South Africa

Next to Kruger National Park, Cape Town is the biggest attraction in South Africa, home to beautiful views, natural wonders and colorful culture. We selected the best things to do and see around Cape Town including the main attractions and some less-visited gems.

_{Table Mountain, Photograph: Thomas Bennie/Unsplash}

Spend Some Time in Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world with the magnificent Table Mountain in the middle. This also means that it is one of the most touristy places in Africa, but this shouldn't discourage anyone craving for a more authentic experience, it is a place for natural wonders, cultural fusion, and exciting art and design.

_{Beutiful view over Cape Town, Photograph: Tim Johnson/Unsplash}

Visit V&A Waterfront, situated in the oldest harbor in Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background, attracting tens of millions of local and international visitors making it one of the most visited landmarks of Africa. The attractions include helicopter and boat rides, the Cape Wheel, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Africa, the Two Oceans Aquarium, over 500 retail stores, and more than 80 eateries with flavors varying from local to diverse international for all budgets.

_{V&A Waterfront, Photograph: Matthias Mullie/Unsplash}

To enjoy nature inside Cape Town visit the Kirstenbosch botanical garden at the slopes of the Table Mountain and walk through the Tree Canopy Walkway, which is an excellent spot for bird-watching. There are two great options for hiking, Table Mountain and Lions Head. Table Mountain is on everyone's top list when considering a trip to Cape Town, it is possible to reach the top by Cable Car, but is also worth the hike for visitors with some extra time. Lion's Head is popular amongst locals and travelers alike, as it provides magnificent views over the city. The best time for the hike is to catch the sunrise or sunset.

_{Cape Town with Table Mountain and Lions Head in the back, Photograph: Zoe Reeve/Unsplash}

To get a glimpse into the different cultures of Cape Town visit Bo Kaap, a multicultural neighborhood formerly called as the Malay Quarter, known for its brightly colored homes and cobble-stoned streets. Other not-to-miss experiences are the Neighbourgoods Market, a popular Saturday food market, the Woodstock street art, and Long Street where you can find a mixture of modern and traditional options for shopping, drinking and eating. To learn more about the history, visit Robben Island, today a UNESCO World Heritage site, where Nelson Mandela served most of his 27-year-long prison sentence.

_{Bo Kaap, a colorful neighborhood, Photograph: Devon Janse van Rensburg/Unsplash}

See African Penguins at Boulders Beach

Located at Simon's Town, a suburb of Cape Town, Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach lying between granite boulders, hence the name. It is possible to swim at the beach, but the main attractions are the large numbers of African penguins, that settled here in the '80s. African penguins are also known as Cape Penguins or South African Penguins, and they can only be found in Namibia and South Africa. Unfortunately, their numbers are declining, so today they are endangered and protected by the Cape Nature Conservation.

_{Penguin Love, Photograph: Pam Ivey/Unsplash}

Do the Chapman's Peak Drive

The Chapman's Peak Drive, often refferd to as "Chappies" is a coastal cliffside, one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. The drive starts at Hout Bay, climbs up to Chapman's Peak and ends at Nordhooek providing magnificent viewpoints along the road with stalls selling souvenirs and local art for the travelers. Keep in mind that if you want to do the drive you have to pay a toll!

_{View while driving around the Cape Peninsula, Photograph: Eszter Kisgyura/Localme}

Visit Colorful Port Towns

Kalk Bay

Kalk Bay is a fishing village, now a suburb of Greater Cape Town, known for its artistic atmosphere. It is easy to spend a full day here by walking around, enjoying the stunning views, admiring the architecture, visiting art galleries and shops selling arts and crafts, chatting with the local artists, and finally enjoying fresh seafood dishes at one of the many restaurants and cafés.

_{A seal sits on the dock next to the water, basking in the morning sun at Kalk Bay Harbour, Photograph: Anika Mikkelson/Unsplash}

Hout Bay

Hout Bay is another interesting former fishing village that became a suburb of Cape Town, but still managed to keep its old rural harbor vibe. There are not as many attractions here as in Kalk Bay, but the atmoshpeher is very unique and the scenery is beautiful, which makes it a popular gateway from the city center.

_{Boats at Hout Bay, Photograph: Eszter Kisgyura/Localme}

Visit the Cape of Good Hope

_{Cape of Good Hope, Photograph: Victor Smits/Unsplash}

The Cape of Good Hope is one of the most famous attractions around Cape Town. Based on a misconception it is often considered as the southernmost part of Africa, instead of Cape Agulhas, where indeed the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean meet. The site can be crowded with tourists and the weather is quite unpredictable, however, this shouldn't discourage anyone to visit this spectacular place, surrounded by wildness and exceptional flora and fauna.

Surf at Muizenberg

With over 2,500 meters of coastline, South Africa is a world-famous surfing paradise. Around Cape Peninsula, there are excellent places for surfing, but the most famous is Muizenberg, a beach town with a great vibe in the suburbs of Cape Town. Muizenberg has great beaches, interesting history, and colorful culture and architecture, however, it is the most famous for its colorful changing rooms on the sandy beach that often appear on postcards.

_{Colorful Beach Huts on Muizenberg, Photograph: Quaid Lagan/Unsplash}