7 days in Cape Town

Day by day

1. Day 1: Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway and Robben Island

   Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway and Robben Island, then V&A Waterfront in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway

      Table Mountain National Park · 3–4 hours · mid-priced. Buying cableway tickets online lets you skip the ticket queue, which is long in December and January.

   2. Late morning

      Robben Island

      Table Bay · About 4 hours including ferries · mid-priced. Tours sell out in summer and are cancelled in rough seas; book online several days ahead and keep a backup day free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bobotie

      Cape Malay restaurants in Bo-Kaap and on many traditional South African menus in the City Bowl.

   4. Evening

      V&A Waterfront

      Take a short harbour cruise at sunset for a view of Table Mountain from the water.

2. Day 2: Boulders Beach penguin colony and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

   Boulders Beach penguin colony and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, then Signal Hill in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Boulders Beach penguin colony

      Simon's Town · 1–2 hours · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

      Newlands · 2–3 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cape Malay curry

      Bo-Kaap eateries and cooking classes on Wale Street and nearby lanes.

   4. Evening

      Signal Hill

      Arrive at least 45 minutes before sunset on summer evenings, when the parking area fills up.

3. Day 3: Zeitz MOCAA and Two Oceans Aquarium

   Zeitz MOCAA and Two Oceans Aquarium, then Bree Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Zeitz MOCAA

      V&A Waterfront · 1.5–2 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Two Oceans Aquarium

      V&A Waterfront · 2 hours · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Gatsby

      Takeaway shops in Athlone, Salt River and the CBD; one roll easily feeds two or three people.

   4. Evening

      Bree Street

      The city's best concentration of wine bars, cocktail bars and restaurants, with a slightly older, food-focused crowd.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope

   About 1 hour 15 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car or guided peninsula tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope

      About 1 hour 15 minutes by car (Car or guided peninsula tour); about 65 km.

   2. Day

      Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope

      Loop back via Chapman's Peak Drive and Boulders Beach for a full peninsula day.

   3. Evening

      Back in Cape Town

      Dinner: try Hake and chips.

5. Day 5: Bo-Kaap and Lion's Head hike

   Bo-Kaap and Lion's Head hike, then Long Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Bo-Kaap

      Bo-Kaap · 1–2 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Lion's Head hike

      Signal Hill · 2–3 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hake and chips

      Harbour fish shops in Kalk Bay and Hout Bay, and casual fish restaurants at the V&A Waterfront.

   4. Evening

      Long Street

      Backpacker bars, balconies and late-night clubs; loud, cheap and busiest on weekends.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Stellenbosch

   About 45 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car, wine tour or train.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Stellenbosch

      About 45 minutes by car (Car, wine tour or train); about 50 km.

   2. Day

      Stellenbosch

      South Africa's second-oldest town has oak-lined streets of whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings, a university, galleries and dozens of wine estates in the surrounding hills, many with tasting rooms and restaurants.

   3. Evening

      Back in Cape Town

      Dinner: try Braaied snoek.

7. Day 7: Chapman's Peak Drive and District Six Museum

   Chapman's Peak Drive and District Six Museum, then Kloof Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Chapman's Peak Drive

      Hout Bay · 30–60 minutes · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      District Six Museum

      City Bowl · 1–1.5 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Braaied snoek

      Seafood restaurants and braai spots; fresh snoek is sold from the boats at Kalk Bay and Hout Bay in season.

   4. Evening

      Kloof Street

      Neighbourhood bars and restaurants in Gardens and Tamboerskloof, good for a relaxed evening.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway and Robben Island before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, City Bowl and Gardens keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, V&A Waterfront ($$$$) suits families, luxury, first-timers and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 22–30 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in June to 14.4 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Cape Town
• 2 days in Cape Town
• 3 days in Cape Town
• 4 days in Cape Town
• 5 days in Cape Town

Questions travellers ask