Cape Town: A Mountain, an Ocean and a 7-Day Plan

Cape Town is one of those rare cities where the landscape is the headline. Mountain, beach, vineyard and ocean sit within an hour of each other — making a week here feel like three holidays braided together.

Day 1 — Settle into the City Bowl

Stay in De Waterkant or Bo-Kaap for walking distance to everything. Morning walk through the brightly painted Bo-Kaap (Cape Malay heritage), lunch at Bocca, afternoon at the Zeitz MOCAA contemporary art museum in the V&A Waterfront. Sunset at Signal Hill — drive up with a picnic.

Day 2 — Table Mountain

Take the cableway up early (book online the night before — weather decides operations daily). Walk the contour paths along the summit for at least two hours. For the fit, hike up Platteklip Gorge instead — 2 hours of stair-climbing rewarded by the same view, free. Lunch at the Table Mountain café, descend by cable.

Day 3 — Cape Peninsula loop

Drive south to Hout Bay, then Chapman's Peak Drive (one of the world's great coastal roads), Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Return via Simon's Town to see the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Dinner back in town at Chefs Warehouse.

Day 4 — Constantia winelands and Kalk Bay

Constantia is the in-town wine region — visit Klein Constantia and Beau Constantia. Lunch at La Colombe. Afternoon at Kalk Bay's harbour and bookshops, fish and chips at Kalky's by the boats.

Day 5 — Stellenbosch and Franschhoek

Drive 45 minutes east into the main winelands. Stellenbosch for serious tastings (Tokara, Delaire Graff, Kanonkop). Franschhoek for the Wine Tram — hop on/off between estates with a single pass. Stay overnight at a vineyard guesthouse.

Day 6 — Township tour and Robben Island

Book a township tour with a guide who lives there (Uthando, Coffeebeans Routes). Morning in Langa or Khayelitsha. Afternoon Robben Island ferry — book three weeks ahead. Pair the day with the District Six Museum.

Day 7 — Beach and food

Camps Bay for the postcard beach, Clifton 4th for the swim, sunset at La Boheme. Final dinner at FYN or Salsify — South Africa's most exciting fine-dining rooms.

Practicalities

Rent a car — public transport is limited and Ubers add up. Driving is on the left. Avoid driving in unfamiliar areas after dark. Carry small cash for parking attendants. Tipping is 10–15% in restaurants.

Your Cape Town dossier

A TravelTiger Cape Town dossier sequences the weather window (Table Mountain plans are weather-dependent) and matches the wineland choice to your taste.