The Best of Cape Town in 3 Days

The climax of my South African trip was spending three days in its most south-westerly city of Cape Town. We drove from our overnight stay in Stellenbosch and immediately we could see the imposing sight of Table Mountain, Lions Head and the Twelve Apostles.

To experience the best of Cape Town in 3 days was going to be a challenge, as there was so much to do and see. Basing myself in the Waterfront precinct, I was able to walk safely in this area and found it easy to access all of the attractions in this captivating city.

Cape Town Facts

Cape Town was founded in 1652 for Dutch ships travelling between Europe and the East Indies. It’s history is one of controllership, with the Dutch, the French and the British all vying for it’s occupation.

It is now a modern and cosmopolitan city that has a stunning coastline, glorious beaches, mountain scenery and nature’s gardens. Some important Cape Town facts are:

• It’s South Africa’s second largest city
• It is known as the Mother City
• Is a vibrant cultural melting pot of different nationalities
• Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most iconic landmark
• It was the first European settlement in South Africa
• The Signal Hill canon goes off at noon every day
• It is part of the Cape Floristic Region
• It is partly built over the sea
• The Cape Winelands date back to 1659
• The world’s first heart transplant happened here in 1967
• Robben island was once a prison and where Nelson Mandela was interred.
  

Cape Town Attractions

There’s so much to do and see in Cape Town, I had to cram a lot into my three days here. On my first day I jumped aboard the Hop on Hop off red bus that circulates around the city and outer suburbs.

The highlights of the bus are:

• Cape Town Aquarium
• Long Street city centre
• Mount Nelson
• Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
• World of Birds and Monkey Jungle
• Hout Bay
• Camps Bay
• Bantry Bay
• Sea Point
• Green Point
• Table Mountain Cableway – closed for maintenance

I decided to get off the bus at Hout Bay to explore this former fishing village and gorgeous beach that is surrounded by a boat harbour on one side and the mountains on the other.

Feeling hungry, Camps Bay looked like the ideal spot to find a restaurant with a beach view to enjoy a bite to eat. This exclusive Cape Town suburb features five-star hotels, upmarket restaurants, rooftop bars and beach boutiques.

But the stunning white sanded beach and natural tidal pools also attracts many visitors during the summer, even though the Atlantic Ocean waters are freezing.

The bus continued its scenic coastal route winding its way along steep cliffs abbreviated by sandy beaches and up market beach homes with views to die for. It was late afternoon by the time I got back to the starting point of this bus tour at V&A Waterfront.

Table Mountain & Cableway

The most famous attraction in Cape Town and one of the seven wonders of the world, is Table Mountain and the incredible Cableway that rotates as it makes its way up the mountain. At the upper cable station there is a restaurant and a curio shop. The views from the top of the mountain are simply breathtaking with the city, the sea and Robben Island all visible.

For hikers there are a network of footpaths to explore on the table top. Adrenaline junkies can take on the challenge of abseiling down the rocky faces of the mountain. Otherwise, forget the cableway and hike up the mountain on the Platteklip Gorge Route.

V&A Waterfront

Within walking distance to my hotel was the V&A Waterfront precinct, that is not just a boat harbour, a shopping mall and restaurant area. But, features the Dutch inspired Clock Tower, the Two Oceans Aquarium, the famous Cape Town sign, street entertainers, waterfront bars and craft markets.

With the spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain there are many locations where you can capture the perfect photo. Day cruises to Robben Island or scenic helicopter flights also depart from the waterfront. More importantly, it is the starting point for the Hop on Hop off red bus.

City Centre

A short Uber ride away is the city centre that has its own unique vibe. There are a couple of free walking tours that depart from Long Street. The Bo-Kaap district was the one that I chose.

The colourfully painted homes in this Cape Malay, predominantly Muslim neighbourhood are very unique and cheerful. There are also mosques, galleries, musuems and many Cape Malay cuisine eateries in the district. You can even partake in a cooking school here.

To explore some of the city’s culture and history, a visit to the South African National Gallery, Castle of Good Hope, Iziko South African Museum and Iziko Slave Lodge is definitely worthwhile. Located right in the heart of the city is Company’s Gardens, which are great for a stroll or a relax in the shade.

For shoppers there are the flea markets at Greenmarket Square, offering various local arts and crafts.

Day Trips from Cape Town

There are many day trips that you can book out of Cape Town. These include: a trip out to the winelands of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl; Hermanus whale watching; township tours to Langa and Gugulethu; Aquila Private Game Reserve; or a boat cruise to Robben Island.

Cape Point & Cape of Good Hope

I booked a full day trip to Cape Point that departed early in the morning. The tour guide, a local man who had a broad knowledge of everything Cape Town, held a commentary for the majority of the trip. As we travelled out towards the Cape Point Nature Reserve and promontory, the landscape changed to low lying windswept vegetation. We learned that the weather can be extremely windy and wild on the Cape. We saw many varieties of antelope, baboons, ostriches and zebra in the wild.

At Cape Point itself, we had two hours to explore the area. The sea cliffs at the Cape area are more than 200m above the sea, the perfect lookout spot for whales between May and November. I scaled up to the top of the hill to the old lighthouse, where the views were breathtaking. Afterwards I enjoyed lunch at the cafe at the bottom of the hill, where there was also a restaurant and souvenir shop.

The bus drove us around to the Cape of Good Hope where there were rocky outcrops with fur seals and many species of seabirds. There is a sign here marking the spot as the most south-westerly point of Africa.

On our return trip we were treated to more spectacular cliff views over the ocean until we reached Simon’s Town. Here we were bundled off the bus and taken to Boulder Penguin Colony where we saw hundreds of cute little penguins swimming, catching fish, interacting with other penguins and waddling around the beach or on top of the boulders.

Khayelitsha 

Having witnessed the poverty and depravity of a Soweto slum, I was probably not prepared for the magnitude of what I was to encounter on the drive into Cape Town. The striking contrast between rich and poor and the remnants of apartheid was even more prominent in the city of Cape Town. 30 kilometres outside of Cape Town is the sprawling shanty town of Khayelitsha with a population of 407,000 residents, living mainly in makeshift shacks.

The main streets are lined up with containers used as businesses, shops and food outlets. Shacks are constructed from whatever material can be scavenged – corrugated iron and plywood. Parts of the townships lack adequate infrastructure, including proper sanitation, safe water supply, electricity and street drainage. Protection from the elements in these shacks is practically non-existent.

Crime rates and vigilante justice practices are rife in Khayelitsha, due to the poor living conditions and lack of employment for most of the inhabitants. Our tour guide commented that the police and emergency services refuse to enter the dangerous sections of this town due to the risk involved.

Although there are guided walking tours available to see “how the other half live”, meaning the majority of the black African population of Cape Town. Our tour guide advised against us doing so.

Khayelitsha remained etched into my memory as a national disgrace, when I was reminded that South Africa once had a thriving economy. Instead of trying to fix the problems of inequality, unemployment and providing affordable housing, the government’s response has been to deport illegal immigrants. There have been recent anti-immigration protests throughout South Africa, that believe that illegal immigrants are the cause for social and economic problems within the country.

Charming and Captivating Cape Town

Despite the fact that the cableway was closed for maintenance, and I never had time to cruise out to Robben Island, I was truly captivated by South Africa’s Mother city. It was clean, modern, with the right mix of an upbeat party feel and a laid back surfy vibe in the beach suburbs. Table Mountain, the wild coastline, the sandy bays and beaches, indigenous gardens and cute penguins, all add to the charm of this city. I would put it up there with many other charming cities that I have visited.