Why visit Cape Town South Africa, is the question you are most likely going to ask yourself. It’s 2022, and I am sure the Cape Town International Airport has an expectation to see a girl with her luggage on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, this year, they won’t see my pretty face.
There is no better person to answer this question than someone who has been to Cape Town, five consecutive times in the same summer season. Cape Town is a city, in South Africa, which makes it incredibly hard to believe that it is part of the country.
We often joke as citizens of the Republic of South Africa, that we are out of the country each time we visit the beautiful city of Cape Town. You look at other cities in the country and wonder if truly Cape Town forms part of the country.
I don’t blame the ones who claim to be out of the country when in the Western Cape province, which is where Cape Town city is located. The most beautiful and amazing part about Cape Town is that it accommodates every kind of traveler.
Do you love the mountains? Table Mountain, Lion’s head, and many more mountains await your presence. Do you love being a beach bum? Cape Town has every kind of beach you can think of.
However, I do have to warn you, the water in Cape Town beaches is cold and has no respect for any season. You might want to just take pictures only and leave the swimming to the pool at your hotel, sorry.
This is just a highlight of what you can expect to find to support your reasons to visit Cape Town. Here are additional reasons to visit Cape Town.
1. Coffee Shops
We would perish in this world if we traveled to a city that had no coffee shops. This is why it was important to locate a few coffee shops in Cape Town City Centre during one of my solo trips. A few of the coffee shops became my favorite spots and were added to the repeat list.
Café Terrace
Located at the luxurious Labotessa hotel, here you will be treated to a really delicious all-day breakfast. Trust their baristas to go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and well taken care of at all times and if you intend to stay throughout the day, you may enjoy some lunch and a drink or two (alcoholic of course ).
You will find their garden to be really beautiful and perhaps enjoy some really fresh air if you opt to sit outside.
Swan Café
Who needs to fly to Paris to enjoy savory galettes when Swan Café is just located in the City Centre of Cape Town? Well save your money and walk into this café and enjoy some coffee served with a choice of your own galettes. If you have books you do not need anymore, feel free to leave them at swan café as they run a book exchange program, who knows, you might also be lucky and walk out of this café with a new book.
Truth Coffee
If you search for some of the best coffee shops in Cape Town, Truth Coffee will definitely make it to the list. This is one of the most famous Coffee shops in Cape Town. This is not one place where you may expect some quiet space, it is one of the busiest coffee shops in the city and in most cases filled to capacity. You will enjoy some smoothies, and great coffee and you may get the opportunity to connect with other tourists. Expect really great service.
Shift Espresso Bar
Located in the City Centre of Cape Town, you will enjoy some delicious breakfast, great Coffee, and some really good green juice which I highly recommend if you are keen to have glowing skin and ginger shots and if you love reading, this is the best place to spend the day reading while listening to some really cool music.
They have a dedicated bookshelf for their coffee lovers so even if you may have forgotten to pack books, you will not run short of anything to keep you entertained.
2. Hiking
You are never out of options when it comes to hiking trails in Cape Town and though there are a few which may be a challenge to access, there are a few trails that are within accessible points in the mother city.
One thing to note though, as short as the hiking trails may seem in distance, they are quite challenging. If you are a beginner when it comes to hiking, I do not recommend starting your journey in Cape Town. You are much better chilling by the beach, enjoying a picnic at the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens, or sipping wine at one of the famous wine farms.
Most of the hiking trails are long, and strenuous with a substantial elevation gain which you might spend a week painfully paying for if you know what I mean when it comes to muscles. So if you are in the mother city to enjoy yourself, don’t go hiking even if you score a date with a dude.
The dudes from this city are famous for inviting out a girl on a hiking date, love yourself, and decline this kind of opportunity if it suddenly avails itself. Without wasting more time here are the easily accessible hiking trails in Cape Town.
Lion’s Head Hiking Trail
From a distance, this hiking trail may mislead you into thinking it is quite easy, but it most certainly isn’t the easiest. As strenuous as it is, Lion’s Head offers some of the most ethereal views where you can see the city’s amazing blue waters as you climb towards the peak of the mountain.
Along the way, you will discover some amazing caves where you can snap unique pictures for your Instagram with stunning views. Lion’s Head is one of Cape Town’s famous hiking trails so it gets really busy despite the time of day.
The trail is out in the open so pack some sunscreen, grab a sun hat and ensure you have enough water to keep yourself hydrated. If you struggle with balancing yourself, you may carry a trekking pole as this will offer you great support. And to top it all, you pay absolutely nothing to hike Lion’s head.
Though this trail is very much safe, I recommend tagging along with a friend or fellow solo tourist if you are on a solo mission. This is just to have support in a rare case where you might get injured, stuff happens so try not to hike alone.
Table Mountain Hiking Trail
Well, as experienced as I am with hiking, Table mountain is no child’s play, and based on your fitness level, it may take up to 2 hours to summit this beautiful mountain. With its steep face, you are on a constant ascending journey, rock climbing along the path which in my opinion, is difficult.
This is in no way the kind of hiking you can tag children and elderly people on, it would be a better idea to let them experience this beautiful site using a cable motorcar which of course comes at a cost. As most Cape Town hiking trails are open, you still need to pack some sunscreen and wear a sun hat to protect yourself from the sun.
And make no mistake, a 500ml bottle of water will not get you anywhere, go hard on the water part. A group of friends and I made the mistake of carrying snacks without any water and it wasn’t long before we started to regret our careless decision, fortunately, Cape Town people are kind and one good angel offered us a bottle of water which we managed to save until the summit, bless your kind heart.
Newlands Forest
Newlands Forest is for everyone, even the laziest bunch can honestly try hiking in this area. You have moderate and difficult hiking trails which I find to be very inclusive for beginners and the experienced. If you have dedicated a day for this hike after you complete your hike, you can enjoy a picnic at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens and finally, if you have listed walking at the Tree Canopy Walkway on your bucket list, this would be your opportunity.
Table Mountain National Park
Though this may not be as easily accessible, you can hop on the city sightseeing bus. There is an entrance fee which is cheaper for locals if you produce your Identity document. Unfortunately for international tourists, the cost is a bit higher but nothing that has the chance to break your bank balance.
There are several hiking trails but it would be best to stick to the tourist section where you can see the famous Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. You will find the ocean view to be quite stunning. If you would rather enjoy other things while you are in Cape Town, you can skip this place.
I found it fitting for those who are interested in historical landmarks and all, I could have stayed in the hotel and drink wine.
3. Wine Farms
Cape Town is a well-known city when it comes to producing wine. This is why it never makes sense to visit this city and go back home without a bottle of wine or having embarked on a wine-tasting tour. Here are a few favorites.
De Grendel wine farm
If you are running short of time and would just like a quick and simple wine-tasting experience, De Grendel is the best option. This wine farm is located a few kilometers from the city center. You can easily request Uber to get there. Please note it’s important to make a booking as this is a very busy wine farm.
Stark Conde wine farm
Stark Conde, although we should be focusing on wine tasting, is one of the most beautiful wine farms I have visited in Cape Town. I couldn’t help but imagine hosting my wedding there (at the time I didn’t have a potential groom). This wine farm has the most stunning views, your Instagram page will love it.
Located outside Cape Town along the many wine farms towards Stellenbosch, this wine farm requires no booking if all you desire is just a wine-tasting session. However, if you feel the need to have some lunch there, they do have a restaurant. The last time I was there, it was filled to capacity so I recommend booking in advance.
Spice Route Wine Farm
Spice Route Wine Farm has a lot going on so a full day might be ideal. From wine tasting to chocolate affairs, you will not run out of things to do.
Although this article focuses on wine farms, hiking, and coffee shops, you may check out some interesting beaches in Cape Town here. If you are keener to explore other destinations, try this lovely city in the Caucasian region.
