Imagine looking out of your plane window and seeing huge stately mansions, the beautiful vastness of the ocean, imposing white cliffs, an iconic mountain range poking through the clouds and the sun glinting off the beach. Arriving in Cape Town makes that dream a reality.
This is Africa at its best. It’s easy to see why millions of people visit the South African city every year. Simply put, it has it all: beaches, gardens, mountains, harbors and waterfronts, wine lands, islands and wildlife.
6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Cape Town
1: You can visit one of the New 7 Wonders of the world
Cape Town has a lot to offer, and its highlight sights are spectacular. Let’s start with my favorite, Table Mountain. It’s the iconic mountain that looms over the city and harbor. It’s also one of the New 7 Wonders of the world.
Hiking Table Mountain is one of the best things you can do when visiting Cape Town. There are a few different routes, from one which is suitable for all fitness levels to some more daring and difficult climbs.
Then there’s also Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak, which offer harder climbs, but views that are just as impressive. From the peak, you’ll be able to see the entire city, the ocean, the famous cricket stadium, the royal gardens and more. And if hiking isn’t for you, you can get a cable car up and down, so you can soak up the views and save your energy.
2: There are beaches galore
If beaches are what you’re looking for, Cape Town has plenty. Your options include Clifton’s four beaches, Llandudno’s beach on the Atlantic seaboard, Fish Hoek’s swimming beach, and the beaches at Cape Point. Any of these beaches are bound to blow you away with their stunning landscapes, and they’re all perfect for lazy beach days.
Or if you’re feeling more adventurous, Cape Town’s beaches are perfect for water sports like jet skiing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding – you name it!
3: You can watch penguins lazing on the beach
It’s not just people that enjoy the beaches of Cape Town, it’s the local penguins too! Cape Town is home to the famous Boulders Beach. Why is it famous? Because 3,000 penguins live there. It’s a bit of a drive from the city centre, but it’s definitely worth it. Just think of the Instagram picture!
4: The city is packed full of sights and history
The V&A Waterfront is the tourist centre of the city, and for good reason. It’s the city’s hub of activity. It’s where you’ll find some of the city’s best cafes, restaurants and shops, as well as popular tourist attractions like the aquarium, boat trips, crazy golf and more.
The city also has a brilliant city bus tour route if you want to capture the sights in one go. Camps Bay, Sea Point, Hout Bay, Kirstenbosch and the Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront are all en route and each is definitely worth visiting.
Kirstenbosch is where you’ll find the impressive botanical gardens, and from here you take a boat to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. And if you’re feeling more daring, you could do a great white sharking diving trip instead… Warning – it’s not for the faint hearted!
5: The city is perfect for wine-lovers
Cape Town is one of the only cities in the world with a city wine route. If you’re a wine fan, this is not to be missed. Why wouldn’t you want to spend a day exploring the famous wine lands which produce bottles of wine sold all over the world?
There’s a day-long tour that takes you from vineyard to vineyard, allowing you to sample the different and diverse flavors of South African wine. It’s a long day, but worth every minute! And you might just go home feeling even jollier than when you started!
6: Wildlife is everywhere
Wildlife is everywhere in Cape Town. At various points in the city you can find seals, penguins, baboons, flamingos, rock hyraxes (which look like a weird mix between a squirrel and a rabbit), and lizards. And, if you head out on a boat, keep your eyes peeled for whales, sharks and a wide variety of exotic fish.
How to spend the perfect day in Cape Town
If you only had one day to spend in Cape Town, here is how I’d spend it. I’d start with an early hike up to the top of Table Mountain, before it gets too hot, take the cable car back down, enjoy the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, before heading to the Waterfront to watch the sun go down and sample the local food and wine.
Cape Town is a must for all travellers. Aside from its incredible beauty, there is so much to see and do. Whether you want to experience the wilderness of an African safari, spend your day drinking the famous wine, watch some cricket in the Sun, or build up an appetite by hiking the mountains, Cape Town can offer it.
I live in the UK, in the country’s most uneventful city, where the most interesting story in the local paper is about banning dressing gowns in supermarkets.
I travel and I write, because surely there are more interesting stories than that to write about and share.