Cape Town attractions

Originally a jetty built in 1654 to provide fresh water and produce to the sailors of the Dutch East India Company, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is now one of the most-visited attractions in South Africa. The area is a development consisting of two harbors, retail shops and museums, seascapes and mountain views, and plenty of places to bed down, drink up, and eat away.

One of the world’s first botanical gardens, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden hosts more than 7,000 plant species from throughout Southern Africa. Visit to explore the 1,300-acre (528-hectare) gardens spread across the slopes of Table Mountain, including extensive hiking trails, a stone sculpture garden, and sunset summer concerts.

Step into Cape Town’s dynamic history by visiting the oldest remaining colonial-era building in the country. Built by Dutch colonists at the end of the 1600s, the Castle of Good Hope once served as a maritime resupply point and military hub. Its historic architecture and displays make it a popular attraction on tours of the city.

The cobblestone plaza of Greenmarket Square is one of Cape Town’s liveliest public spaces. Originally home to a slave market and then a produce market, the square now fills up with vendors selling painted fabrics, handcrafted jewelry, and other trinkets while street performers keep shoppers entertained with music and dance.

Rising high above Cape Town, Table Mountain is a symbol of the city and arguably its most famous natural landmark. From the flat-topped summit—reached by cable car—visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the city and ocean. On clear days, you can see Robben Island, Camps Bay, and the Atlantic Seaboard. Hiking fans also love this area, as well as adrenaline seekers who come for rappelling.

District Six Museum was founded in 1994 to honor those who were forcibly removed from their homes in the area. In the mid-1960s the South African government began relocating some 60,000 nonwhite residents to a slum-like township miles away and destroyed their homes in order to make the neighborhood whites-only.

When the Dutch East India Company arrived in what would become known as Cape Town in 1652, one of the first things they did was plant a garden to help feed the settlers. The Company's Garden still exists, today as a public park. A green oasis in the center of the city, the garden is a favorite of both locals and visitors.

The Stony Point promontory, in the small town of Betty's Bay near Cape Town, is home to a colony of African penguins. The colony is not as well-known as the bigger one at Boulders Beach, but you’ll still find thousands of the little penguins and, usually, fewer tourists.

Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium celebrates the unique marine animals that live off South Africa's coasts, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Travelers can get a glimpse of life below the surface of the ocean surrounding southern Africa, including microscopic creatures, magnificent fish, penguins, turtles, sharks, stingrays, rare seahorses, and colorful clownfish.

While a robust wine culture and picturesque vineyards are now synonymous with the Western Cape of South Africa, it all started with Groot Constantia. The oldest wine estate in the country, Groot Constantia offers visitors opportunities to tour the winemaking facilities, historic manor house and museum, and surrounding grounds. Plus, you can enjoy tasting their famous dessert wines.

The Slave Lodge at theIziko Museums of South Africa is located in a building formerly owned by the Dutch East India Company; it housed hundreds of slaves between 1679 and 1811. Slaves labored in the adjacent Company’s Gardens and awaited auction on nearby Spin Street; as many as 20 percent of them died here.

There’s more to Africa’s wildlife scene than big game, and you don’t have to get far from Cape Town to discover it. Set in Hout Bay, the World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park provides dynamic habitats for 400 different species. The largest aviary in Africa, the sanctuary is home to 3000 birds and monkeys living in walk-through enclosures.

A mountain pass in South Africa’s Western Cape, Sir Lowry’s Pass winds through the Hottentots Hollands Mountains on the N2 highway that links Cape Town and the Garden Route. It offers spectacular views back towards Cape Town, up towards paragliders (in season), and over into the lush landscapes of rural Elgin.

Six days a week, at precisely 12pm, the roar of blasting gunpowder echoes across Cape Town from Signal Hill. The firing of the Noon Gun, one of a pair of 18th-century cannons, has been a Cape Town tradition since British colonists instituted it in 1806—though it was only in 1902 that the guns took up their present position at Lion Battery.

Khayelitsha is thought to be not only the largest township in South Africa but also one of the fastest growing. Founded during apartheid in 1985, the township is now known for its thriving community projects, local restaurants, markets, street art, music, and entrepreneurial spirit. Visitors come here for guided tours, where they can learn more about its complex history and what everyday life is like in the township, while also supporting local businesses.

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) features 21st-century art from Africa and beyond, housed in historic grain silos on the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Be part of an innovative viewing experience as you wander 100-plus galleries spread over nine floors of the 108-foot (33-meter) glass-topped cylinders.

About 5 miles (8 kilometers) off the coast of Gansbaai, a town in South Africa's Western Cape, Dyer Island is a bird sanctuary closed to the public. It was originally called Ilha de Fera, Portuguese for “Island of Wild Creatures,” which makes sense given that the island is home to hundreds of African penguins.

Part jewelry store, part diamond workshop, the Cape Town location of The Diamond Works has been wowing visitors to South Africa since 2001. The shop offers diamond, tanzanite, and gold jewelry, plus polished stones and the option to design your own bespoke pieces. But it’s the workshop that’s the star attraction for most travelers.

One of the oldest museums in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Iziko South African Museum is home to more than half a million unique artifacts. Visitors can explore the halls of this historic place, which was founded in 1897, and learn more about the history and the people of the African continent’s southernmost country.

Once an old biscuit factory, the Old Biscuit Mill has been transformed into one of Cape Town’s trendiest dining, shopping, and creative hubs. Located in the Woodstock suburb—which is known for its great street art—the Old Biscuit Mill is packed full of independent boutiques, cafés, galleries, and design stores. It’s especially popular at weekends, thanks to the Neighbourgoods Market, which features food stalls, live music, and crafts.

The Iziko South African National Gallery is the premier public art museum in Cape Town. Housed in a grand Cape Dutch-style building, the museum offers a collection of South African, Dutch, Flemish, French, and British works from the 17th century to the modern day, along with temporary exhibits by local and emerging artists.

Part of sprawling Table Mountain National Park, Silvermine Nature Reserve near Cape Town takes its name from the 1898 Silvermine Reservoir at its heart, a scenic body of water that’s not meant for swimming. Dutch settlers in the 17th-century thought they would find silver in the area; they were wrong, but the name stuck.

This Cape Town museum is at the site of the first human heart transplant, Groote Schuur Hospital. The Heart of Cape Town Museum is in the still-working hospital, in the actual rooms where that heart transplant took place in December 1967.

In West Coast National Park, fields of colorful wildflowers overlook the clear, turquoise water of the Atlantic Ocean. Egrets, ospreys, and sandpipers congregate, and whales and dolphins play in the sheltered lagoon from May to November. This idyllic spot is only one hour away from Cape Town by car and offers a peaceful getaway from the city.

Cape Town’s South African Jewish Museum (SAJM) honors the Jewish history of South Africa through interactive displays, audio-visual presentations, and fascinating artifacts. Visitors can see part of Cape Town's Old Synagogue, built in 1863 and situated on the same grounds as the museum, as well as the richly decorated 1905 Great Synagogue.

The oldest township in Cape Town, South Africa, Langa maintains its community, culture, and living heritage. The pre-apartheid Xhosa community was established in the 1920s and played a major role in resisting the government during the apartheid era. Join a tour with a local for an experience that feels a world away from the city’s looming modern high-rises.

Located on the Western Cape, the !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Center celebrates the rich culture and history of the indigenous San, southern Africa’s first people and one of the world’s last hunter-gatherer societies. The center offers a heritage museum, interactive experiences, trails, a restaurant, a gift shop, and lodging options.

A stop at the formidable Rhodes Memorial, perched on Table Mountain, rewards with classical architecture, views, and a reminder of British influence on Cape Town. Dedicated in 1912, the memorial honors British Cape Colony prime minister, Cecil Rhodes. For lunch with a view, try the restaurant and tea garden behind the memorial.

Located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront), the Cape Wheel offers panoramic views of Table Mountain, Robben Island, Pearl Mountain, and the Cape Town skyline from 131 feet (40 meters) up. Built in 2010 for the FIFA World Cup, the wheel offers 30 fully enclosed cabins (or gondolas), with room for up to six adults each.

An important naval base for more than 200 years, Simon's Town is located on the shores of False Bay, not far from Cape Town, and is a popular tourist destination. The most popular attraction in Simon's Town is the penguin colony at Boulders Beach: one of only three mainland colonies of African penguins in the country.