Cape Town
Arriving in Cape Town, you might feel the wind playing tricks with your hat before you even spot Table Mountain, which sometimes hides behind a tablecloth of clouds. Locals call it the ‘tablecloth’, though I once heard a taxi driver call it ‘the city’s laundry day’. Popular things to do or visit include waiting for penguins at Boulders Beach, which may or may not show up on time—punctuality is overrated for birds. Someone once tried to teach me how to surf at Muizenberg, but my board seemed to prefer the sand. If you ask about the best hotel in Cape Town, locals debate it longer than a rugby match, but the view often wins. Don’t forget to try bobotie, a dish I failed to pronounce correctly three times in a row. Walking through the V&A Waterfront, you hear at least five languages and lose count after the sixth. It’s a city where GPS gives up but red buses keep going.
Local weather in South Africa
SPRING
mild & temperate
SUMMER
warm & sunny
AUTUMN
mild & temperate
WINTER
cool
Top destinations in South Africa
Rhodes
Tokai
KwaZulu-Natal
Accommodations in Cape Town
Discover the best accommodations for Cape Town and start planning your holiday.
Travel destination popular things to do or visit in Cape Town
Visitors often start with the flat-topped Table Mountain, which sometimes closes its cable car when the wind gets ideas of its own. But the mountain’s hiking trails zig-zag like someone changed their mind halfway, and each route offers a new view or a new blister. Robben Island, which does not actually rob anyone, remains a history lesson even for those who snoozed through history class at school. You might find yourself on a boat there, surrounded by people arguing if the water is more blue or more green, and one person definitely forgets sunscreen. In the Bo-Kaap, houses line up in colors that could wake up a sleepy cat, and the smell of spices follows you down the street, unless the wind swallows it first. Popular things to do or visit sometimes appear on lists, but often hide in alleys or behind a smile from someone holding a koeksister.
The best hotel in Cape Town, if you ask three locals, gets three answers, none of which match what you find online. Some say you need a rooftop view; others claim proximity to the sea is key, though no one agrees which sea. Breakfast buffets come with stories, like the time a baboon stole someone’s croissant—true story, or at least that’s what the waiter said. If you seek travel destination popular things to do or visit, remember, sometimes the most memorable thing is waiting for your luggage, which may have decided to visit Durban instead. Cape Town rewards wanderers, and those who pack extra socks. Watch out for the squirrels; they know where you hid your snacks.
Other cities around South Africa
These popular destinations have a lot to offer for you next holiday or city break.
