Lady’s Things to Do in Cape Town, South Africa

Today I want to bring you my guide to things to do in Cape Town. This city on the South African coast is one of my favorite places to travel, and every time I visit I discover new reasons to love it.

Things to Do in Cape Town

There are few cities with more to see than Cape Town. I’ve been here three times and on each trip I’m amazed at the variety on offer.

From urban areas to beaches, vineyards to mountains, it has a bit of everything. Even penguins. Which is why I’m excited to be back in South Africa to discover more things to do in Cape Town.

I’m here for the wedding of some London travel blogger friends, and I have two days in Cape Town to see the sights on either side of the nuptials. Four days isn’t nearly enough time to see and do everything, but I hit the highlights.

Go to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and Table Mountain

I start at one of my favorite places in Cape Town: the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. I’ve been here on every visit to the city, and it never gets old.

That’s partly because the gardens are vast. The walking paths go on forever, and everything from forest trees to desert plants are on display. There’s even a canopy walkway through the treetops.

On this trip I spend time walking way up the hills leading to Table Mountain. This behemoth dominates the city and can be seen from all over.

I’ve taken the cable car to the top on previous visits to Cape Town, but I’ve always wanted to hike Table Mountain.

It amazes me how high the trails from Kirstenbosch go, too. I feel like I could climb all the way up (and maybe I can). But it’s cloudy at the top today and I’m hiking solo, so I turn around and make my way back to the gardens.

Visit the Vineyards in Cape Town

The next day I’m off to a vineyard. Given South Africa’s winemaking fame, going wine tasting is one of my favorite things to do in Cape Town.

On previous visits I’ve gone out to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek to go tasting in the winelands, and later on this trip I’m going on the Worcester Wine Route.

But there are also places in the city to taste wine. Constantia is rife with vineyards, and Noordhoek has vines with beach views.

Today I’m heading to the latter, and I find myself at Cape Point Vineyards in Noordhoek on a sunny afternoon.

I’m here for a pre-wedding picnic with the bridal party, and we tuck into hampers full of salads, wraps, and desserts at outdoor tables overlooking the water. The wines go down a treat, too.

See Chapman’s Peak Drive in Cape Town

After the picnic, I hop in a car with friends and we head out to Chapman’s Peak Drive.

This coastal road has sweeping views of Hout Bay and the mountains, and we can’t help pulling over at every viewpoint to take pictures.

Explore Camps Bay in Cape Town

Eventually Chapman’s Peak Drive leads us to Camps Bay. Walking along the beach here is one my favorite things to do in Cape Town.

The views of the peaks above are stunning, and the beachfront bars and restaurants are some of the best in the city. I fell in love with this area on my first trip to Cape Town and I love coming back on each visit and seeing what’s new.

I spend time walking on the sand and taking in the scenery, watching a rugby match on one side and dogs playing in the surf on the other. It’s the perfect way to end the first half of my time in Cape Town.

Discover the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

A few days later, I return to the city and stay on the V&A Waterfront at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge. It’s in a great location for exploring.

There’s no shortage of things to do in Cape Town here, what with a giant Ferris wheel, a resident seal colony, independent shops, an aquarium, a covered food market, and restaurants galore.

This is also the place where boats to Robben Island depart. It’s the former island prison where Nelson Mandela served time, and visitors can tour it.

I don’t have time to visit Robben Island on this trip, but I enjoy walking around the marina, watching the seals, and soaking up the atmosphere.

See the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town

The next day I’m off to explore Cape Town on foot. I head to the Bo-Kaap first. This historic area is known for its colorful houses, and they look bright and cheerful in the South African sun.

I walk down Rose Street and Chiappini Street, Wale Street and Longmarket Street, taking in all the hues as I go.

Wandering around the Bo-Kaap is one of the most exciting things to do in Cape Town, and I’ve returned on every visit to do it.

This area is the historic center of Cape Malay culture in the city, and I love soaking up the history along with the colors.

Walk the Cape Town City Center

From the Bo-Kaap it’s a short walk to the city center. Here I find myself immersed in historic squares full of market stalls selling everything from African masks to T-shirts.

I wander through them as I make my way to The Company’s Garden, a green space with museums and government buildings all around.

The Company’s Garden is full of places to explore. From pergolas to historic vegetable patches, I wind around the paths and soak up the afternoon sun as I go.

Explore De Waterkant

When I’m done, I walk back to the V&A Waterfront via De Waterkant. The side streets off Somerset Road are packed with independent shops, galleries, restaurants, and cafes. It’s all very hip, and exploring it is one of my favorite things to do in Cape Town.

I walk down roads like Waterkant Street and Jarvis Street, taking it all in. I stop for a late lunch at La Petite Tarte, sitting outside and watching the beautiful people go by.

Things to Do in Cape Town, South Africa

And soon it’s time for me to say good-bye to both this area and this great South African city.

I’ve had an amazing time experiencing so many things to do in Cape Town, and am happy there’s plenty more to do on future trips (I want to go back and see the penguins, not to mention go to Cape Point again).

But I still haven’t told you about my safari on a game reserve near Cape Town, so stay tuned for more…

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