Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back
Western Cape
Cape Town
Family
Entertainment
Attractions
Multiple experiences
Popular

CCape Town, South Africa's second-largest city, ranks among the most beautiful in the world. With its larger-than-life mountain overlooking the City Bowl, harbour, white beaches and Robben Island beyond, this is a tourist's playground. Two World Heritage Sites, the sprawling Winelands, untouched nature reserves, beautiful botanic gardens and a buzzing waterfront are just the start of your adventure when you visit this special city.

With a population of 3.7 million, Cape Town is South Africa’s second most populous city, a quintessential melting pot of creativity, cuisine and colour.

Its strategic geographic position at the tip of Africa has seen foreign visitors stopping off at the Cape since the 1400s, each contributing unique cultural influences that make up the fabric of modern-day Cape Town.

Did You Know?
CCape Town embraces the Cape Floral Kingdom, a renowned World Heritage Site. Even though it is the smallest of the world's floral kingdoms, it has great biodiversity.

AA cultural fusion of Malay, Dutch, French, Portuguese and African flavour is richly reflected in Cape Town’s stylish restaurant menus, where locally produced wines complement fresh seafood and spicy curry dishes.

Cape Town, Western Cape

Food
When to visit
How to get here

DDiscover wines at source in the famous Cape Winelands by taking a day tour on one of six wine routes, and explore the historically rich adjacent towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. If you’d prefer to tap into hops rather than grapes, a number of locally brewed craft beers are sold at pubs in and around the city.

An abundance of flora may be appreciated within the city environs, from the magnificence of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden to a World Heritage Site featuring more than 9000 fynbos (“fine bush”) species in the Table Mountain National Park. As the meeting point of many cultures, Cape Town is dotted with mosques, kramats, churches, synagogues and temples, while its architecture reveals examples of art deco, Cape Dutch and Malay engineering.

CCape Town’s beaches are just breathtaking and a huge drawcard during the hot summer (November to March) months, while winter surf conditions are more favourable for all surf-related disciplines – including extreme wave riding at Dungeons, off Hout Bay. The city’s leisure-loving lifestyle and mountainous backdrop have given rise to countless leisure pursuits: hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, abseiling, helicopter flips and skydiving, you name it and it can be done in this fun city.

Cape Town is also one of the world’s top 20 gay destinations, and boasts many gay-friendly clubs, pubs, restaurants and theatres. A top attractions itinerary for the Mother City ought to include a trip up the aerial cableway to the top of Table Mountain, a New7Wonder of Nature; a boat trip to Robben Island, where world-renowned humanitarian Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years; a tour of the Winelands in Durbanville or Stellenbosch; a sightseeing trip along Chapman’s Peak Drive; a relaxing afternoon at the V&A Waterfront; and a drive to Simon’s Town, where a breeding colony of African penguins lives on Boulders Beach. This world-class city is special and should be on your bucket list for sure. 

Who to contact
How to get there
Best time to visit
Around the area
Tours to do
Get around
What will it cost
Length of stay
What to pack
Where to stay

Related articles

  • Ronnies Sex Shop

    Ronnies Sex Shop
    Along Route 62, between Barrydale and Ladysmith is the world-famous Ronnies Sex Shop. It is one of the most popular pubs on the route and travellers on the road stop for refreshments and a photograph of themselves next to the ‘Ronnies Sex Shop’ sign.
  • Historical hiking on the Olifantsbos shipwreck trail

    Historical hiking on the Olifantsbos shipwreck trail
    There are various hikes on the Olifantsbos (also known as the Thomas T Tucker) shipwreck trail, situated in the Cape Point Nature Reserve, an area with more than 1 200 endemic plant species, as well as small game.
  • South African art galleries and museums

    South African art galleries and museums
    A plethora of art galleries and museums are invaluable resources for understanding South Africa’s history and cultural diversity. Custodians of the past, these institutions also track the present and offer insight into the future.
  • Rovos Rail

    Rovos Rail
    Rovos Rail is a train company that offers passengers a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Exploring South Africa by railroad doesn’t get fancier than this. Cross stunning expanses of countryside while sipping on champagne. Relax into a serene routine and channel Agatha Christie in the lap of luxury.
  • A French Affair in Franschhoek

    A French Affair in Franschhoek
    The Franschhoek Wine Route offers an array of innovative food and wine pairings. The town of Franschhoek has a rich Gallic heritage dating back to 1688 and refers to itself as ‘South Africa’s gourmet capital’.
  • A trip to the top of Table Mountain by cableway

    A trip to the top of Table Mountain by cableway
    Take the Table Mountain cableway to immerse yourself in the Cape Floral Region where nearly 1 500 species of plants can be found on the mountain alone.
  • Surfing competitions in South Africa

    Surfing competitions in South Africa
    South Africa hosts some of the world’s most festive surfing competitions, which attract some of the biggest names in the sport every year. More than 3 000km of coastline, beach breaks, reef breaks – and perfect weather conditions – make South Africa the perfect destination for surfers.
  • Pan African Market, Cape Town: craftmanship and art from across the continent

    Pan African Market, Cape Town: craftmanship and art from across the continent
    Located in a national monument in historic Long Street, Cape Town’s Pan African Market offers visitors to Western Cape an impressive display of African culture, craftsmanship and artistic talent.

South Africa on social media

Copyright © 2024 South African Tourism
|Terms and conditions|Disclaimer|Privacy policy