than 20 restaurants, some internationally acclaimed and more than 20 accommodation establishments offering typical South African hospitality and spectacular views. With a multitude of activities and attractions on your doorstep, Camps Bay is an ideal location from which to explore Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City”.
Couples from around the world are choosing Cape Town as their fairytale wedding venue and Camps Bay is just the spot to make every wedding dream come true.
Camp Bay is a favourite wedding destination, and many romantic couples have given each other their vows on Camps Bay beach, in the Rotunda at the Bay Hotel, at a guest house in Camps Bay, or even on top of Table Mountain looking down onto Camps Bay.
Wine Farms
Cape Town is a favourite destination for wine connoisseurs from around the world, and some of the best and oldest wine farms in the region can be found right in the city’s backyard.
Cape Town and its surrounds is a world-renowned wine region, recognised internationally for its fine wines. While the Cape’s famed Winelands have spread to Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and beyond, it all began in Constantia, quite literally Cape Town’s backyard. With a wine-making tradition that spans more than 300 years, the Constantia Valley and its surrounds are the oldest wine-producing region in the Southern Hemisphere, its picturesque farms still producing world-class, award-winning wines.
Popular wine farm suburbs:
Durbanville
Paarl
Contantia
Franschhoek
Wine Tram Franchhoek
The Franschhoek Wine Tram is undoubtedly the best way to experience the Franschhoek Valley’s wine estates. It eliminates the need to drive and takes you to some of the valley’s most popular and scenic estates. They have now made it even easier to visit Franschhoek’s spectacular wine estates with a transfer from the V&A Waterfront with City Sightseeing.
The newly launched Franschhoek tour departs from the V&A Waterfront at 9 am. The bus is kitted out with air conditioning, free wifi, charging ports, comfy seats, and screens showing all the info you need about your Cape Town trip.
The drive takes around 45 minutes and takes you to the Drakenstein Station in Franschhoek where you can connect with the Wine Tram and begin your adventure. After your day exploring the Franschhoek Wine Route, hop back on the bus for your transfer back to the V&A Waterfront. No need to rent a car or arrange a private transfer.
The Franschhoek Wine Tram Route
Passengers who join Franschhoek Wine Tram via City Sightseeing will either experience the orange or purple routes which include estates like Allée Bleue, Solms Delta, Boschendal (Cellar Door), Plaisir de Merle, Vrede en Lust, Noble Hill, Babylonstoren and Backsberg. You can choose three estates to visit.
Tickets
Tickets are available from the City Sightseeing website and include transport to and from Franschhoek in a luxury air-conditioned coach, entry to the Franschhoek Wine Tram, and a complimentary wine tasting on board the wine tram. They exclude lunch or wine tastings at wine farms. Get your hands on a ticket for just R520 per person!
Contact details:
Website: winetram.co.za
Tel: +27 21 300 0338
Address: 32 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
Canal Walk
Canal Walk, Cape Town’s largest shopping centre, in the Century City precinct, is conveniently located on the N1, central to the CBD and surrounding suburbs. The centre has a wide selection with over 400 stores and thousands of the best local and international brands to choose from. Visit Canal Walk for the best fashion, retail, leisure and entertainment for the whole family, all under one roof.
While exploring Canal Walk, you’ll find a variety of eateries, from sit-down restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops, to takeaway outlets where you can either take a seat in our spacious Food Court or grab a bite on the go. These eateries vary across cuisines and there are both Halaal and vegetarian options.
If you are looking for the ultimate movie experience, then Nu Metro Canal Walk is where you want to book your next movie. The Scene Xtreme cinema boasts the biggest 3-storey-high screen in Cape Town, 4K ultra-high-definition projection and 360-degree sound to fully immerse yourself in the movie experience. If comfort and luxury are what you are looking for, then visit one of Nu Metro’s Scene VIP cinemas. It includes an exclusive VIP lounge and bar, fully reclinable plush spacious seating and service to your seat.
The Canal Walk shopping experience encompasses variety, convenience, entertainment, and leisure with easy access directly off the N1. There are more than 8000 parking bays both undercover and on rooftop levels with 12 conveniently located entrances into the centre.
Stay up-to-date with the latest in fashion, trends, events, competitions and movie releases by signing up for our newsletter. For kids events, entertainment, competitions and movie releases, join our kids club, Kids World.
Canal Walk. Have it all.
Contact details:
website: canalwalk.co.za
