1. Stunning nature
Cape Town, South Africa's second-largest city, ranks among the most beautiful in the world. With its larger-than-life mountain overlooking the City Bowl, harbour, white beaches, and Robben Island beyond, this is a tourists' playground. Two World Heritage Sites, the sprawling Winelands, nature reserves, botanic gardens and a buzzing waterfront are just the start of the adventure.
2. Top attractions
A top attractions itinerary for the Mother City ought to include a trip up the aerial cableway to the top of Table Mountain, a New 7Wonder of Nature; a boat trip to Robben Island, where world-renowned humanitarian Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years; a tour of the Winelands in Franschhoek or Stellenbosch; a sightseeing trip along Chapman’s Peak Drive; a relaxing afternoon at the V&A Waterfront; and a drive to Simon’s Town, where a breeding colony of African penguins lives on Boulders Beach.
3. The Big 5 (up close and personal)
Aquila Game Reserve is a great place to spot the famous “Big 5”: the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, elusive African leopard, and the rhinoceros. Located within a 2-hour drive of Cape Town, Aquila Private Game Reserve offers a safari experience with mountains and landscape views. The reserve boasts an outdoor swimming pool and an on-site spa.
Jump in the back of an open safari vehicle and get your binoculars and cameras out for a beautiful afternoon safari. Sunrise and sunset safaris are wonderful, too, especially if you stay overnight and take advantage of the early hours of the day when lions and other big predators are at their most active.
4. Adventure that’s all around
Adventure is part of the very DNA of this city. You can surf, hike and paraglide off mountains in one single day, and if you’re really, really brave, you can go cage diving with great white sharks. When cage diving with Great White Sharks isn’t enough, take a drive to Tsitsikamma National Park, where you’ll find many more opportunities to cross off your bucket list. Bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge, the 4th tallest bungee jump in the world, then do a spot of kayaking, scuba diving or mountain biking in the park.
In addition, there are options like RV (quad bike) adventure in the beautiful dunes of Atlantis, Whale watching, helicopter flights, and more.
5. World-class wining and dining
From Michelin-starred gastronomy to outdoor grills on the braai, Cape Town is a cornucopia of flavour. The city’s history as a trading and resupply post led to its wide variety of regional specialist restaurants. From the freshest fish caught in the cold waters of the Atlantic to some of the best steaks you will ever taste.
South Africa’s first wine was created in Cape Town over three-and-a-half centuries ago, and the Mother City is still proudly producing wine. From heritage estates in Constantia (where the country’s first wine farm was established in 1685) to modern wineries in Durbanville, the Wine of Origin Cape Town district includes 30 wine farms scattered north and south of Table Mountain. Bound together by great similarities in terroir and cool coastal winds, the furthest is a mere 36km from the centre of Cape Town. Whether you head for the Southern Suburbs or the Northern Suburbs, you don’t have to travel far for an authentic wine-tasting experience!
You don’t have to leave the Mother City to experience world-class wine farms.