12 Must-Do Experiences in Cape Town

The oldest winery in South Africa, Groot Constantia has a long history of producing some of the best wines in the world. Groot Constantia is also a rarity in its proximity to Cape Town itself. In the 19th century the European heads of state included wines from Groot Constantia in their cellars. Today the wine makers at this famous winery are still making their excellent wines and guests can visit for a full tasting. It’s also a great spot for a picnic, as long as you watch out for baboons. This is South Africa after all.

The hike up Lion’s Head affords incredible views. Since the trail winds around the mountain, you’ll have the unique opportunity to see every side of Cape Town from above. When you start, the ever-stunning Table Mountain will be just to the left, but soon enough, you’ll be facing Robben Island in the distance, with all of Cape Town below. The Lion’s Head hiking trail is eight miles round-trip and takes about three to four hours to complete, depending on your pace. If you happen to be in town during the full moon, be sure to start hiking mid-afternoon and bring your headlamp and a picnic dinner. Along the way, you’ll meet many a local honoring their monthly tradition of hiking up, eating dinner during the sunset, and hiking back down in the moonlight glow.

Cape Town’s Table Mountain National Park, which hugs the perimeter of the city, is so popular that the line for the cable car to the top can be longer than a queue for a Disneyland ride. But why stand in line when you can put your feet to use? There are several routes that lead to the top of the 3,562-foot, flat-topped mountain, including the two-mile Platteklip Gorge trail. Yes, it’s steep, but startling views of the city and the Atlantic await. Trek, get hungry, then picnic on local provisions—crackers, Dutch-style Gouda, and biltong, the thick-sliced South African jerky—before riding the cable car back down.

Through an unmarked door and up a steep staircase above Royale Eatery you’ll find the Waiting Room, a bar and lounge with retro style (but it’s usually too dark inside to really notice it). The best part of the multi-level lounge is the rooftop deck, with rows of picnic tables and twinkly lights strung overhead. This is one of the best decks in the city to view Table Mountain on the nights it is lit up from gigantic floodlights at its base. Saturdays are particularly popular. This bar appeals to those looking to escape some of the more touristy venues on Long Street, which is also why celebrities can sometimes be spotted here.

History buffs and those who are curious about the slave trade and its impact on South African development (specifically the Western Cape colony) will find a visit to the Slave Lodge very insightful. The theme of the museum is “from human wrongs to human rights.” Through posters and historic artifacts in the exhibits, you’ll gain an understanding of the history of the slave trade, as well as of human rights violations that persist in the world today. Plan on giving this museum at least an hour to walk through. (Iziko operates 10 other museums in South Africa, including the planetarium.)

As soon as you’ve booked your flight to Cape Town, you’ll also want to book your lunch or dinner reservation at the Test Kitchen. The restaurant was named to the “World’s 50 Best” list in both 2015 and 2016, making it one of the most popular spots in South Africa. As you enter the restaurant, you’ll notice chef Luke Dale-Roberts and his team moving around the open-air kitchen like a colony of ants. What first appears to be chaos is actually incredibly organized and intentional, with everyone working their hardest to deliver an unforgettable dining experience.

During a meal here, you can expect to taste a fusion of French, Asian, and South African flavors, with notable dishes including slow-cooked pork belly with wood-roasted sweet potato, smoked chestnut, and orange dashi. At dinner, guests have a choice of a five- or six-course tasting menu paired with South African wines.

While Cape Point is not, in fact, the southernmost tip of Africa—as is often claimed—it is generally accepted that the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet somewhere between here and the real tip, Cape Agulhas. Still, Cape Point is about as dramatic as you can get, with the land falling steeply away on three sides, the wind whipping around the cliffs, and the ocean churning below. The road to the point, at the end of a drive from Cape Town, goes through 20 miles of nature reserve full of baboons and antelopes. For those who don’t want to walk up to the lighthouse, there is a funicular, but to reach the point itself, you’re going to have to hike.

The highlight of Cape Town‘s hipster Woodstock district is its Saturday market, held in The Old Biscuit Mill. Every artisan baker, butcher, brewer, chocolatier and coffeemaker in the city has a stall there, and with more than 90 vendors all offering serious quality food it’s almost impossible to decide what to have for lunch. There’s only one option – get there for breakfast and snack all the way through the morning.