How to Reach Cape Town
Cape Town International Airport (CPT) receives direct flights from Johannesburg, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Dubai, and several other major hubs. From the airport, the city center is about 20km. The MyCiTi bus runs to the city center; taxis and Uber are widely available.
Rent a car — Cape Town and the surrounding Cape Peninsula, Winelands, and Garden Route are best explored independently. Roads are excellent and driving standards are good.
Top Things to See & Do
1. Table Mountain
The flat-topped mountain that watches over Cape Town from every angle is the city's defining symbol. Take the rotating cable car to the summit for 360-degree views stretching to the Winelands and both oceans. On clear days, the view is simply overwhelming.
2. Cape Point & the Cape Peninsula
The dramatic drive along the Cape Peninsula passes through Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak, and Boulders Beach — where thousands of African penguins waddle and swim in remarkable proximity. Cape Point itself, where the Atlantic swells crash against sheer cliffs, feels genuinely like the end of the world.
3. Robben Island
The island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. The ferry crossing and guided tour — often led by former political prisoners — is a profoundly moving and essential experience for anyone visiting Cape Town.
4. The Cape Winelands
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl — just an hour from Cape Town — produce some of the finest wines in the world, set among mountain valleys of extraordinary beauty. Wine tasting at a Cape Dutch estate surrounded by mountains is one of travel's great pleasures.
5. Bo-Kaap
The historically Muslim Cape Malay neighborhood of brightly painted houses tumbling down Signal Hill is one of Cape Town's most distinctive and photogenic neighborhoods. The spiced aromas of Cape Malay cooking drift from kitchen windows.
What to Eat in Cape Town
- Braai — South African barbecue, the national pastime, with boerewors sausage and sosaties
- Cape Malay curry — fragrant, sweet-spiced curry unique to the Cape
- Bobotie — South Africa's national dish, a spiced minced meat bake with egg custard topping
- Biltong — air-dried spiced meat, the South African answer to jerky
- Seafood — crayfish, snoek, and oysters from the cold Atlantic waters
Best Time to Visit
November to April is Cape Town's summer — warm, sunny, and ideal for beaches and outdoor activities. The Cape Winelands harvest in February and March is spectacular. Winter (June–August) brings cooler, wetter weather but is excellent whale-watching season.
