Things to do in Cape Town
Plans for any day of the week: date nights, free days out, time outdoors, and what to do when the weather turns.
Cape Town is easy to love and surprisingly easy to get stuck in a routine. The same beach, the same restaurant strip, the same viewpoint on the same Sunday. This guide is for breaking out of that, whether you have lived here for years or are visiting for a long weekend.
It is organised by mood rather than by map. Each section suggests a handful of ideas, explains what they are like and which part of the city they suit, and leaves the final choice to you. Nothing here is a ranked top ten. For dated events such as gigs, markets and festivals, see events in Cape Town this week.
Date night
The city does romance well because so much of it comes with a view. The trick is matching the plan to the weather and the time of year.
Sunset on Signal Hill
Drive or walk up from the City Bowl late in the afternoon and watch the sun drop into the Atlantic. Take something warm and a picnic blanket, and leave before it gets fully dark.
Dinner on Bree or Kloof Street
These two streets in the City Bowl hold a wide range of restaurants, from small plates and wine bars to long, slow tasting menus. Book ahead on Friday and Saturday.
A harbour evening in Kalk Bay
Wander the harbour, browse the antique shops and stay for seafood with the boats coming in. It feels like a small fishing village, about forty minutes from the centre.
A summer concert at Kirstenbosch
In the warmer months the botanical garden hosts evening concerts on its lawns. Bring a picnic and arrive early for a good spot.
Live jazz in a small room
Gardens and the City Bowl have intimate venues with regular jazz nights. Check this week’s music events.
Free things to do
Some of the best parts of Cape Town cost nothing. These plans need little more than comfortable shoes and a bit of time.
Walk the Sea Point Promenade
A long, flat path between Green Point and Bantry Bay, busy with walkers, runners and dogs, with the sea on one side and the mountain on the other. Sunset is the busiest and best time.
Explore the Company’s Garden
The historic garden in the city centre is a quiet place to walk under old trees, with several museums and the national library nearby.
Wander Bo-Kaap
The colourful houses and steep cobbled streets are best seen on foot in the morning, before the tour groups arrive. Be respectful: this is a residential neighbourhood.
First Thursdays in the city centre
On First Thursdays, many galleries and shops in the city centre open late into the evening and people walk between them. Check what is taking part before you go.
Beach time on the False Bay coast
Muizenberg and St James have warmer water than the Atlantic side, colourful beach huts and tidal pools that are good for a swim when the sea is calm.
Outdoors
Table Mountain National Park runs through the middle of the city, so the outdoors is never far away. Conditions change fast; check the wind and start early.
Table Mountain
Hike up one of the established routes or take the cableway when it is running. The top is often cooler and windier than the city, and the cableway closes in strong wind.
Lion’s Head
A popular hike with chains and ladders near the top on the most direct route, and huge views over the Atlantic Seaboard. It gets very busy at sunrise and sunset.
Chapman’s Peak Drive
A cliff-edge road between Hout Bay and Noordhoek with lookout points along the way. It is a toll road and can close in bad weather.
Kirstenbosch and the contour paths
The botanical garden on the eastern slopes of the mountain is ideal for an easy walk, and the tree canopy walkway gives a view across the Southern Suburbs.
Boulders Beach
Near Simon’s Town, this sheltered beach is home to a colony of African penguins. It is part of the national park, so there is an entry fee.
Rainy day ideas
Winter rain is part of Cape Town life. When it settles in, head indoors to some of the city’s best museums, markets and food.
Zeitz MOCAA
A museum of contemporary African art inside a converted grain silo at the V&A Waterfront. The building alone is worth the visit.
Two Oceans Aquarium
At the Waterfront, with displays on the marine life of the two oceans that meet around the Cape. It suits all ages.
Museums in the city centre
The District Six Museum tells the story of the community removed from the area under apartheid, and the Iziko museums around the Company’s Garden cover natural history, art and the night sky at the planetarium.
Indoor markets
The Watershed at the V&A Waterfront is a large indoor market for local design and crafts, and the Saturday markets in Woodstock have plenty of covered space for grazing on a grey day.
A long lunch in the winelands
Constantia, on the edge of the city, has wine farms with fireplaces and tasting rooms that feel made for rainy afternoons. Arrange a driver if you plan to taste.
Making the most of it
The single most useful habit in Cape Town is checking the wind. A calm day is the time for the mountain, the beaches and Chapman’s Peak; a blustery one is better spent in the City Bowl, the Southern Suburbs or indoors. Spring and autumn give you the most flexibility, while summer weekends are the busiest time for every popular spot.
If you would rather decide in the moment, open the FeelingFlexi app, set Cape Town and a distance, and swipe through what’s on. You can browse as a guest, and the events you like are saved on your device.
Questions
What are the best free things to do in Cape Town?
Walking the Sea Point Promenade, exploring the Company’s Garden, wandering Bo-Kaap and swimming on the False Bay coast are all free. First Thursdays in the city centre make a free evening out when they are running.
What can you do in Cape Town when it rains?
Head to Zeitz MOCAA or the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront, visit the District Six Museum or the Iziko museums, browse the Watershed market, or book a long lunch at a Constantia wine farm.
Is Lion’s Head hard to hike?
It is a moderate hike that most reasonably fit people can do, but the direct route has chains and ladders near the top. Start early, take water and a headlamp if you are going for sunrise or sunset, and avoid it in strong wind.
What is a good date night in Cape Town?
Sunset on Signal Hill followed by dinner on Bree or Kloof Street is a classic. For something slower, try a harbour evening in Kalk Bay or a summer concert in Kirstenbosch.
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