10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO SEE IN CAPE TOWN

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This list of the best places to see in Cape Town It will help you to know a city full of contrasts, located in a spectacular natural environment.
With a jewel of the landscape that surrounds the city like Table Montain, a flat-topped mountain declared one of the new seven wonders of the world, Cape Town is a city that gradually hooks up, to small sips.
In addition to the panoramic views from this summit, the city falls in love with its pleasant weather all year round, an excellent wine culture, a varied cuisine, wild white sand beaches and charming places such as the Bo-Kaap neighborhood, Long Street or the botanical garden of Kirstenbosch.

Based on the experience of the 4 days we spent visiting the city and surroundings during our trip to South Africa in 25 days, we have created this list of what we think are, the 10 essential places to visit in Cape Town. We start!

1. Table Mountain

Table Mountain or Table Mountain is the emblem of the city and one of the places to see in Cape Town more beautiful. Unlike other mountains, Table Mountain has a flat top about three kilometers long that in the distance has a certain resemblance to a table and hence its curious name.
To reach the top of the mountain and its spectacular viewpoints, you have the option of using the funicular or walking up. If you use the funicular it is advisable to check the official page where you can see if it is operational or closed due to adverse weather conditions. Because of the strong wind we had to wait two days to use the funicular, something that forced us to change the plans we had in Cape Town, exchanging days and that we could do so thanks to knowing the weather forecasts.
If you choose to walk up you have to keep in mind that the ascent is on a steep slope and will take you more than two hours, in good physical condition.

To get to the Table Mountain ticket offices from the city center, if you do not have a car, we recommend you take an official taxi, uber or book this tourist bus that includes the funicular ticket to Table Mountain.

Once up, you have to be patient as long queues are usually formed to get on the funicular, even if you have the ticket purchased in advance. The best way to save you queue time is to arrive before 8 in the morning, when they open, park near the entrance and stand in line until the moment of opening.
When you pass through the ticket offices they will give you a small map with the walking routes that you can do on the top and the different viewpoints where in addition to enjoying the best views of Cape Town, you can see dassies, small mammals that look like marmots .

Visiting hours: every day from 8 am to 8 pm, from October to April. As it progresses in the winter it closes sooner.
Something very important to keep in mind is that if you buy the tickets in advance, so as not to have to queue so much, these are valid for 9 days from the date you marked the start. This will allow you to go another day in case you cannot go on the selected day due to the weather or any other reason.

Table mountain

2. Bo-Kaap

The Malaysian district of Bo-Kaap, with its facades of brightly painted houses, is another of the places to visit in Cape Town more beautiful. Located at the foot of Signal Hill, this neighborhood is inhabited by a Muslim majority, descended from the first slaves of Malay origin who stayed here. The two-storey colored houses are concentrated in the upper part of the neighborhood, where you can also find some interesting mosque.
Keep in mind that this photogenic area has become quite famous thanks to Instagram and it is not uncommon to see tourists trying to make the perfect photo for hours.

Bo-kaap

3. Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

The Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden located at the foot of Table Mountain and considered one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world, is another of the must-see places in Cape Town and for us a place that exceeded all previous expectations, for how well cared for they are and the spectacular surroundings that surround it, without forgetting that it has more than 7000 plants and trees.
To get to Kirstenbosch if you do not have a car, you have the option of taxi, uber or book the tourist bus that stops in front of the ticket offices.
When buying the ticket, we advise you to also buy a brochure with several routes along R5, among which the Tree Top Canopy Walk stands out, which allows you to walk along a snake-shaped bridge and enjoy incredible views.
Visiting hours: every day from 8 am to 7 pm. In winter it closes an hour before.

Kirstenbosch Boronic Garden

Our recommended hotel in Cape Town
We stayed for 4 nights at the Circa Luxury Apartment Hotel, located in an office area near Long Street. The rooms are very spacious, type apartments, very clean and have parking (R100 per day), breakfast included in the price and a good restaurant called The Muse. Next to the hotel there is also a small supermarket perfect for shopping.

4. Long Street, one of the best places to see in Cape Town

Walking along Long Street, one of the oldest and most atmospheric streets in the city, is one of the best things to do in Cape Town. This street with beautiful Victorian buildings has been changing over time and has gradually filled up with bars, clubs, hostels and pubs, which will help you have a good time when you finish your route through Cape Town. In addition to its colonial architecture and the good atmosphere of the street, which make it another place to see in Cape Town, it is a good place to look for some original souvenir in one of its charming shops.

Long Street, one of the places to see in Cape Town

5. Robben Island

Robben Island, an island where Nelson Mandela is 18 years old, is another of the places to visit in Cape Town mandatory. Visiting this island is a fundamental experience to know a part of the darkest history of this country, although it is important to know that before being the prison in which the leaders were locked against apartheid, this island was a leper colony.

To get to Robben Island, located 12 kilometers from the coast, you have to take a ferry from the Nelson Mandela Gateway, located on the Waterfront pier. Being a quite requested excursion it is advisable to book the ticket in advance on this page or on this page if you want it to include the pick-up at the hotel.

The visit to the island is done by bus with a guide in English and lasts about 4 hours. During the tour you can see the different buildings on the island, among which the prison stands out, where an old prisoner gives a talk explaining the harsh conditions in which they lived.
Ferry schedules: every day at 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. You have to show up half an hour before at the box office.

Please note that the ferry to access Robben Island can be canceled in case of bad weather. If this happens, you can ask for a full refund or make a change of time or day, provided there is availability.
In our case, due to the wind they canceled our visit a couple of times and in the end we were able to make it the last day, next to Table Mountain, which we were in Cape Town.

Robben island

6. Signal Hill

Signal Hill, a mountain located near the famous Lion's Head, is another of the best viewpoints and places to see in Cape Town. The best time to climb by car or taxi to the top of this mountain is a little before sunset and in this way, to enjoy a spectacular sunset reflected on the sea. Despite not having the altitude of Table Mountain, the views it offers from its summit are spectacular and it is a great option if weather conditions prevent you from climbing to Table Mountain.
Also from this mountain you can make this spectacular paragliding flight to see Cape Town from the heights.

Signal Hill, one of the places to visit in Cape Town

7. Greenmarket Square

Greenmarket Square is a historic square located in the center of the city where a flea market is held every day in which African souvenirs and handicrafts are sold. Its situation near the Parliament was used to be one of the places where more protests against apartheid were held.
Keep in mind that on Sundays the market is not open, so we recommend you stop by the square any other day after touring Long Street and ending the morning with a meal at the fantastic Raw and Roxy restaurant, a vegan crudi, which is A real wonder.

Greenmarket square

8. Waterfront

The Waterfront Victoria & Alfred, an old port converted into an entertainment area, is another of the places to visit in Cape Town more amazing Strolling through this commercial area with some 18th-century Victorian buildings, you will feel as if you were in Europe more than in Africa where Nobel Square is among its most prominent places, with sculptures of the 4 South Africans who won the Nobel Prize for the Paz, the Table Mountain viewpoints in the form of a yellow frame, a large ferris wheel and the covered V&A Foodmarket.
Although the area is quiet and safe, seeing high-end cars, luxury yachts, shops and quality restaurants, in contrast to other poor areas of the city, will show you that the wealth of this country remains in the hands of the white minority somewhat of what on many occasions we do not become aware in this place.

In the mill there are also many travel agencies that offer excursions to see whales, helicopter or paragliding flights over the city in addition to the excursion to see the great white shark, of which as we commented in the post about the places to see in South Africa, we are against not promoting responsible tourism.

Waterfront

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

9. Camp's Bay Beach

Camp's Bay overlooking Table Mountain and Lion's Head is the most beautiful beach in the city and another of the best places to see in Cape Town. On this beach of white sand and rocks rounded by the erosion of the wind and the sea, you can enjoy infarct sunsets while eating or drinking something in one of its excellent restaurants while the strong wind also makes it a paradise for surfers .
For us this was the first stop on the one-day route that took us to explore the places to see in the Cape Peninsula by rental car. If in your case you do not have a car you can book this excursion through the peninsula that includes this place or take a taxi or Uber and visit only the beach.

Camp's Bay, one of the places to see in Cape Town

10. Charly's Bakery

Charly's Bakery, a bakery famous for going on a television show, will put the sweet note with its delicious cakes and cookies to your stay in Cape Town. Although it may not have the best cakes in the city, the colors and interior and exterior decoration make it one of the best essential places to visit in Cape Town.