As far as most visitors are concerned, Table Mountain and Cape Town are one and the same thing – so what better place to start with? A natural landmark that has long graced the cover of postcards, its famed flat peak marks the most iconic point of the craggy mountain range that brings all the drama to this picturesque peninsula. Whether you’re feeling athletic enough to make the 3km hike, or would rather relax and enjoy the views from the Aerial Cableway, journeying to the top of this bucket-list wonder will reward with more than just the holiday bragging-rights – just don’t forget your camera.
Hungry from all that hiking/shopping/beach lounging? Why not satisfy your senses with some traditional Cape Malay cooking in Bo Kaap. Although one of the most photographed areas of the city, Bo Kaap offers more than its surface beauty of cobbled streets and colourful houses. Its rich history is a story best told through the unique palate of traditional Cape Malay cuisine – with influences from Holland, Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Instagram likes aren’t all that you will get out of a visit to this part of the city, your taste buds will thank you too.
Just outside of the new-generation hub of Cape Town’s wealthier centre, the reality of life for those still living in Townships is never far away. For an insight into the everyday lives of Township residents, make use of your free time and book onto a Cape Township Cape Care Walk Route and embark on the humbling experience of learning more about life as a local in the more deprived areas of this vast and varied city.
With at least four days to take in the city, you will have plenty of time to explore the rest of the peninsula that it sits on. Hopping along to the rugged outcrop that is Cape Point is of course on every travellers to-do list (quick, jot that down!). It’s here that the frosty Atlantic meets the warm embrace of the Indian Ocean, making for quite the collision. Don’t forget to get a picture at the Cape of Good Hope sign before you leave – and hold onto your hats, it gets windy out here.