10 Best Reasons To Visit Cape Town In South Africa

The charming city of Cape Town, South Africa, is perched on the coastline of the Western Cape, backed by the iconic Table Mountain and facing Table Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, this lovely city has something to offer everyone in the way of an exciting and enjoyable vacation. Read on to find out the 10 best reasons to visit Cape Town, South Africa.

1. Table Mountain, Cape Town

The spectacular, flat-topped Table Mountain hugs the city and stars in many postcard-perfect images. However, visitors don’t just have to gaze at the mountain from its ground level. A regular cable car system whisks visitors up to the top, where they can explore the Table Mountain National Park.

Naturally, the top of the mountain offers spectacular, sweeping views over the city of Cape Town. It is possible to also gaze across Table Bay to Robben Island, Nelson Mandela‘s former prison (see 9 below).

2. V&A Waterfront

Cape Town is a port city and a while back, the city’s harbor was converted into the popular V&A Waterfront. Here, visitors can enjoy sailing trips out into Table Bay, or enjoy a good meal or drink at the many restaurants and bars.

On top of this, the V&A Waterfront offers a great retail therapy experience in the sprawling shopping mall. It can also offer a great view of marine life in the local Two Oceans aquarium, below.

3. Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town

In the heart of the V&A Waterfront, the Two Oceans Aquarium offers several exhibition galleries with large viewing windows. The aquarium showcases the marine life of South Africa’s two oceans, the Atlantic Sea and the Indian Ocean. Of note among the man species are sharks, compass jellyfish, Knysna seahorses, anemonefish, moray eels, Japanese spider crabs and Atlantic horseshoe crabs.

Besides the window-lined walk-through galleries, the aquarium also features the I&J Children’s Play Center, with lots of activities for the kids. Meanwhile, the Predator Exhibit and shark tunnel features ragged-tooth sharks and more.

4. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

The beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens lie the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Forming part of the famous Cape Floristic Region, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gardens were first established in 1913 to preserve South Africa’s indigenous flora.

Nowadays, visitors can explore more than 20,000 native plant species in the nature reserve. Meanwhile, the flowers, fynbos, indigenous forests and shrubs are arranged to ensure a colorful display throughout the year.

5. Beaches of Cape Town

Gorgeous beaches line the coast on either side of the city of Cape Town. Visitors can choose from beaches like Milnerton and Bloubergstrand to get that perfect picture-postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay. Meanwhile, windy Blouberg is particularly popular for surfers and kitesurfers.

Alternatively, the Atlantic Seaboard offers some of the best stretches of sand in the small towns of Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno. Meanwhile, Camps Bay is where the elite and moneyed prefer to holiday on the beach in Cape Town. For gorgeous scenery, the curve of the bay is hugged by the Twelve Apostle mountains.

6. Shopping in Cape Town

For those who need retail therapy, Cape Town offers a varied shopping experience. For a classic shopping mall, head to the Victoria Wharf shopping center mentioned above. However, for those looking for local arts and crafts and genuine souvenirs, Greenmarket Square (pictured above) in the center of the city is the place to be.

Naturally, the city center offers a range of shops from fashion to food and more. However, of particular interest is Long Street in the city center. The street is renowned as a bohemian hang out and is lined with many bookstores, various ethnic restaurants and bars. One of these is the iconic Mama Africa, pictured above.

7. Visit the Cape Winelands

Heading out around 40 km (25 mi) out of the city, the Cape Winelands is a series of historic towns and Cape Dutch homesteads. Here, a number of wineries produce and sell excellent South African wines. The vineyards are set among the mountains, giving a beautifully scenic backdrop to the vines.

Visit a local vineyard to enjoy a delicious meal washed down with the best wines. Meanwhile, the quaint and historic towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Tulbagh, and Wellington offer great restaurants and shops, set in beautiful Cape Dutch buildings. The Cape Winelands are perfect for a day trip from Cape Town, or to stop over in one of the many quaint bed & breakfasts.

8. Stroll the colorful Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap is the original Malay Quarter of Cape Town and lies on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city. This former racially segregated area features homes of many colors and is a historical center of the Cape Malay culture in the city.

Originally, all the houses were painted white, but the colors of Bo-Kaap are said to be linked to Ramadan and the celebration of Eid. Here you can stroll the colorful streets, stop off at a restaurant for a delicious Cape Malay curry or even stay over in a bed & breakfast.

9. Visit Robben Island

For almost 400 years, Robben Island in Table Bay was a brutal prison. In fact, this is where South African President Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life in a tiny cell. What probably made the prison even worse was the glorious view of Table Mountain and Cape Town from the island (pictured above).

These days, Robben Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see for visitors interested in South Africa’s controversial history. You can start off your tour in the museum at the Nelson Mandela Gateway in the V&A Waterfront. After that, you board a boat that takes around 30 minutes to reach the island. There you can visit Mandela’s former cell and hear the stories of actual former prisoners of the island.

10. Cruise Chapman’s Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive starts around 25 km (15.5 mi) from Cape Town’s city center. It is known to be one of the most spectacular driving routes in the world. Meanwhile, the road is cut into the sheer rock face of Chapman’s Peak and heads for around 9 km (6 mi) from Noordhoek to Hout Bay.

One of the best times to drive the route is at sunset, where you can park and enjoy the glorious sky. If you are lucky, you can also watch dolphins and Southern Right whales frolicking in the ocean below. Of interest to note, Chapman’s Peak Drive is also the setting for the annual Cape Argus Cycle Race and the Two Oceans Marathon.

Enjoy all these options and many more on a vacation in Cape Town in South Africa this year.

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