After spending time in many different cities around the world, Cape Town is one of our all-time favourites. Two weeks of hiking, sight-seeing, curry-cooking, sunrise and sunset-watching, whale-spotting, wine-sipping, and coastal-driving had our hearts feeling totally and completely full. From learning about apartheid and the city’s history, to being humbled by the mighty ocean and cliffs of Cape Point – this guide will help you experience the wonders of Cape Town in an epic one week itinerary.
Related // Our favourite things to do in Cape Town
Day 1 | Ground Yourself in the City’s Past
Morning // Arrive and get settled. We recommend booking an Airbnb in either Bo Kaap or Sea Point. Both have great food, shopping and easy-access to many other attractions. Once you’re settled head to Jason Bakery for a late breakfast or early lunch.
Getting a SIM Card in South Africa – We often prefer to travel without a SIM card because it allows us to really disconnect and get lost. But we highly recommend having one in Cape Town for Ubers. It’s easy to get one – ask your Airbnb host or accommodation where you can go nearby or Google ‘phone stores’. Bring a photo of your passport and you’ll be set up and running in 10 minutes.
Afternoon // Grab an Uber to the District 6 Museum to learn about apartheid and its ongoing impact on the city. Read about how the townships were created to segregate races. And how people were still losing their rights more recently than you might think. You can take a guided tour from a former resident or walk through the collections of stories at your own pace. Either way, it’s essential to understanding Cape Town and South Africa. Afterwards walk down the block to Truth Coffee where you can rest and reflect.
Or head straight to Motherland Coffee Company where you can join a free daily walking tour of Bo-Kaap to learn more about the colonization of Cape Town. Bo-Kaap is famous for its colourful houses and insta-worthy streets but there is a lot of history behind the neighbourhood too. So we recommend exploring with a tour vs. on your own.
Evening // By this point you’ll probably be pretty exhausted from all the information and jet lag. Reward yourself with a nice dinner and some local wine. For an incredible tasting menu in a fun environment, Chef’s Warehouse is the perfect restaurant. And it’s walkable from Bo-Kaap. Another great option in the area is Clarke’s Dining Room. They mix a mean cocktail, have a small, curated wine list and make simply delicious dishes. If you aren’t exhausted, the secret Gin Bar (through Honest Chocolate Cafe) down the street makes a great starting point for a night out.
Day 2 | Tower over the City from Table Mountain
Morning // After breakfast head to the Table Mountain Cableway station. Either join the que for the cable car up to the top or meet your hiking group for an invigorating trek up the hill.
Related // How to hike safely in Cape Town
Afternoon // You could easily spend all day on Table Mountain but you’ll probably have some time to kill before dinner. Consider a trip to our favourite grocery store in the world (we didn’t even know you could have a favourite grocery store before we came here) Woolworths to stock up on food and snacks for your apartment.
Evening // Pre-book a cooking class at Faeeza’s Home Kitchen in Bo-Kaap to learn how to make traditional Cape Malay dishes. Spend the evening rolling out roti, stuffing samosas and making curry. Fall in love with koeksisters and feel totally at home by the time you have to say farewell.
Day 3 – Hop Around the City
Morning // Hopefully by now your jet lag is wearing off because today’s a big one. Get up early and catch an Uber to Hout Bay where you’ll set off on a tour of Duiker Island, aka Seal Island. Pre-book to guarantee a spot on a morning boat. The tour is under an hour so you’ll be back in time to grab the first hop on-hop off bus.
Afternoon // To make the most of your day on the hop-on hop-off bus check out our complete guide and itinerary, including Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, V&A Waterfront and sunset at Camps Bay.
Evening // Make this an early night because you’ll be rising before the sun tomorrow.
Day 4 – Hike up + Chow down
Morning // Uber to the Lion’s Head trail entrance to meet your hiking group about 45 minutes before sunrise. Be sure to bring water and snacks for the top. And an extra layer – it gets cold when you stop walking and don’t have the heat of the sun. For tips on how to find a group to hike with check out our Hiking Safely in Cape Town post.
Afternoon // Hopefully your trip to Cape Town falls on a weekend because the Woodstock Neighbourgoods Market is one of the best in the world. The Old Biscuit Mill is a great for food and shopping any day but really comes alive on Saturdays. Dozens of boutique clothing and jewelry brands set up stalls – it’s like a hipster flea market. And then there’s the food market. Rows and rows of street food vendors with every cuisine imaginable. Paella being stirred beside pots of curry, empanadas getting served beside gelato.
Evening // Make a reservation at Pot Luck Club and arrive before sunset to watch the show as the sun lights up the sky and silhouettes Table Mountain and Lion’s Head. The food is unreal, as is the wine. The perfect bookend to your day.
Day 5 – A Day Trip to Cape Point
Day Trip // Today is the day for a road trip to Cape Point National Park. For the perfect day trip check out our full guide here. You can either rent a car or take the City Sightseeing bus. If you opt to rent a car, you can also choose to check out of your Airbnb today and spend your last nights in Franschhoek.
Car Rental Tip – Before you book your car, map out a rough route to get your total kilometres. Most rental companies in Cape Town rent by the km and charge for each km over.
Day 6 – Jump Aboard the Franschhoek Wine Tram
Day Trip // A trip out to the Cape Winelands is a must. The beautiful rolling hills are the perfect backdrop for sipping incredible new world wine. Our favourite way to experience them is on the Franschhoek Wine Tram. Read our full guide on why we love it and the best route to take as well as all the logistics you need to plan your day, like budgeting.
We’ve made the day trips back to back in case you opt to rent a car like we did. You can also get the full Franschhoek Wine Tram experience without a car through CitySightseeing.
Day 7 – A Whale of a Time
Day Trip // This is a day trip that requires a car. It’s also the furthest from Cape Town so easiest to cut if you’re short on time. But if you have the time it’s worth the drive to watch humpbacks playing in Hermanus Bay. Read more about whale watching in Hermanus in our Favourite Things to do in Cape Town blog.
Have more than one week in Cape Town?
Consider continuing on from Hermanus along the Garden Route. Or stay put in the city and live like a local visiting coffee shops and bars. Check out all of our favourites here.
Have less than a week in Cape Town?
Cut whichever day is least appealing to you. Or, if you’re ambitious you could cram Days 1, 2 and 4 into two days.
