10 Things To Do in Cape Town

Table Mountain may be one of the city’s most well-known landmarks, but a visit to Cape Town would not be the same without a trip to the summit. Standing at 1,085 metres (3,560 feet), the flat-topped mountain is low enough to climb in a few hours and high enough to offer spectacular views of the entire city.

In Cape Town you can expect lots of sun, sand and sea, but also lots of wind, and that’s why there’s a mass of sand dunes found around the Cape Peninsula. Thankfully, several crafty entrepreneurs have made use of this natural phenomenon by hosting sandboarding tours out in Atlantis and Betty’s Bay. Within an hour of the city, you will find yourself blasting down sand dunes as tall as 35m (114ft).

The Atlantic Seaboard is famed for its magnificent sunsets, with Signal Hill being one of the best spots to watch the sun dip below the horizon. Take a picnic basket and enjoy a few sundowners at the top of the hill, which is also known as the Lion’s Rump.

Unbeknown to most people (including Capetonians), the city has a huge underground network of tunnels that form part of a popular historical tour. These tunnels, which date back to 1652, were built to divert gallons of spring water into the ocean, but as the city expanded they were eventually built over and all but forgotten – until now.

What better place to indulge in wine tasting than at the oldest wine estate in the country? Founded in 1685, Groot Constantia has produced excellent varietals for generations and is renowned for its beautiful grounds. Take the Wine Tour with City Sightseeing and spend a languid afternoon among the vineyards.

You may be able to sample Cape Malay cuisine at a local restaurant, but nothing beats the hands-on experience of a cooking lesson in the Bo-Kaap. Embark on a cooking tour of the colourful neighbourhood and learn how to make traditional Cape Malay dishes in the home of a local expert.

You can always head to a movie theatre to watch the latest blockbuster, but when you’re surrounded by scenery as beautiful as Cape Town’s, why not watch a movie in the great outdoors? The Galileo Open Air Cinema makes for a great night out on a balmy summer evening.

Noordhoek boasts one of the longest unspoiled beaches in Cape Town, that is just begging to be explored on horseback. Book a ride with one of the local schools and enjoy the breathtaking views of Chapman’s Peak as you amble along the water’s edge.

If you’ve ever wondered why South Africans are so crazy about rugby, then pay a visit to the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum. Inside you will learn all about the origins of the sport in South Africa, and get to test your kicking and passing skills in the interactive game zone.

People don’t often equate cold weather-loving penguins with Africa, but the icy Atlantic Ocean is actually the perfect habitat for the African penguin. While penguin colonies can be found all along the South African coast up to Port Elizabeth, Boulder’s Beach offers the best viewing points to see these adorable seabirds.