We understand the journey to Cape Town is long and hope you can make it, but please feel no pressure! To truly experience Cape Town and the surrounding areas, we recommend a minimum stay of two weeks—and the longer you can stay, the better!

Exploring Cape Town

Cape Town offers endless activities and sights. 4-5 Days are recommended.

Must-See Highlights:

Hiking & Views: Table Mountain, Lion's Head, and Chapman's Peak Drive are all fantastic for hiking, or you can take the cable car up Table Mountain. Expect 12/10 sunsets!

Culture & History: Bo Kaap, the Waterfront area, Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, and Robben Island are definitely worth a visit.

Shopping: The CBD (Central Business District) offers great shopping, including African handicrafts and museums.

Beaches: There are many fabulous beaches like Camps Bay, Clifton (1-4), Llandudno Beach, and Bakoven.

Sports: Cape Town is very outdoorsy and active, with many hikes and walks. Tennis and Padel courts are widely available.

Food & Drink:

Cape Town boasts spectacular restaurants everywhere. The seafood is excellent, and the meat (including wild game) is incredible.

We recommend booking tables far in advance for the many great "finer" dining restaurants.

The bars and nightlife are also great!

Day Trips from Cape Town:

Cape Peninsula: Visit the Cape of Good Hope, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, Boulders Bay for penguins, Hout Bay, and Muizenberg beach for surfing.

Wine Regions: The Constantia area is perfect for a day trip to visit wineries.

Accommodation Recommendations in Cape Town

We have personally only stayed in Airbnbs or apartments found via Airbnb or Booking.com, but there are many beautiful hotels and B&Bs.

Recommended Areas:

Camps Bay & Bakoven: These areas are more residential, quiet, and feature very green and beautiful houses and villas. Camps Bay beach is beautiful and has many surrounding restaurants, cafes, and hikes.

Seapoint, Greenpoint, Fresnaye: These locations are closer to the center of town, within walking distance of beaches, and packed with bars, restaurants, cafes, shops, and yoga studios.

Outside of Cape Town

Wine Regions:

Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Constantia are major wine regions. These are excellent for a day trip but also beautiful for a longer stay. Our wedding venue is in this area, which offers endless wineries.

Top Wineries Include:

Middelvlei Wine Estate – Stellenbosch

Steenberg Estate – Constantia, Cape Town

Beau Constantia – Constantia, Cape Town

Babylonstoren – Franschhoek

Waterford Estate – Stellenbosch

La Motte – Franschhoek

Spier Wine Farm – Stellenbosch

Tokara – Stellenbosch

Benguela Cove – Bot River

Elsewhere in South Africa:

The Garden Route: If you have the time, we highly recommend this famous road trip along the South Coast. It's spectacular, taking you through coastal towns, national parks, and safari places (both wild and private game reserves). You can find inspiration here. You can do this totally on your own; renting a car is a great option.

Natalie did a guided tour in 2022. Chreasy drove all the way from Johannesburg via Durban to Cape Town, a trip that requires at least 3 weeks!

Johannesburg (Joburg): While not particularly safe, it is totally fine to visit. Natalie traveled alone and was completely fine. If you are interested in seeing a more "cultural side" and the real South Africa, we recommend:

The Apartheid Museum

Nelson Mandela tour/house

Visiting Soweto, the largest township in South Africa—all totally worth it.

From Joburg: Kruger National Park is epic for safaris! We haven't been, but it's great for both self-guided safaris (by renting a car) or with guided tours.

General Tips for South Africa

Exchange Rate: The exchange rate is very favorable.

Getting Around:

Uber is great, safe, and super cheap. An Uber from the airport to CT center is about $15. You can even Uber to/from the wine region (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek) easily (45 minutes drive, ~$15).

Renting a car is also totally safe, and driving around South Africa is mostly safe (though stopping through some townships is not recommended).

Safety & Awareness:

Cape Town is generally safe. Maintain general awareness, carry as little as possible, and minimize jewelry and valuables.

It's fine to walk in Cape Town areas during the day (even alone) for runs, etc.

General Rule: Never walk anywhere at night—always take an Uber, even for a 3-minute trip.

Use common sense: don't walk around with your phone out or with your head buried in your phone.

Johannesburg: Don't really walk anywhere; always take an Uber.

Find more tips and tricks for example here and make sure to keep an eye on local news during your trip.

We will expand this section over time, so please check back closer to April for more tips and tricks.