Cape Town

Cape Town travel guide overview

Cape Town sits between a flat-topped mountain and two oceans, offering beaches, vineyards, wildlife and one of Africa's most exciting food scenes. This Cape Town travel guide will help you plan the best time to visit, where to stay, how to get around safely and which day trips are essential.

Best time to visit Cape Town

October to April is the best time to visit Cape Town, with warm, dry days and long evenings. May to September is cooler and wetter, but the winelands are green and quieter, and hotel prices drop. Whale watching peaks from June to November.

Where to stay in Cape Town

Camps Bay and the V&A Waterfront are the most popular tourist bases, with ocean views and restaurants. City Bowl suburbs like Gardens and Tamboerskloof are close to Table Mountain and the city centre. Constantia and the Southern Suburbs are greener and family-friendly. For a beach holiday, look at Clifton and Camps Bay.

Top things to do in Cape Town

Take the Table Mountain cable car or hike up for panoramic views, drive the Chapman’s Peak route to Cape Point, visit Boulders Beach to see penguins and spend a day in the Stellenbosch or Franschhoek winelands. Add a township tour, a visit to Robben Island or a wildlife safari for a fuller picture.

• Book Table Mountain cable car tickets online and check the weather
• Start Cape Point and Boulders Beach early to beat crowds
• Reserve a wine-tasting lunch in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek
• Book Robben Island ferry tickets well in advance

What and where to eat in Cape Town

Cape Town is South Africa's culinary capital. Eat seafood by the water, try a Cape Malay curry in Bo-Kaap, and book one meal in the Constantia or city-centre wine scene. Braai, biltong and bobotie are South African classics worth seeking out. The Neighbourgoods Market is a great weekend brunch spot.

Getting around Cape Town

Hiring a car is the easiest way to explore the peninsula, winelands and Cape Point. Uber and Bolt work well in the city centre. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus is useful for tourists without a car. Public trains are limited and less reliable for visitors.

A simple 6-day Cape Town itinerary

Day 1: Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront. Day 2: Cape Point, Boulders Beach and Chapman's Peak. Day 3: Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine tasting. Day 4: Bo-Kaap, Company's Garden and a Cape Malay cooking class. Day 5: Robben Island and the beaches of Clifton or Camps Bay. Day 6: Kirstenbosch Gardens and a farewell seafood dinner.