Cape Town in South Africa, also known as the “Mother City,” is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This vibrant city is surrounded by a unique landscape of mountains and coastline. With hikes such as to Table Mountain and Lions Head, unique vineyards and museums and the many, hip restaurants, there is always something to do here. Are you traveling to Cape Town in South Africa for the first time and want to know what to do? This guide tells you the 10 best things to do in Cape Town in three days!
10 best things to do in Cape Town, South Africa
There is so much to see and do in and around Cape Town that you could easily spend weeks here. Want to make the most of your visit? In this guide, you’ll discover the best things to do in Cape Town in three days. For a pleasant pace of travel, we recommend staying at least three to four nights in Cape Town so you have plenty of full days to explore this diverse city.
Day 1 – Cultural Cape Town
The first day in Cape Town is all about the city’s history. Explore the colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood, learn about Apartheid and end your day with a unique, cultural experience!
1) Colorful Bo-Cape
No doubt you’ve seen the colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood pass by on Instagram. In these houses, slaves from Malaysia and Indonesia housed. Since the slaves were only allowed to wear beige clothes, they decided to paint all the houses in a cheerful color. Today, it has become a popular place to take fun photos. Start your morning here and stroll through the various streets with colorful houses.
TRAVEL TIP: It is in this neighborhood that Cape Malay Food also originated, a combination between African and Malaysian cuisine. In Bo Kaap, you can attend fun cooking workshops that take you through this interesting style of cuisine. You can book such a cooking workshop here!
2) Free Walking Tour
In Cape Town we did one of the best Free walking tours we have ever done before. At 14:00 we joined the Apartheid to Freedom walking tour which starts near Bo Kaap. During such a tour you walk through the city for two hours. Along the way, the local guide tells you more about Apartheid while you pass by important landmarks related to it. Highly recommended! After such a tour, be sure not to forget to tip your guide.
Alternative: Robben Island
Three days in a big city like Cape Town is not much, and so sometimes you have to make choices. We ourselves didn’t have the time to go to Robben Island but learned an awful lot about Apartheid and Nelson Mandela on the Free Walking Tour. Would you like to visit Robben Island? Then you can do so on this day, before or after your visit to Bo Kaap.
3) V&A Waterfront
After being immersed in Cape Town’s history, it’s time for a drink! Sink down to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. This modern shopping center is located in Cape Town’s harbor. You’ll find plenty of great boutique stores, restaurants and trendy bars. Sit down on one of the cozy terraces as at Life Grand Cafe Waterfront and look out over the harbor. We saw seals swimming in the water ourselves! It is also at the V&A Waterfront where the boat to Robben Island departs and the hop-on-hop-off bus.
Orange View Market
In Cape Town, there are fun markets to explore every weekend. The Oranjezicht City Farm Market is one of the most fun to do where there is always a nice atmosphere. This market can be found near V&A Waterfront and is every Saturday and Sunday until 2:00 pm.
4) GOLD Restaurant
We end this day with one of the most surprising things to do in Cape Town: GOLD Restaurant. However, this is not just another restaurant, but a whole cultural experience. During dinner, where you will taste no less than 14 (!) authentic, African dishes, you will enjoy live performances in the meantime. The African dancers sing and dance between dishes in traditional costumes, bringing out the best of African culture. Booking in advance is highly recommended.
Day 2 – Nature in Cape Town
Today you will discover some of Cape Town’s most iconic sites. The majestic Table Mountain, the stylish Camps Bay and the breathtaking Signal Hill viewpoint will show you the natural splendor Cape Town is so famous for.
5) Hiking to Table Mountain
We start the day with the ultimate icon of Cape Town: Table Mountain or Table Mountain. There are two ways to climb this impressive mountain: by cable car or via one of the many hikes. We ourselves decided to hike up the mountain via the Platteklip Gorge hike. This strenuous 2 to 3 hour hike takes you step by step up the mountain and offers fantastic views of the surroundings. Just keep in mind that there is no shade on this hike. Table Mountain itself is flat at the top (hence the name), and here you can enjoy 360-degree views of Cape Town. Afterwards, you can take the cable car back down. You can buy tickets for the cable car via this official website.
TRAVEL TIP: Take the weather into account when visiting Table Mountain. When the weather is bad, you often can’t see anything from the top. Furthermore, the cable car is also closed during bad weather.
6) Camps Bay
After a sporty morning, descend to cozy Camps Bay. In this hip neighborhood you will find plenty of fun bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. For a tasty lunch we can recommend Mantra Cafe highly recommended! Afterwards, sit down on the beach of Camps Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in Cape Town. Swimming is for the more daring, as the ocean is incredibly cold in South Africa.
7) Sunset at Maiden’s Cove
Pillows Camps Bay and Clifton Bay you will find Maiden’s Cove. From here you have a magnificent view of Camps Bay with the rugged mountains called Twelve Apostles in the background. Especially during sunset, Maiden’s Cove is a magical place, where you can see the sun slowly sink into the sea and everything takes on an orange glow. Be sure to bring a blanket and something to drink while you enjoy the beautiful view!
Day 3 – Explore Cape Town by hop-on hop-off bus
We know, the famous red hop-on hop-off bus sounds so cliché to do. But it was one of the most fun ways to explore Cape Town and see a lot of the city! Especially if you only have three days, this is definitely recommended. During this bus ride, you can choose from three loops where you can hop on and off at different stops. Along the way, you’ll also be told a lot of interesting information about Cape Town.
8) Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then walk to one of the stops where the hop-on hop-off bus stops. Today’s first stop are Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. This is one of the largest and most beautiful botanical gardens in the world. Get lost on one of the many walking paths where you will walk past a variety of unusual flowers and plants. An absolute must is the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway. Here you walk across a wooden bridge that winds high through the treetops. Along the way you have a fantastic view of the botanical garden with Table Mountain in the background.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden opening hours: daily from 08:00 to 19:00 (September – March) and 08:00 to 18:00 (April – August) | Admission fee: 250R
9) Wine tasting in Constantia
South Africa, especially the Cape, is known for its fantastic wines. Just outside of Cape Town you will find the Constantia district with numerous wineries. So as a second stop on the hop-on-hop-off bus, we recommend a visit to a winery! Get off at Groot Constantia Wine Estate where you can enjoy a delicious lunch or wine tasting. Furthermore, the winery itself is a beautiful example of typical Cape Dutch architecture.
TRAVEL TIP: Visiting Constantia requires you to switch routes by bus (from the red to the purple route). All stops and options are always clearly announced on the hop-on hop-off bus.
10) Sunset at Signal Hill
End this last day in Cape Town at Signal Hill. From here you can enjoy a beautiful sunset over Cape Town. The great thing about Signal Hill is that you get there easily and it’s only about a five-minute walk from the parking lot. It’s also one of the stops on the hop-on-hop-off bus! Take the bus an hour before sunset toward Signal Hill. It will drop you off at the parking lot from where you can pick a spot to watch the sunset. The bus will wait there until the sun has set after which you can board the bus back towards the center of Cape Town.
Alternative: Lions Head
Another popular place to watch the sunset (or sunrise) is at Lions Head. This is on the same road to Signal Hill. From the parking lot at Lions Head there is a tough one-hour hike that does involve some climbing and scrambling for the last part. Once at the top, a fantastic view of Cape Town, the ocean and Table Mountain awaits you. Be sure to bring plenty of drinks and wear sturdy shoes for this hike.
Where to stay in Cape Town
Cape Town is a large city that consists of several neighborhoods. One of the best neighborhoods to stay in for a first-time Cape Town visitor is Seapoint. This safe neighborhood is located between Camps Bay and V&A Waterfront. The Gardens is also a popular neighborhood to stay in, near Table Mountain and Lions Head.
Accommodations in the Sea Point neighborhood:
- Budget (€): Sweet Orange Guesthouse
- Comfort (€€): Home Suite Hotels Sea Point
Accommodations in the Gardens neighborhood:
- Budget (€): Check Inn Hotel
- Comfort (€€): DysArt Boutique Hotel
How to visit Cape Town
Cape Town has a major international airport to which you can fly from the largest cities worldwide. Find the cheapest airline tickets here! Are you planning a round trip in South Africa? Then chances are you will start or end in Cape Town. We decided to spend our last days of our tour in this city. When driving into Cape Town, be sure to do so via Chapman’s Peak Drive. This winding road follows the coastline and is considered one of the most beautiful routes in South Africa.
Getting around Cape Town
Cape Town is a big city and many of the sights are not within walking distance of each other. The best and most common way to get around Cape Town is by Uber. If you plan to take a round trip in South Africa, then it is better to rent a car.
Best travel time Cape Town, South Africa
The best travel time for Cape Town is during South Africa’s spring and summer. This is from September to March, when the weather is mild and you have less chance of rain. During the winter months (June to August), there can be a lot of rain in this part of South Africa and it is also cold with temperatures between 5°C and 10°C. However, this is an ideal time to explore eastern South Africa.
Still have questions about what to do in three days in Cape Town? Let us know in a comment below! Looking for more information for your next trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us contact or feel free to email info@snoezelsontheroad.com
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