Places to Visit in Cape Town

The most scenic landmark in South Africa, Table Mountain is a flat topped mountain overlooking the Cape Town city. Explore the valley and go hiking or trek among the woods and appreciate nature at its best. You may catch a cable car here to witness the beauty of the Cape Peninsula, which has huge botanical gardens consisting of the rare medicinal herbs and plants covering over 1250 metres of area.

Right to the east of Table mountain, lies the amazingly green Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Also a UNESCO world Heritage site, these botanical gardens are visited quite frequently all round the year. It is essentially a maze of gardens, the most popular ones being the Scented gardens, sculpture gardens and Company's garden.

Cape Point is one of the most spectacular parks in South Africa, located in the Southern section of the Table Mountains. It is the world’s smallest but richest floral kingdom with over 1100 indigenous plants. Cape Point contains beautiful beaches and peaks - Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. It is famous for its scenic views and birdwatching.

One of the Cape town's top tourist attractions, the V& A waterfront has a great history of ancient fishing activities on the harbour. Lying in the central hub of the city, this harbour has a lot many bars, restaurants, pubs attracting every traveller in the city. Victoria and Alfred is a beautiful harbour with the awesome view of the Table Mountain.

Boulders Penguin Colony, located on Boulders beach, is a nature reserve home to a colony of 3000 African penguins. It is the only place where you can see the penguins closely. The best time is during the breeding season, from March to May. A boardwalk winds around the Boulders beach, giving a clear view of the dunes and the penguins.

The Cape Wheel is a large observation wheel offering stunning 360-degree panoramic views of Cape Town and its surrounding landscape. Located on the V&A Waterfront, it rises to a height of 40m. There are 30 air-conditioned enclosed cabins and also two wheelchair-accessible cabins.

Lion’s Head is a peak in Cape Town located 669 metres above sea level between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. It is famous for its panoramic view of Cape Town and the mountain ranges around the city and the seaside. It is an 8-mile hike to the top and takes two to three hours. It is a relatively easy hike, and most of it can be covered on foot, with only a little rock climbing near the end.

Signal hill is just a couple of minutes away from the city centre. Climb up to the zenith and experience the glorious views of the entire capital with its stunning blue Atlantic Ocean, and table bay. The summit of the hill which is around three hundred and sixty metres high, offers a great opportunity for hikers and trekkers.

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art is the largest contemporary art museum in Africa. Located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, it showcases contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, in the world. Apart from its exhibits, the architecture of the museum is what attracts both tourists and locals.

Almost 6 kilometres away from the busy city centre, Clifton and the beaches of Camps Bay attract one and all. It is a pricey are with some of the most lavish real estate built along the spectacular white sand beaches, attracting locals and foreigners alike.

Two Oceans Aquarium, located at Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town houses over 8,000 creatures and more than 300 species. It is located at the place where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet, hence the name Two Oceans. You can experience an underwater forest at the tranquil Kelp Forest, which is the biggest attraction of this aquarium.

This wonderfully designed museum commemorates and educates the visitors about the people, culture and history of district six. It displays the age old lifestyle, antiquities and culture of the locals, who proudly reside in this area. A site where the locals were forced to move to during Apartheid times, the museum displays the conditions and the major events that led to the discrimination. 

Also called as Malay Quarter, Bo-Kaap is the colourful neighbourhood near the central city. Very ancient yet so bright, this area is characterised by the creatively painted and cobble stoned streets. The area looks like a festival in itself. 

One of the most fantastic roads in the world, the Chapman Peak's drive is quite an experience for the travellers. The convoluted road which stretches for around nine metres displays the most fascinating view of the blue ocean and the great mountain peaks. Chappies, as the natives call it, the drive makes up for a nice road trip taking you through around one hundred and fourteen curves and offering a thrilling experience. 

Hout Bay is a harbour neighbourhood in Cape Town. The biggest attraction here is a boat ride to Duiker Island (also called Seal island) to watch and photograph the seal colonies and kelp forests. For swimmers, an unforgettable experience is snorkeling with seals at Animal Ocean. Another attraction is Hout Bay Beach, where visitors can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and water sports.

Robben Island, often remembered as the place of banishment, is roughly two kilometres away from Cape town. It is this place where the social outcasts were forcefully sent by the rulers during the Apartheid times. Visitors come here to get educated about the difficult times and how the freedom fighter overcame them all.

Greenmarket Square is a historical square in Cape Town known for its lively market filled with stalls selling clothes, jewellery, food, and knick-knacks. Live music is a salient feature of Greenmarket Square, with free formal concerts and buskers and musicians playing on the streets throughout the day.

The Norval Foundation is a contemporary art museum and centre located in Steenberg, on the slopes of the Table Mountain. It exhibits 20th and 21st-century art by African artists. The building itself is spectacular. Along with the art gallery, it also features a library, a sculpture garden, an amphitheatre children’s playground, a picnic area and a restaurant.

The Afrikaans Language Monument was built to celebrate the history of the Afrikaans language. It is located in the picturesque region of Paarl in the Western Cape province. The uniquely constructed monument is famous for its convex and concave structures portraying the influence of different languages and cultures on Afrikaans through the decades.

The Iziko Museum of South Africa is a national museum located in the Company’s Garden in Cape Town. Its collections date back to thousands of years and include African archeology, paleontology and zoological artefacts. It has four levels and the exhibits vary from fossils, rock art, meteorites, marine animals and more.