Cape Town, set in stunning scenery, has a fascinating backstory and an excellent food & wine culture. Our 5 day Cape Town itinerary captures all that is great about this African city.
There is a lot we like about Cape Town. A melting pot of native African and European colonial culture set in a truly beautiful location. Mountains drop into blue oceans where powder white beaches provide home to penguins and seals. Clifftop drives and hilltop walks offer breath-taking views that Cape Town has become famous for.
It also has some of the best value high-quality food in the world. Eat in Constantia or in the bars and restaurants around Kloof Street and you will find culinary innovation at a fraction of the price of many other destinations.
HOW TO SPEND 5 DAYS IN CAPE TOWN
Our 5-day Cape Town Itinerary explores the history of this once troubled town. Apartheid only came to an end 25 years ago and visiting Robben Island, District 6 Museum and a township helped us to learn more about these policies and the challenging legacy they have left on this town and its people.
Cape Town is a great place to visit and it can easily be incorporated into a much longer stay in South Africa, one of our favourite holiday destinations. You can see what we got up to in our 3 week South Africa itinerary.
INSPIRATION / OUR TOP EXPERIENCES IN SOUTH AFRICA
5-DAY CAPE TOWN ITINERARY OVERVIEW
DAY 1 / Learning about apartheid in the city centre
DAY 2 / Uncovering a township and exploring great tastes in Constantia
DAY 3 / Ascending Table Mountain before hitting the beaches
DAY 4 / Touring Robben Island and hiking Lions Head for sublime views
DAY 5 / Visiting penguins and the stunning scenery of the Cape Peninsula
WHY GO TO CAPE TOWN?
Stunning scenery as mountains drop into crashing seas
Uncovering the history of apartheid and the lessons it offers
Sundowners overlooking some of the best city beaches in the world
Quality food and wine in beautiful locations at truly great prices
A cultural melting pot of African and European life
Our 5-day Cape Town Itinerary: Fascinating history and beautiful scenery.
DAY 1 / DISTRICT SIX, CITY CENTRE & BO KAAP
AM / Start today with a visit to District Six Museum, which tells the story of the forcible ejection of local multi-racial communities from the Sixth District in inner Cape Town. It has both permanent and temporary exhibitions and excellent guides offering personal insights into the museum.
After the museum, grab a coffee at the excellent Uncle Bear Coffee Company before exploring the tourist market at Greenmarket Square and the old colonial buildings surrounding Company Gardens. Next, grab lunch at Yours Truly perched on a stool watching the world go by.
PM / In the afternoon wander over to Bo Kaap. Bo Kaap has a rich multi-cultural heritage, thanks mostly to the descendants of slaves who were brought over in the 16th and 17th century. Today it’s an interesting place to stroll around and admire the colourful houses. Check out the museum. Although the exhibits are average, a good TV presentation documents the residents of Bo Kaap as they reflect on their life and the development of their community.
Explore the shops of Loop and Long street before grabbing an early evening drink at The Gin Bar on Wale Street.
District 6 Museum / 9:00 to 18:00 Mon to Sat; Guided Tours at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00 Mon to Fri / Price: R40 or R55 guided / More: District 6 Museum Website / Location: 25A Albertus St, Zonnebloem, Cape Town
Bo Kaap Museum / 9:00 to 16:00 Mon to Sat / Price: R20 / More: Bo Kapp Museum Website / Location: 71 Wale St, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town
DAY 2 / TOWNSHIP TOUR, KIRSTENBOSCH GARDENS AND CONSTANTIA
AM / Start today by heading into Langa and taking a morning Siviwe Township Tour. Langa is a small tight-knit township, just east of Table Mountain. Touring this township opened our eyes to how many of Cape Town’s citizens live and the ongoing legacy of apartheid. It was one of our best experiences in Cape Town which we highly recommend.
Next head over to Constantia and join the Constantia Wine Route where you can stop at numerous vineyards and try their food and wine. Groot Constantia and Fairview are a must for tastings, and Buitenverwachting is a real treat for lunch, with a café and restaurant serving excellent food. But be there before 2 pm otherwise you might have to do some fast talking to convince them to stay open for you!
PM / Before the afternoon completely disappears in a haze, make your way to Kirstenbosch for a leisurely stroll around the botanic gardens. If you are here in summer try to tie it up with one of their outdoor summer concerts, which are truly excellent.
PM / Before the afternoon completely disappears in a haze, make your way to Kirstenbosch for a leisurely stroll around the botanic gardens. If you are here in summer try to tie it up with one of their outdoor summer concerts, which are truly excellent.
Siviwe Langa Township Tour / Tours are at 9:00, 12:00 or 14:00 and last 2 to 2.5 hours / Price: R350 / More: Siviwe Tours
Kirstenbosch Gardens / 8:00 to 19:00 Sep to Mar; 8:00 to 18:00 Apr to Aug / Price: R70 / More: Kirstenbosch Gardens / Location: Rhodes Dr, Newlands
DAY 3 / TABLE MOUNTAIN BEFORE HITTING THE BEACHES
AM / Day 3 of our 5-day Cape Town itinerary takes us up the Table Mountain Cableway for stunning views over Cape Town. Booking ahead is essential as it’s a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. With or without pre-booked tickets it’s likely you will need to queue, so get there as early as possible. But fear not, your precious time is not wasted as the views across Cape Town, Lion’s Head and the endless expanse of ocean is well worth the wait.
After descending in the cable car, head the short distance to Kloof Street and grab lunch at one of the many options in the area. Kloof Street House was our pick.
PM / Time for a bit of R&R, so head over to the beach of your choice for some sun, sand and remarkably cold sea. Camps Bay is a curving wide stretch of beautiful white sand. The four Clifton beaches under lion’s head each have their own vibe. Bloubergstrand, about 20-minute drive from town, has great views back to Table Mountain and is a great spot for kitesurfing.
End the day with dinner and drinks at one of the many establishments overlooking Camps Bay. It’s sloppy tourist driven fare, but the view, energy and sunset make up for it.
Table Mountain Cableway / First car varies from 8:00 to 8:30; last car varies from 18:00 to 20:30 depending on the time of year / Price: R290 / Tickets: pre-book here / Location: Tafelberg Rd, Gardens, Cape Town
DAY 4 / ROBBEN ISLAND & LION’S HEAD
AM / This morning take the Robben Island Museum Tour and learn a bit more about the era of apartheid. Robben Island was used by the South African government as a prison for political prisoners and convicted criminals from 1961 until 1991. Today the island is home to a number of former inmates who work as tour guides, providing very personal – and at times – harrowing accounts of their experience in the prison. Ferries to Robben Island depart from Victoria and Albert Waterfront and booking in advance is recommended. The whole trip takes around 4 – 5 hours. Upon your return explore the V&A Waterfront and grab lunch at the Waterfront Food Market.
PM / This afternoon hike up Lion’s Head. The well-trodden path winds its way up the mountain and offers spectacular views of Cape Town, Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay beach. The views from the top are stunning. Make your way to the top by late afternoon as the sun drops and the surrounds are lit up in all their golden glory. If you take a couple of beers with you to the top, you will have a truly memorable moment.
Robben Island Tour / Tours run every couple of hours starting at 9.00 / Tickets: Book online in advance / Price: R360
Lions Head Walk / Park 500m up Signal Hill Road, just after turning off the M62 at Kloof Neck. The path is easy to follow. There is a bit of scrambling towards the top, but if the sight of ropes and ladders leaves your palms sweaty, walk a bit further and you’ll see another path avoiding these tricky bits. The walk takes around 1 hour, 15 minutes up and 1 hour down.
DAY 5 / DRIVING THE STUNNING CAPE POINT PENINSULA
AM / Today, enjoy a driving tour of the spectacular Cape Peninsula. Take the M6 down to Harbour Road in Hout Bay, home to a traditional fishing harbour and market, which offers some excellent seafood and a cool seaside vibe. After a walk around Hout Bay Harbour, head to Cape Point via Chapman’s Peak. This is a toll road, but you will not resent the small payment one bit; the drive is nothing short of spectacular.
Once the M6 hits the M65, turn right and go via Kommetjie, taking the circular route around the peninsula. About 1h 20m after leaving Hout Bay you will arrive at Table Mountain National Park. Pay the entry fee, then and follow the signs to The Cape of Good Hope. Walk up the hill nearby and keep your eyes peeled for whales. After you’ve soaked up the views, drive up to Cape Point, walk up to the new lighthouse and out to the point that looks down over the old lighthouse.
PM / Back in the car, head up the east side of the peninsula to Boulder’s Beach (35min) and have a quick visit with the penguins. Continue to St James (25 min) and walk to the much-photographed brightly coloured beach huts framing a tidal rock pool.
Next head back south to Kalk Bay, to check out its coffee shops and bohemian vibe before having dinner at Livebait, a great, reasonably priced seafood restaurant so close to the front the waves are lapping at the deck. Get there while it is still light to watch the sun go down.
Chapmans Peak Drive / Anytime / Price: R47 other tariffs are here.
Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope / 6:00 to 18:00 Oct to Mar; 7:00 to 17:00 Apr to Sep / Price: R147 / More: Information here / Location: Cape Point Rd, Cape Town
Boulder’s Beach Penguin Sanctuary / 7:00 to 19:30 Dec to Jan; 8:00 to 17:00 Apr to Sep; 8:00 to 18:30 Feb to Mar and Oct to Nov / Price: R76 / Location: 4 Boulders Place, Simon’s Town
ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR OWN 5 DAYS IN CAPE TOWN
A little pre-planning and research will help make your travels far more successful, it will also help you to understand what you are looking for in a destination. If you like our itinerary, here’s some further information we think you might need to plan your own 5-day Cape Town itinerary.
GETTING AROUND CAPE TOWN
Cape Town international airport is a 20 to 30-minute drive from the city centre. It has decent direct flights to southern Africa, the Middle East and Europe. But many visitors may find it cheaper and easier to connect in Johannesburg. We find Google Flights a very quick and easy way to start comparing prices before digging a little deeper.
We advise you hire a car at Cape Town Airport. Car hire is good value and makes getting around much easier. Parking is generally easy and cheap and the roads are good. The excess for accidents is generally low so we did not get any car insurance.
BEST TIME TO GO TO CAPE TOWN
Cape Town can be visited all year but it is best to avoid the wet colder months of July and August. If you want to spend time on the beaches then the summer months of December to March bring temperatures in the high twenties and longer days, but also higher crowds.
We recommend mid- January to mid-March to get good weather, long days, fewer crowds and the opportunity enjoy wine festivals and outdoor concerts. Beware though, the seas around Cape Town are cold almost all year round, so swimming takes a deep breath whatever time you travel.
WHERE TO STAY IN CAPE TOWN
If you are following our 5-day Cape Town Itinerary it is worth checking out both hotels, rental apartments and Airbnb. When staying in a city we always recommend spending less on accommodation facilities and more on location.
Tamboerskloof and Camps Bay are both excellent locations but for different reasons. Tamboerskloof (as near to Kloof Street as you can) is younger and cooler, close to the city centre, has easy access to a wide range of bars, coffee shops and restaurants and great views up to Table Mountain.
Camps Bay, on the other hand, is a bit older, but stunningly set on one of the most beautiful city beaches in the world, with cocktail bars and restaurants lining the front. We booked three nights in each using Airbnb, making sure both places had free parking.
3 nights Tamboerskloof | Our Airbnb pick
3 nights Airbnb Camps Bay | Our Airbnb pick
COSTS OF OUR 5-DAY CAPE TOWN ITINERARY
Cape Town is a very reasonably priced destination. Car hire is cheap and food is excellent value given its high quality. In fact, we suggest you spend a little more on food and drink and get some truly great experiences. Our entire 5-day Cape Town Itinerary for two people cost R23,500 which, as of Sep 2018 exchange rates, equates to about:
US $1,550
GBP £1,200
EUR €1,350
BOOKING YOUR 5-DAY CAPE TOWN ITINERARY
Cape Town can get very busy. Book the Robben Island Tour, Siviwe Township Tour and Table Mountain Cableway before you arrive. The Table Mountain Cableway can close when conditions are windy, if so your ticket is valid for a later day, but it means you may need to be flexible and you should plan to go up on your last day in case it is closed. Furthermore while booking online does not skip all of the queues, it does make it considerably quicker.
If you are visiting in the summer months please check Kirstenbosch events. The summer concerts in the gardens are excellent.
If you are a sports fan then Cape Town is an excellent destination. It is relatively easy to get tickets to world-class rugby and cricket at extremely good prices. Not to mention, Newlands Stadium is a stunning destination with great views over Table Mountain.
GUIDEBOOKS & READING
As always the Lonely Planet Cape Town & Garden Route guidebook was a very valuable addition to our toolkit while in Cape Town.
For some interesting reading, The Scramble for Africa by Thomas Packenham explains the history of how African territory was divided between European powers between 1881 and 1914.
Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom is a powerful account of the struggle against apartheid with many key events taking place in Cape Town.
WHERE NEXT?
Cape Town is a stunning destination but so is the rest of South Africa. If you head to one other place, go to Kruger National Park. A self-drive safari here is a truly remarkable experience, as is the more upmarket Sabi Sands Private Reserve.
You can also check out all the best experiences we had in South Africa or simply peruse our other articles here. Or if you are struggling to put your South Africa trip together, then see how we did it in our 3 week South Africa itinerary.
Finally if you are thinking about South Africa you might also want to consider Namibia. Our 2 weeks in Namibia was the best holiday we have had for many years and you can find all the highlights of that trip here.
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First of all, I must say that you have taken stunning pictures of Cape Town. I loved the Bo-Kaap area where everything is so colorful and photogenic. I love to take pictures of colorful houses and therefore I would end up taking thousands of pictures there. Going to Robben Island, Table Mountain, and Cape Point Peninsula must be in my first priority here. Thanks for sharing all details.
Thanks, Yukti! I love taking photos of colourful houses as well and don’t worry, I’m sure I have thousands yet to sort through as well. You’re in for a treat if you haven’t been to Cape Town yet, it’s an amazing location.
Your posts are always so informative both in history and helpful tips! Would love to visit South Africa one day and this guide will certainly come in handy! #FarawayFiles
Thanks very much. It’s a cool place to visit – with some interesting history – so we highly recommend it.
With everything so flat here in Denmark, I am always so smitten with rocky coastal landscapes – so stunning. And that Bo-Kaap is super colorful and charming. I hadn’t thought of South Africa as a foodie destination per se, I know there is established wine culture, but your dishes look delish! Thank you for sharing and giving an idea of budget. Always good when considering a destination. Lovely photos like always. Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles
Thanks, Erin! You can take it from me – a self-proclaimed expert on such matters – the food in Cape Town is top notch! Everything is very “on-trend” and the scenery you’re dining in makes it all the more special.
Such a detailed post thank you. I’ve visited Cape Town before and absolutely adored it, so was a lovely trip down memory lane for me. #farawayfiles
Thanks, Kate. Glad we could provide some reminiscing for you.
I love the fantastic mix of activities you’ve highlighted in just five days. You’ve got everything here: beaches, wine, cultural trips AND beautiful landscapes. Your photos are stunning too. Great post for #FarawayFiles
There’s so much variety in Cape Town it’s ridiculous. The food, the wine, the incredible scenery, beaches, beautiful weather – it’s a fantastic destination.
I had such a great time in Cape Town, and South Africa, last fall, so had to check out what you were up to 🙂 #farawayfiles
Thank you. I hope we didn’t leave anything out!
Love this post, beautifully written. Really well put together article with excellent photographs. I had heard it was a great destination for all the reasons you have listed, but love the mix of mountains, beaches and history. Thank you so much for sharing on #farawayfiles
Thanks very much, glad you liked it! It’s a great town for exploring lots of different things and the setting is absolutely stunning.
Very informative post and some great tips, Cape Town maybe on our itinerary in 2019, so, will certainly pin for ideas.
The history here is fascinating and one of the reasons I’d love to go, thanks for sharing & love the photos. #farawayfiles
Thanks, Janis. Looking forward to hearing about your trip there.
I’ve read a number of posts on Cape Town but yours is perfect – seriously. Moreover, your photos are absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing this itinerary with us, it’s brilliant 🙂 #FarawayFiles
Wow! Thank you very much.
Another fabulous itinerary! I truly appreciate how you lay everything out including the cost breakdown. You’ve done such a good job making these far away places feel more accessible. All your photos are wonderful, but my favorites are the colorful huts and the buildings. I think I might like to print those! Thank you for sharing on #farawayfiles
Thanks so much. Those colour buildings are my favourite part of Cape Town, there’s always plenty of people taking photos in front of them.
Great informative itinerary with stunning phots. Definitely saving it for the future reference. Thanks for sharing it!
#FarawayFiles
Thanks a lot. Glad you found it useful.
This is a great post! We stayed in camps bay which was a great base for table mountain -#frawayfiles
Yes, Camps Bay is an excellent location – such a great beach with stunning views of the mountains.
Cape Town has been on my travel wish list for awhile and this seriously gave me such travel envy. I love all the colors you captured. I was familiar with Table Mountain, penguins and the wineries but not about the other interesting things on your itinerary. This is such a helpful post when we finally make it to this beautiful part of the world.
Thanks, Mary – glad you found it useful. It’s a fantastic holiday destination: beaches, wine, views, walks, culture, history. Can’t really ask for much more!
Hi Mark & Paul
Thoroughly enjoying reading your blog. Your writing is superb, your suggestions are truly inspiring and your photos are absolutely stunning!
One point though … Mark you took the CABLE CAR up Table Mountain! Shame on you – Keith made me WALK up (and I’m loads older than you!)
Love to you both
Kathy
Hi Kathy – thanks for stopping by, nice to have you here. I know it was a bit of a cop-out getting the cable car up, look like a long way though! I’m sure at the time Mark wanted to walk it and I didn’t!
Great post, as always! Cape Town has a way of stealing your heart. I never wanted to leave! This itinerary is spot on. I especially love the Cape Peninsula road trip. It is totally different than the way we did it. While yours went around counterclockwise, ours went around clockwise. The huts at St James are nice, don’t get me wrong, but I also love those of Muizemberg. You can check out my full Cape Peninsula and Cape Town recommendations on teentravelguru.com
PS. I am a BRAND NEW TRAVEL BLOGGER. I would LOVE any support. Feel free to email me with ideas. I’d also like to guest post on this (beautifuly designed!) blog sometime.
Thanks in advance!!!!
Magdalena
Thanks, Magdalena. Cape Town certainly does have a way of stealing your heart, but for us, the scenery around the peninsular is the real joy of travelling to the area. Good luck with your travel blog!