Built along the jagged coast, with the imposing Table Mountain and Lions Head dominating the skyline, Cape Town is a breathtaking city like no other. And spending one week in Cape Town is the perfect amount of time to take in all the highlights of the city and its surrounds.
Our first trip to South Africa was in January, where we spent a few weeks exploring the southern part of the country. We began with a drive along the Garden Route, before moving onto Stellenbosch and finished with one week in Cape Town. We thought we may be able to use some of the time in Cape Town to catch up on some blogging and enjoy some downtime. It wasn’t to be. There were just so many things to do in this wonderful city.
Based on this amazing summer experience, we’ve pulled together the below one week Cape Town itinerary. This itinerary assumes you’ll base yourself in Cape Town for 7 days and take some self-guided day trips out to surrounding areas.
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How to get around Cape Town
If this is your first trip to Cape Town (or South Africa in general), it’s possible you’ll have some concerns about safety. We’ve travelled to over 70 countries together, and South Africa is the one that seemed to raise the most alarm with our friends and family. We spoke to many South African friends about their top safety tips before we arrived. Whilst we could never eliminate risks completely, we felt so much more informed about how to travel around Cape Town and South Africa. Being forewarned is useful in curbing anxiety, and we’d encourage you to read our article on safety in Cape Town before you go.
Uber
Uber is a super cheap option in Cape Town. From our experience, it is also one of the safest ways to get from A to B. We always used Uber to get around in the city. The minimum fare is R26 (approx. AUD$2.60) plus a small tip. We generally tipped about R10 or 20% of the fare.
Using Uber means you’ll need a SIM card with data (as you can’t assume you’ll always have WiFi). We picked up a Prepaid SIM at the airport in Johannesburg when we first arrived.
Car hire
This one week in Cape Town itinerary will require you to hire car for a few days. We hired our car through Hertz, which has a convenient pick up/drop off location in the heart of the city centre.
We book our cars via Skyscanner Car Rentals to compare the best deals between the providers.
Whilst it is possible to substitute the driving day trip options for organised tours, you’ll lose the freedom and flexibility of having your own car to explore the city surrounds at your own pace.
Having a car means you’ll need to factor in parking availability and costs when booking your accommodation. We stayed in an Airbnb whilst in Cape Town that came with its own parking spot in a secure garage.
One week in Cape Town
At a glance
Day 1 || Take in the views from Table Mountain || Explore the colours of Bo-Kaap || Stroll the V&A waterfront
Day 2 || Be moved at Robben Island || Relax at leisure
Day 3 || Drive the coastline || Watch the penguins waddle|| Visit the southwestern most point of Africa
Day 4 || Beachside escapades
Day 5 || Sample South Africa’s famed wines
Day 6 || Admire Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens || Pot luck eating || Stroll Cape Town’s promenades
Day 7 || Yours at leisure
Day 1
Table Mountain is one of the first things you’ll notice on your arrival into Cape Town. This massive mountain with its flat plateau is one of the most striking images of this city. If you’re lucky, during your week you’ll be able to see the mountain with its “table-cloth”. Clouds form around the surface, appearing as though giants are ready to eat from the pristine set table.
The easiest way to get up the top is via the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. A rotating cable car zooms you up to the top in as little as 5 minutes. Once you’ve arrived, it’s hard to peel your eyes from the scenes below you. You’ll feel on top of the world as the city is laid out for you and buildings look like little dots as you’re high in the sky.
Spend a few hours up the top of Table Mountain, savouring every view. There are a few short hikes you can do whilst you’re up the top. Grab some lunch at the café, or bring a prepared picnic. When you’re ready, head back down via the Cableway again.
Make sure you pre-book the Cableway too. Whilst you probably still need to wait in line, it will be a much shorter wait than if you haven’t booked ahead.
Note: When we visited, there were some fairly strong winds that week. The Cableway won’t run if it’s too windy, and there is a possibility, the wind could brew whilst you’re up top. In that case, you’ll need to be prepared to hike down too.
The colours of Bo-Kaap
From Table Mountain, take an Uber to Bo-Kaap. This area full of colourful homes is one of the most vibrant images of Cape Town. An Instagram hotspot, people flock here to pose in front of the pink, yellow and purple buildings. The area is home to the city’s Muslim community and you’ll see signs of this as you walk through the streets, from the mosque to the restaurants. You won’t need any more than 30-60 minutes here, so just take your time and stroll through the streets. If you’re interested in finding out more about the history, head to the Bo-Kaap Museum.
By now you’ve done a lot of walking, it’s time for an afternoon break. Head to the V&A Waterfront, which is a large area filled with shops, markets and restaurants. It’s a great spot, and an area we spent quite a bit of time in during our one week in Cape Town. If the weather is nice, head to one of the outdoor bars for a well-deserved drink. If you stay until dinner, I’d recommend grabbing a bite at Willoughby & Co. Whilst it’s inside the shopping mall, the sushi here was super fresh. It’s a popular spot amongst locals, so you may need to wait awhile for a table. Before you leave, you can grab any essentials for your trip from the Woolworths.
Day 2
On Day 2, get up early as you’re headed to Robben Island. A trip out to Robben Island is an absolute must do to understand more about the apartheid era. Infamously, this “attraction” is most known as the place where Nelson Mandela was held in prison for 18 years.
To get to Robben Island you’ll need to pre-book onto an organised tour. You can book via this link here. I can’t stress the pre-book part enough. There are only a handful of departures each day and they can book out well in advance. You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity during your trip!
I’d suggest booking the first tour of the day, at 9am. The tour will take you out to Robben Island via ferry. From here you’ll board a bus and do a tour of the island, with a guide pointing out all the key landmarks. It’s a sobering experience, in which you’ll learn all about the experiences of the political prisoners.
Meeting your Robben Island guide
After the bus trip, you’ll be dropped in front of the prison area where you’ll then be led through by a new guide, who was a former political prisoner themselves. Tom Moses was our guide and meeting this man was a moving highlight of our visit.
Tom sat everyone down and shared his experience. Tom’s explanation of his experience brought tears to both of our eyes. We both felt profoundly sad hearing what Tom lived through. This isn’t some movie, or some distant story. It’s the real experience of a man in front of you. Tom is adamant that no one should be sad hearing his story, but take strength and give thanks for what you have today. A remarkable man with a difficult story, you can’t help but walk a kinder and more compassionate human being.
Before you leave, your last stop will be to the see the tiny cells. This includes the cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his 27 year prison sentence.
You’ll return back by ferry to the V&A Waterfront. From here, the rest of your day is free to do as you please. I’ve purposefully suggested this, give the emotional toll this trip can take. You won’t know how you’re feeling after visiting Robben Island, and the benefit of having a full week in Cape Town is that you can take things slow.
Given you’re at the V&A Waterfront, I’d recommend grabbing some lunch here. Head to the V&A Food Market, a food hall spread over two floors. There’s so much on offer here from a pizza bar, juice stall, burgers and an assortment of South African dishes (biltong anyone?).
If it’s a nice, warm day, you might consider heading down to the Clifton beaches for some chill time by the water. For dinner, you might try the nightlife at Kloof or Long streets in the CBD, which are known for their funky bars and restaurants.
Day 3
From here, I recommend hiring a car for the next 3 days. You’ll be exploring places a little further afield than central Cape Town.
Your first destination for today is the stunning Chapman’s Peak Drive. We’ve done our fair share of road trips in our travels, and this drive goes down as one of our absolute favourites.
Leaving Cape Town, take the M6, passing through Camps Bay. If you haven’t had breakfast before heading out, Camps Bay has some great cafes for your morning pit stop.
Winding around the coastline, you’ll go inland for a bit, reaching Hout Bay. Famed for their fish and chips, it’s likely to be a little too early for your lunch time pit stop. You can press on, and leave lunch here until tomorrow.
Continuing along the M6, you’ll reach the Chapman’s Peak Drive as you wind your way up the coastline. It’s a toll road, but well worth the R50 fee. The road hugs the coastline, passing underneath carved out rocks as you make your way around. Make sure you stop at some of the designated parking bays, to enjoy the views over Hout Bay. Hopefully you’ll get a nice sunny day to enjoy.
Making friends with the penguins at Boulder’s Beach
Once you’re down the bottom of Chapman’s Peak Drive, you’ll head inland to cross to the other side of the coast for Simon’s Town. Grab some lunch here and prepare for the next hour or two of absolute cuteness, as you visit the Boulders Beach Penguin Colony.
The world famous Boulder’s Beach is home to a massive colony of African penguins, and you get to see them up close today. There are over 2,000 African penguins that call this area home. If an overload of cuteness is possible, you’ll get it here amongst these adorable little creatures.
Whilst Boulder’s Beach is most well-known, the best spot to view the penguins is called Foxy Beach. Boardwalks with viewing platforms will provide you with an amazing view of hundreds of penguins right before your eyes. We spent ages here just watching the cute penguins go for a swim and waddle back to shore.
A boardwalk connects Foxy Beach and Boulder’s Beach, so it’s an easy walk between the two. It’s possible to go swimming at Boulder’s Beach, so if it’s a nice day, consider spending some time at the small beach here. Whilst there aren’t as many penguins here than Foxy’s, you’ll definitely be amongst the friendliest of penguins. Remember not to feed or touch them. Their beauty is in their wildness, and they should be left that way.
There are two carparks to visit the beaches, one closest to Boulders Beach and another called Seaforth Square near Foxy’s. There was an entry fee of R152 for non-SA residents.
The crashing waves of Cape Point
Once you’re able to pull yourself away from the penguins, your next stop is the incredible Cape Point.
If you thought the coastal drive until now was stunning, wait until you meet the ruggedness of this leg. After paying your R303 entry fee to the National Park, follow the signs down to Cape Point. You know you’ve arrived when you can see the imposing lighthouse up the top of the hill. The views from the old lighthouse are phenomenal.
If walking to the top of the lighthouse seems too tough, you can take the Flying Dutchman funicular to the top and back for a small fee.
After visiting the lighthouse, jump back in your car and make the drive around to the Cape of Good Hope. The jagged coastline with the pounding waves is so raw, it feels like you’ve reached the end of the earth. Indeed, you have ventured to the most southwesterly point of Africa. There’s an iconic sign here you can stop and take a photo.
A word of warning as you visit this area: watch out for the baboons! They like to call this area home and are just waiting for you to leave your car door open for a little too long, so they can inspect the interior for some food. We watched one baboon make haste and jump into the driver’s seat with the door open for just a minute or so. They are always watching and hiding under vehicles looking to cause havoc. Lock everything up and be quick about your entry and exit, and you should be fine.
By this point it’s getting late in the day, so make your return back to Cape Town. If you go back via Chapman’s Peak Drive, try and time it for sunset, where the light shining down upon the coastline is stuff of magic.
To check the up to date opening times and prices, check the official parks website.
Also, if you’d prefer not to drive, there are group tours which visit Boulders Beach and Cape Point, such as this highly rated tour.
Day 4
Whilst you’ve got the car, today is about exploring some more areas further afield than central Cape Town.
In the morning, I recommend heading out towards Muizenburg and Kalk Bay. These areas are a little further north than Simon’s Town, which we missed from yesterday’s itinerary.
If you’ve seen the brightly coloured bathing boxes in pictures, the best spots to see these are Muizenburg Beach and St James Beach. If you’ve arrived in the morning, there are loads of cute café’s in these areas to grab a drink and a bite. One we’d recommend is Folk Café in St James.
Whilst you’re here, consider trying a Rooibos cappuccino (sometimes called Red cappuccino). Rooibos is a tea that is native to South Africa. It tastes a little bit like English breakfast, but a little sweeter, and it’s caffeine free. We don’t drink coffee, but in these parts they offer up this tea-based cappuccino. We got totally hooked on it during our one week in Cape Town, and had a great cup chilling out at Folk Café.
Back to Hout Bay
For lunch, consider heading back over to Hout Bay and grab some famed fish and chips. The harbor here is well known for it’s fish and chips and a must do on just about every itinerary I’ve ever read. If fish and chips doesn’t take your fancy though, try out Lucky Bao. Serving up an excellent assortment of dumplings and bao. It is perhaps an odd place to recommend an Asian restaurant, but it exceeded our expectations!
You could use the afternoon here for some more beach time back up towards Camps Bay and Clifton. If you’re a wine lover though, consider heading back into Cape Town via the Constantia wine region. We didn’t visit here during our one week in Cape Town (we’d had more than our fair share of wines when we spent 4 days in Stellenbosch!) but from what we’ve read there are some lovely spots here to pull up and do a wine tasting or two.
Day 5
Stellenbosch is one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world (and almost makes the the top spot for me, being just edged out by my love for Tuscany).
Taking just under an hour from Cape Town to reach this famed wine region, it would be a sin not to visit. Even if you’re not a wine tasting fan, the area of Stellenbosch is truly stunning.
I recommend heading out in the morning and heading straight for the town of Stellenbosch. It’s a university town, so you’ll notice the youthful vibe as you drive in and walk around. We’re grateful we didn’t study here, I’m not sure we’d do all that well amongst some world class wineries! There are loads of great cafes and restaurants in the town to grab some morning tea. It’s a beautiful little town filled with grand old houses. Check out the Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden (small fee required) to see where the local students come for some peace and quiet.
When you’ve filled your belly, it’s time to start checking out some of the wineries of the famed Cape Winelands. There are so many amazing options, I can’t possibly list them all. For a thorough list of the wineries, you can visit here.
But, I won’t leave you hanging, and I’ll let you in on a few of our favourites.
A visit to Delaire Graff Estate
Delaire Graff Estate is located about a 10 minute drive from the centre of Stellenbosch, and was my favourite winery in the region (we even came here twice!). The estate advertises themselves as “The jewel of the Cape Winelands”, and I am hard pressed to disagree. The view from the carpark alone is sure to take your breath away.
The Delaire Graff Estate is set amongst a garden and vineyards, with mountains rising up in the distance. It’s a real treat to have lunch here, but Delaire Graff is certainly no hidden secret. You’ll need to book well in advance to secure a reservation. We tried about 3 weeks out with no luck. If you can’t secure a reservation, you can always do a wine tasting with a charcuterie board. Reservations weren’t required when we visited, and we were able to get a table with minimal wait time.
Ice cream and wine?
For an afternoon treat, make a booking at Clos Malverne. What’s the treat here you ask? Wine pairing with ice cream! If you’re a regular reader of Our Passion for Travel, you’ll know that gelato is our favourite dessert in the world. Whilst not quite gelato, we’d never had the pleasure of an ice cream and wine pairing. This was an unexpected treat and our afternoon here won’t be forgotten. The views from the outdoor seating area are divine, and the quality of wine and ice cream was top notch. It was such great value too, with the pairing only costing R128 per person. Be warned, they don’t hold back with the wine tastings. We were very lucky our accommodation was just a short walk down the road from here and we didn’t need to drive! You can reserve your spot on their website.
Check out Franschhoek
If you have some time in the afternoon, also consider visiting the nearby town of Franschhoek. An area settled by French refugees, you’ll notice more than a few patisseries about. If you visit in July, you may be lucky enough to stumble across the Bastille Festival.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. The best days in a wine region such as Stellenbosch involve lots of wine drinking. Shocking, I know. And you need to drive out to this area. If you’re the designated driver, you won’t be able to enjoy too many glasses of South Africa’s finest without going over the limit. If you don’t want to worry about how much you’re drinking and needing to limit yourself, you could try the following options instead.
- Get an Uber between your planned visits. I had a friend who did this with no issues, but I can’t vouch for the availability of Ubers in the wine region.
- Get a personal driver. We don’t have any recommendations but a simple Google search might yield some results.
- Stay in Stellenbosch for a few nights so you can spread out your visits. This is exactly what we did! We stayed at the amazing Zarose Estate, which had an incredible view out across the valley (and zebras!).
- Opt for an organised group tour from Cape Town. The Franschhoek Wine Tram has a hop-on hop-off service throughout the Franschhoek Valley with transfers available from Cape Town. You can book the Wine Tram here. There are also organised tours available throughout Stellenbosch too, such as this highly rated tour.
Whichever option you choose, I hope you can get out to this beautiful region.
Note: specifically for our Australian readers. You’ll fall in love with some of the wines here. And naturally you’ll look to ship some home. Unfortunately each winery we visited told us it was cost prohibitive to ship to Australia due to some high trade costs. The US, UK and Canada were all reasonable, but we understand there was some trade restrictions for us Aussies. A shame, so get your fill whilst you’re here.
Day 6
You can return your hire car this morning, as an Uber will be sufficient to get you around the city for the remainder of your stay.
When you’re ready, head out to the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. A botanical garden since 1913, today it has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Our recommendation here is to enjoy a self-guided stroll through the gardens. There are plenty of spots where you can sit for a rest and contemplate the views before you. If you’d prefer a little help though, there are free shuttle tours of the grounds. Check the official website for times.
One spot not to miss is the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway. Weaving above the tree tops is a bridge that gives you a birds eye view of the gardens before you.
There’s a tea room and café on the grounds if you’re feeling peckish. Don’t eat too much though, because today we’re recommending an amazing spot for you to have a long, lazy lunch!
Head over to Woodstock
The Pot Luck Club is a tapas restaurant located in the suburb of Woodstock. This restaurant was recommended to us by locals and it turned out to be our favourite meal in South Africa. The restaurant is located up the top of the Old Biscuit Mill with a spectacular view of Table Mountain. Sharing around 6 dishes between us, the highlights were the springbok and calamari. The food is topped off with a very inventive cocktail list too.
Best of all, it’s incredible value. It’s like an upper class restaurant in Australia, but at about a third of the price. Jeff enjoyed a few beers for only about $AU2 each! This restaurant can book out well in advance, so make a booking here before you arrive in Cape Town.
Once you’re finished, have a stroll through the shops in the area too. It’s a hub for creatives and there are signs of this all throughout the town. Trendy shops, galleries and colourful murals adorn the buildings in the streets.
From Woodstock, make your way across to the area of Green Point. The Green Point Lighthouse with its red and white stripes is a top spot for photography in Cape Town.
The waterfront around this area is a popular spot for locals to go for an afternoon walk. So, why not join the locals and take a stroll around here up to Sea Point. There are plenty of cafes to take a break along here, or enjoy a sundowner at one of the bars.
Day 7
It’s your last day and your one week in Cape Town is almost at an end. It’ll be sad just how quickly your 7 days fly by! Today, we’re leaving the agenda free for you to decide what to do. Even with a full week in Cape Town, it’s impossible to see and do everything. We’ve included a few options below on other popular activities or tours that may be of interest to you.
Firstly, if you haven’t managed to cover everything in the itinerary above, spend some time doing it today.
Our itinerary so far hasn’t included a whole lot in terms of history about South Africa and Cape Town. As you’d know, South Africa has a turbulent history with apartheid only ending in 1994.
Think about a township tour
You might decide you want to spend a few hours on a township tour. We didn’t do a township tour during our stay in Cape Town, but we made that decision because we’ve previously spent time in similar communities in Africa. However, if we went back to Cape Town again and had more time, we’d definitely prioritise this.
The District Six Museum is a great place to learn more about the impact of the apartheid policies on the local Cape Town community, given District Six was an area where locals were forcibly removed.
If you’re into more active pursuits, an early hike up to Lion’s Head is a very popular activity in Cape Town. I’ve seen so many photos of the view up here at sunrise and it looks absolutely incredible.
Whatever you decide to do, we hope it’s a wonderful end to your 7 days in Cape Town!
A few notes on our one week in Cape Town itinerary
Lying along the coast means that Cape Town can be an incredibly windy city (particularly in the summer months which is the high tourist season). Two of the most incredible things to do in Cape Town are taking the Aerial Cableway up to Table Mountain and a trip out to Robben Island. Both of these activities are dependent on good weather. In fact, during our one week in Cape Town, there was a chance that we weren’t going to be able to do either activity. It was so windy and they were getting cancelled each day. Putting these at the start of your itinerary will give you the best chance of being able to experience both.
Our one week in Cape Town itinerary doesn’t have lunch and dinner restaurant recommendations every single day, and that’s for good reason. We stayed in an AirBnB for a week so cooked a few meals at home.
There are a few Woolworth’s over the city to grab some supplies. I wish I could take the Woolworths in South Africa back to Australia! We also ordered Nando’s from Uber Eats on one occasion. I have a soft spot for this fast casual restaurant, and when I found out it was actually started in South Africa we just had to have it!
And one last restaurant recommendation for carnivores would be Hussar Grill. Serving up some excellent cuts of meat, the prices here are very reasonable to boot. It’s also a great place to try a malva pudding, a traditional South African dessert. There are 3 locations in Cape Town. Check their website here.
Looking for where to go next? We headed to Namibia on a 7 day tour from Cape Town. Read about that here.
If you used this one week in Cape Town itinerary for your travels or have some further suggestions, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
We have been to Cape Town several times over the past few years and loved it every time. Like you, we have always found it to be safe. It is a wonderful city to visit.
It’s such a beautiful city! We had many people staring blankly or fearing for us. A bit of preparation and understanding goes a long way 🙂