If cities were romances, Cape Town would be the love-at-first-sight kind: That first glimpse of Table Mountain from the sky, presiding over a gently curving coastline lapped by brilliant blue waters, is an image that leaves you instantly hooked. But there’s plenty to pull you in long after landing, from its chic hotels, world-class restaurants, and thriving art scene, to its dazzling cultural diversity and rich, if complex, history. Each day in the Mother City will see you unearthing new details that will have you falling in love all over again.
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Cape Town Travel Guide
Plan Your Cape Town Trip
Featured
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COVID-19 has illustrated the importance of domestic travelers across the continent.
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Here's how you can help from home.
16 Best Hotels in Cape Town
Helping you make one of the hardest decisions about visiting this fine city.
Editor Hotel Recommendations
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One&Only Cape Town
The One&Only’s prime location in the V&A Waterfront offers the best of both worlds when it comes to balancing convenience with exclusivity.Read full review - $$
Ellerman House
This adults-only property in Bantry Bay houses a private modern art collection.Read full review - $$
More Quarters Hotel
This comfortable, quiet hotel offers the best of both worlds: apartment living with a slate of services and amenities.Read full review - $$$
The Silo Hotel
This boldly decorated hotel on the V&A Waterfront is like living in a modern art museum—with the best views in Cape Town.Read full review - $$$
Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel
You won't find a smarter room in a more brilliant location anywhere else in Cape Town.Read full review - $$
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa
If you’re planning to visit the Constantia wine route and tour the Cape Peninsula, you’ll be very well placed here.Read full review - $$$
Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel
The Mount Nelson holds many trump cards, not least its historic location, unique garden setting, and old-school vibe.Read full review - $$
Cape Grace
All the advantages of a five-star hotel without losing touch with the city's Waterfront’s working harbour origins.Read full review - $
La Grenadine
Owned by a French couple, you could mistake La Grenadine for a hotel in the heart of Provence.Read full review
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The Best Things to Do in Cape Town
14 Best Things to Do in Cape Town
Between its rich and complicated past and modern cultural edge, Cape Town is one of the most exciting cities to explore right now.3 Best Day Trips From Cape Town
The wild landscapes and coastline outside of the city are ripe for exploring15 Best Museums in Cape Town
The city's art scene is on fire, from cultural touchstones to cutting-edge contemporary.The 6 Best Beaches in Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is fringed by countless stretches of sand, and while many visitors find the waters too icy for a swim, the coast is still well worth visiting. For one, the South Africa shores are gorgeous. Two? Whatever you’re into, the "Mother City" has a beach for that...yes, even if what you're into is penguins. Plus: Vote for your favorite hotels, cities, airlines and more in the 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards survey.Top 10 Things to Do on Your First Trip to South Africa
Traveling coast to countryside, from Cape Point to Kimberley, you'll see penguins on a Cape Town beach, track sable across a private game reserve, and stay in a five-star hotel near the Cradle of Humankind. Consider this a primer to your first-ever trip to South Africa.
Editor Recommendations
- Museum
District Six Museum
This museum pays homage to District Six, a mixed-race community in Cape Town whose residents were forcibly evicted in the 1970s.Read full review - Beach
Camps Bay Beach
Camps Bay is Cape Town's party beach: A beautiful, long stretch of white sand bordered by restaurants, clubs, and hotels.Read full review - Tour
Township Art Tours
This is an intimate stroll through Woodstock, a once-lovely, then dilapidated, now quickly gentrifying neighborhood filled with artists' studios and Victorian architecture.Read full review - Museum
Bo-Kaap Museum
Most people pop into Bo-Kaap for an Instagram shot, but this small museum is a wonderful primer on the neighborhood's history.Read full review - Museum
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
This stunning new museum is the first-ever major institution dedicated exclusively to artists from across the African continent and diaspora.Read full review - Parks & Gardens
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
This is beautiful expanse on Table Mountain is home to 7,000 plant species, most of which are unique to this region.Read full review - Mountain
Lion's Head
The neighbor to the formidable Table Mountain is no shrinking violet: The striking conical spire adds a distinctive quirk to the skyline.Read full review - Mountain
Table Mountain
It's impossible to find a spot that's not in the shadow of Table Mountain, as this majestic plateau dominates the city's skyline.Read full review - activity
Boulders Beach
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Muizenberg Beach
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Clifton Beaches
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Signal Hill
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The Company's Garden
- Museum
Iziko South African National Gallery
This museum houses a collection of South African, Dutch, French, Flemish, and British works from the 17th century through modern-day contemporary art.Read full review
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4 South African Safari Destinations You Can Get to from Cape Town
The Big Five are only a short drive away.
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Cape Town
21 Best Restaurants in Cape Town
The maturity and diversity of the food here has given the city a well-earned reputation.13 Best Bars in Cape Town
In this city, a night out can be as classy or as crazy as you want it to be.10 Best Wineries & Tasting Rooms in Cape Town
These area wineries are at the top of their game.10 Best Coffee Shops in Cape Town
Capetonians have become as particular about their coffee as they are about checking the wind direction before heading to the beach.10 Best Food Markets in Cape Town
Make like the Capetonians do, and check out these thriving markets while they're in full swing.
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Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
- Restaurant
Hemelhuijs
A design-forward restaurant that looks like it could be a gallery, but happens to serve seasonal comfort food drenched in nostalgia. - Restaurant
The Foodbarn Restaurant
Flavors are bold and the portions are hearty at this rustic-chic restaurant in Noordhoek Farm Village. - Restaurant
The Test Kitchen
It’s as much about the drama as it is the food at South Africa’s top restaurant, resulting in a meal you’ll be talking about for years to come. - Restaurant
The Shortmarket Club
Sultry, speakeasy-style lair in central Cape Town with a retro look and cutting-edge flavors - Restaurant
La Colombe
Cape Town fine-dining mainstay that makes appearances on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. - Restaurant
The Pot Luck Club
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The Woodlands Eatery
The Woodlands Eatery, which is set at the bottom of Table Mountain, is the perfect spot for great cuisine in a laid-back environment. - Restaurant
Chefs Warehouse
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Loading Bay
- Restaurant
Hallelujah
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My Favorite Airbnb in Cape Town: A Modern Apartment Minutes From the V&A Waterfront
Stroll over to the V&A Waterfront or relax at the rooftop pool.
More from Cape Town
News & Advice
United Airlines Just Launched the U.S.'s Only Nonstop to Cape Town
The only nonstop route between North America and the South African city saves a whopping eight hours of travel time.
News & Advice
United Returns to Africa With a Direct Flight to Cape Town
The airline plans to launch the only non-stop flight between the U.S. and Cape Town in December.
Destinations
What to Do in Cape Town This Spring
Here's what's happening in the city in April, May, and June 2019.
Adventure
Africa Is Surfing's Next Frontier
A Cape Town surf brand that draws on inspiration from across the continent is making waves from Morocco to Mozambique.
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