5 days in Cape Town and the Winelands

The old center under the mountain. The oldest garden in the country, a hillside of painted houses, a star-shaped fort, then the harbour at the end of the day. Most of it can be walked or reached by a short ride.

1. Breakfast

   Rooibos tea and a Cape breakfast

   Rooibos tea with eggs, bacon and toast, or a sweet koeksister, in the old city.

   Local tip Rooibos is caffeine free and grows only in the Cederberg mountains.
2. 1
   MorningWorth a short stop

   Company's Garden

   The oldest garden in South Africa, begun in 1652 to grow food for passing Dutch ships, now a quiet park of oak-lined paths, a rose garden and squirrels in the city center.

   Go when Morning, before the city warms up.

   Local tip A shady start to the day. Walk the main avenue to the museums at the top, and keep your bag close, as in any busy city park.

   

   About 10 min walk0.8 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Bo-Kaap

   A hillside quarter of brightly painted houses on cobbled streets, the historic home of the Cape Malay community. Walk it with respect, because people live here, and check ahead for a walking tour with a local guide.

   Go when Late morning, when the colors are bright.

   Local tip It is a living neighborhood, so ask before you photograph people and keep your voice down. A local guide can tell the story of the quarter, so check ahead.

   

4. Lunch

   A Cape Malay curry and roti

   A mild, fragrant curry of lamb or chicken with a flaky flatbread, in the style of the Cape Malay community.

   Local tip Cape Malay curries are sweeter and gentler than other curries, with dried fruit and spice.

   About 16 min walk1.3 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Castle of Good Hope

   A pentagonal star fort, the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa, built by the Dutch East India Company in the seventeenth century. It holds a military museum and gallery, and its courtyard is calm.

   Go when Afternoon, when the courtyard is shaded.

   Local tip The courtyard and the museums have set hours, and the key ceremony runs at set times, so check ahead.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.6 km
6. 4
   EveningAn evening stop

   V&A Waterfront

   A working harbour turned shopping and dining district at the foot of the mountain, with views of Table Mountain, a ferris wheel, an aquarium and street musicians. The easy place to end the first day.

   Go when Early evening, as the light goes (about 6:23 PM).

   Local tip Busy and safe, with lots of eating choices. Watch for the fur seals that sunbathe on the quay.

   

7. Dinner

   Seafood at the harbour

   Grilled line fish, calamari or a plate of mussels, eaten at a table with a view of the mountain.

   Local tip Choose fish from the sustainable list, and ask what came off the boat.

A long day by car along the coast. A cliff road above the sea, the tip of the peninsula, a beach with penguins and a naval town on the bay. Start early and watch the weather, because the wind can close the cliff road.

1. Travel from V&A WaterfrontAbout 35 min by car or transit21.3 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Rusks and coffee

   A hard, sweet rusk dunked in coffee, with fruit and yogurt, to take on the drive.

   Local tip Rusks are a South African habit and keep well in a bag.
3. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Chapman's Peak

   A cliff road cut into the mountainside above the Atlantic, with dozens of bends and long views of Hout Bay and the sea. Rockfalls and wind can close it, so check ahead.

   Go when Morning, when the road is quiet and the light is warm.

   Local tip The road can close for wind, rock falls or events, so check ahead. A toll is charged to drive it. Pull over only at the marked viewpoints.

   

   About 44 min by car32.6 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Cape Point

   The tip of the peninsula, with a lighthouse on a high cliff above two seas, inside a nature reserve of fynbos and baboons. A short railway and a path lead to the old lighthouse. The wind is strong.

   Go when Midday, on a clear day.

   Local tip Do not feed the baboons or leave food in view, because they will open a car. The old story that two oceans meet exactly here is a simplification, so enjoy the view and the wind.

   

5. Lunch

   Fish and chips by the water

   Fried or grilled hake with hot chips and a squeeze of lemon, eaten on the harbor wall or at a counter.

   Local tip Seagulls and baboons are bold, so eat inside or hold on.

   

   About 33 min by car or transit18.3 km
6. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Boulders Beach

   A sheltered cove of granite boulders and soft sand that is home to a colony of African penguins. Walk the boardwalks to see them, and keep your distance, because they bite.

   Go when Afternoon, when the penguins come in.

   Local tip Use the boardwalks for the penguins, and give them space, because the colony is endangered and the birds can bite. The sheltered beach is good for a paddle.

   

   About 21 min walk1.7 km
7. 4
   EveningAn evening stop

   Simon's Town

   A small naval town on False Bay with Victorian buildings along the main street, a harbour and a view across the bay. A calm end to the long drive.

   Go when Late afternoon, to walk the main street and the harbour.

   Local tip A small naval town with a calm feel. A good place to sit for a drink or an early meal.

   

8. Dinner

   A seafood braai

   Fish and sausage cooked over an open fire, in the South African style, with salad and bread.

   Local tip Ask what is in season, such as kingklip or snoek.

A day among the vineyards, about an hour east of town. A university town of oak avenues, a valley settled by the French, a museum of its story, then a wine town under granite domes. Plan who drives before you taste anything.

1. Drive from Simon's TownAbout 56 min by car48.7 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   A farm breakfast

   Eggs from the farm, fresh bread, jam and strong coffee on a terrace among the vines.

   Local tip Book ahead on weekends, when the estates are busy.
3. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Stellenbosch

   The second oldest town in South Africa, founded in 1679, with oak-lined streets, whitewashed Cape Dutch houses, a university and wine estates all around it. Walk the center before the tasting begins.

   Go when Morning, before the tastings.

   Local tip Walk the old center first, then choose one or two wine estates to visit. Book tastings ahead, and plan a sober driver or a hired driver.

   

   About 38 min by car25.2 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Franschhoek

   A valley settled by French Huguenots in 1688, now a village of wine estates, galleries and restaurants under steep mountains. Its name means French corner.

   Go when Midday, for lunch and a stroll.

   Local tip A long main street of galleries and restaurants. Book a table ahead on weekends. Never drink and drive on the wine roads.

   

5. Lunch

   A long winelands lunch

   A three-course lunch with a glass of local wine, in the shade of an old oak.

   Local tip Pace your wine, and name a driver before you start.

   About 11 min walk0.9 km
6. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short stop

   Huguenot Memorial Museum

   A small museum and monument in Franschhoek about the Huguenot refugees who came from France, and the culture of the Cape in the early years. A quiet counterpoint to the wine estates.

   Go when Afternoon, for a quiet pause between tastings.

   Local tip Small and quick. Check ahead on the opening times, and look at the monument outside.

   

   About 39 min by car26.2 km
7. 4
   EveningA late stop

   Paarl

   A long town beneath great granite domes, with wine estates, a language monument and mountain views. A last tasting or a walk in the late light on the road home.

   Go when Late afternoon, on the way home.

   Local tip Look for the three great granite domes above the town. Plan a driver for the tastings, and leave before the evening traffic.

   

8. Dinner

   Bobotie and a glass of Pinotage

   A baked dish of spiced mince with an egg topping, with yellow rice, and a red wine unique to South Africa.

   Local tip Bobotie is a Cape Malay classic, and a mild one, even for children.

The city's own mountain and its western shore. A flat-topped peak, a botanic garden on its slopes, a beach town on the Atlantic and a lookout for the sunset. The weather decides the order, so be ready to swap.

1. Drive from PaarlAbout 1 h 2 min by car56.9 km

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Oats and fruit before the mountain

   Porridge or granola with fruit, and a flask of coffee for the top.

   Local tip Carry water on the mountain, even on a cool day.
3. 1
   MorningWorth the time, go early

   Table Mountain

   The flat-topped mountain that stands over the city, 1,085 metres high, with a cableway and many hiking paths to the top. Go first thing, when the cloud is clear, and check the wind before you go.

   Go when Morning, before cloud forms over the top.

   Local tip The cableway runs only in good weather and the wind can close it, so check ahead. Hikers should go with others, carry water and a layer, and turn back if the cloud comes down.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit3.5 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

   A botanic garden on the eastern slope of the mountain, devoted to the plants of southern Africa, with lawns for a picnic and a raised walkway through the trees. A calm, shady stop.

   Go when Midday, for the shade and a picnic.

   Local tip The walkway through the treetops is a fun detour. Wear comfortable shoes, because the garden climbs a hillside.

   

5. Lunch

   A picnic in the garden

   Bread, cheese, biltong and fruit, eaten on the lawn under the trees.

   Local tip Biltong is the local dried meat, and a very good picnic food.

   About 16 min by car or transit6.2 km
6. 3
   AfternoonA beach stop

   Camps Bay

   A beach town on the Atlantic side beneath the mountain, with a wide white beach, palm trees and a strip of cafes. The sea is very cold, so the beach is for walking and sun.

   Go when Afternoon, for a walk on the sand.

   Local tip The Atlantic is very cold, so most people paddle rather than swim. The strip of cafes is busy at sunset.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit4.0 km
7. 4
   EveningAn evening stop

   Signal Hill

   A low ridge beside Lion's Head with a viewpoint over the city, the harbour and the Atlantic. Come for the sunset and stay with other visitors, as it is a place to avoid alone after dark.

   Go when Early evening, for the sunset (about 6:23 PM).

   Local tip Go with others and leave before it is fully dark, as a few visitors have been robbed at isolated lookouts. Park only in the busy lots.

   

8. Dinner

   A pizza with sundowners

   A wood-fired pizza and a glass of wine as the sun drops into the sea.

   Local tip Book a table early, because the sunset tables fill first.

The history day. The island prison in the bay, a museum in the heart of a lost neighborhood, a contemporary art museum in a grain silo, then the sea walk at sunset. A heavy day in the middle, so keep the end light.

1. Travel from Signal HillAbout 29 min by car or transit12.8 km

   Where Day 4 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs and coffee at the Waterfront

   A hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, before the early ferry.

   Local tip Eat lightly if you get seasick, because the boat can be bumpy.
3. 1
   MorningBook ahead

   Robben Island

   An island in Table Bay that was a prison for political prisoners under apartheid, including Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 of his 27 years in prison here. A ferry runs from the Waterfront, and tours are led by former prisoners. Book ahead, because trips are cancelled in rough weather.

   Go when Morning, on the first ferry you can book.

   Local tip Trips are cancelled when the sea is rough, so allow a spare day. The tour is led by a former political prisoner and is a serious, moving visit. Book well ahead.

   

   About 30 min by car or transit14.4 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time, with care

   District Six Museum

   A museum in an old church about District Six, a lively neighborhood from which tens of thousands of people were forced out in the 1960s and 1970s under apartheid. The floor map is signed by former residents. Go slowly.

   Go when Midday, with time to go slowly.

   Local tip Many of the guides are former residents of the area. The visit is about a forced removal, so go in a quiet frame of mind.

   

5. Lunch

   A gatsby or a koesister

   A giant sandwich filled with chips and meat, or a spiced sweet doughnut, both Cape favorites.

   Local tip A gatsby is built to be shared among several people.

   About 9 min by car or transit2.1 km
6. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa

   A large museum of contemporary African art, in a converted grain silo at the Waterfront with a glass-cut atrium. A strong, modern contrast to the history of the morning.

   Go when Afternoon, when the light fills the atrium.

   Local tip The building is a converted grain silo and is worth seeing for itself. Check ahead on the exhibitions.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.9 km
7. 4
   EveningAn evening stop

   Sea Point

   A long seafront promenade on the Atlantic, popular with joggers and families, with benches and ocean pools. A gentle way to end the trip.

   Go when Late afternoon, for the walk and the sunset (about 6:23 PM).

   Local tip A broad, busy promenade that is safe with other people around. Look for the sea pools at the end.

   

8. Dinner

   Sushi or fish by the sea

   A light dinner of fresh fish, eaten as the sun sets over the Atlantic.

   Local tip The promenade restaurants fill early at weekends, so book ahead.