coming
to
cape
town?
Traveling from abroad to come and visit the wonderful city of Cape Town? Here are some tips on hotels, travel and the basics of “How to do Cape Town” as a foreign visitor.
Transport
Uber is very functional here and highly recommended as a mode of getting around Cape Town. Especially to and from the airport.
Public transport is not all that reliable nor does it provide wide coverage of areas. MYCITI BUS services are great and very much dependent on where you are staying, can be very useful. Routes are limited but the service is good and affordable.
Accommodation
Being a major tourist destination you are spoilt for choice here. There are many hotels, backpackers, boutique hotels and Airbnbs galore!
The festival is in the city centre and more specifically in District Six. Cape Town is small! So you can pretty much stay anywhere near the city centre and it will be considered “close to the festival”.
If you want to be in walking distance of Cape Town’s best bars and restaurants we suggest you stay in these areas highlighted in orange:
If staying near nightlife and bars is not your scene and you are happy to be a bit further away but in a nice neighborhood, we suggest these places as wonderful areas to stay on your visit to Cape Town
$ = cheap
$$ = medium
$$$ = expensive
$$$$ = very expensive
Tamboerskoof (10min Uber from venue)
$$ – $$$$
Higgovale (10min Uber from venue)
$$ – $$$$
Oranjezicht (7min Uber from venue)
$$ – $$$$
Vredehoek (7min Uber from venue)
$$ – $$$$
Gardens (5min Uber from venue)
$$ – $$$$
Greenpoint (10min Uber from venue)
$$$ – $$$$
Seapoint (17min Uber from venue + also very vibrant nightlife)
$$$ – $$$$
Camps Bay (15min Uber away + fantastic beach + vibrant nightlife)
$$$$
Clifton (17min away + fantastic beaches)
$$$$
As you can see, accommodation costs can vary but these areas except Clifton & Camps Bay offer a range of options dependent on your budget. Clifton and Camps Bay are very wealthy neighborhoods and unlikely you will find a “bargain” in these places.
Restaurants and Bars
Cape Town is very well known for its outstanding restaurants so it’s pretty difficult to find a bad one. We can recommend the following: (in no particular order)
Restaurants
- Ouzeri (Cypriot/Greek)
- The Cousins Trattoria(Italian)
- Pitso’s Kitchen (South African)
- SeaBreeze (Seafood)
- Boma on Bree (Braai)
- Belly of the Beast (Fine Dining, reservation in advance required)
- El Burro Taqueria (Mexican)
- Kloof Street House (Brasserie-style European)
- Downtown Ramen (Japanese)
- Our Local (Breakfast/Lunch)
- Galjoen (Seafood, reservation in advance required)
- Club Kloof (Italian)
- Hudson’s Burger Joint (American)
- Dias Tavern (Portuguese)
Bars
- Surfa Rosa (dive bar, close to festival venue)
- BLONDIE* (vibey bar with good food)
- Barcadia (arcade & bar)
- Gigi Rooftop* (rooftop cocktail bar)
- The Gin Bar* (gin & bubbly bar)
- The Power & The Glory (coffee shop by day, bar by night)
- The Shack (late night bar)
- The Village Idiot* (vibey old-school pub)
- The Athletic Club & Social* (cocktail bar with DJs)
- One Park (listening bar & eatery)
- Openwine (wine bar, live jazz on Sundays)
Safety
Cape Town on the whole is a safe city. In the areas above, you are able to walk around freely, just be smart. You are coming to a country that has a very unequal society. Muggings and pickpockets are something to be aware of, especially at night. Avoid quiet areas. And unless you are staying in or very near an orange zone, we suggest you Uber/Myciti Bus to and from your accommodation just to be on the safe side. Avoid Long Street at night, a day visit is recommended.
Things to do and see
- Table Mountain Cable Car
- Zeitz MOCAA Museum of Contemporary African Art
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
- Robben Island
- Lions Head hike
- The Old Biscuit Mill
- Oranjezicht City Farmers Market
- Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
- Art at Africa Gallery
- Two Ocean’s Aquarium
The city center lies nestled against the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain National Park, offering easy access to scenic hiking and walking trails. However, it’s essential to maintain a sense of caution regarding safety in these natural surroundings. (Uber friendly)
Before setting out on any hikes or walks, please familiarise yourself with and follow these safety guidelines.
Kalk Bay is a lovely fishing village about a 40 min drive from the CBD. Highly recommend a visit. Amazing restaurants, thrift shops, boutique stores and beautiful ocean views.
Restaurants: Brass Bell, Salt, Olympia Cafe, Sirroco. (Uber friendly)
Surfers! Please give Muizenberg a visit. You can rent boards and wetsuits and have an epic day on the waves! 5min from Kalk Bay. Stop by Milk Beach for a scoop of ice cream! (Uber friendly)
Hout Bay is another great fishing village close to the CBD, about 30 min away. There is a beautiful dog-friendly beach called Llandudno there and great seafood at Mariner’s Wharf. (Uber friendly)
Penguin lovers! A visit to Boulders Beach is definitely worth doing. There is an entrance fee. You could combine your trip to Kalk Bay with this as Boulders is about 20 mins past Kalk Bay. Boulders Beach is easily the best place to spot penguins at in Cape Town. So pack your swimsuit, a towel and a pair of goggles and if you are lucky you’ll be swimming with the penguins!
Wine Lovers! You have come to the right place! There is so much to do. If you want to explore nearby, the Constantia Wine Route is worth exploring! It is about 25 mins out of the CBD and SA’s oldest wine farm is on the route. You can do it as a tour, or just pick a farm that you like and book directly.
Recommended farms in Constantia : Beau Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Glen and Groot Constantia.
https://constantiawineroute.com/
If you have time for a day trip, we highly recommend the Franschhoek Wine Tram. Franschhoek is about an hour drive from the CBD and pre-booking for the tram is essential. The tour starts at station, where you board an open-top old school tram that stops at a few wine farms for wine tastings. A lovely day out! We suggest taking an Uber to Franschhoek.
If you do not want to do the tram, we recommend the following activities in Franschhoek:
- Babylonstoren
- La Motte Wine Farm
- Franschhoek Motor Museum
- Klein Goederust Wine Farm
- Franschhoek Perfume Museum
Stellenbosch is an old wine town about a 50 min drive from Cape Town. It’s a university town that has lots of little restaurants, bars, shops and wine farms . It’s a beautiful town, that makes a lovely day trip! (Uber friendly)
Daytrip Recommendation for Short Stayers
Great Day out for City Slickers
Have breakfast at Power & The Glory, smash a coffee and then head to the Zeitz Mocca Modern Art Museum. Then head to The Waterfront or Green Market Square and walk the area where there are many shops and street vendors selling a wide variety of things. Then head to Blondies for some lunch and a cold beer and then do the Table Mountain sunset cable car (pre book). After you come down go eat some dinner at any of the above suggested restaurants and if you still have the stamina, head to any of the above suggested bars for a nightcap.
Great Day out for Nature Lovers
Smash some breakfast at Our Local in Kloof street, then take an Uber to Kirstenbosch Gardens. After a few hours walking around the gardens, head off to Constania Glen wine farm (pre book and ask for an outside table if it’s a nice day) for some lunch where you will also get a stunning view of the wine farms and the city. Then head to Kalk Bay for a walk around the village and its shops, go for dinner at SALT and then head home. (Pack your swimmers! Plenty of lovely tidal pools to take a dip in.)