Meet Cape Town and the Western Cape's Neverending Tourists

Between the sandstone massif of Table Mountain and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ combines distinct African energy with a vibrant culinary scene, world-class cultural landscape, and abundant natural beauty. Regularly voted amongst the best cities in the world by American and British travellers, Cape Town is a multicultural melting pot that simply cannot be missed.

Whether you’re walking, running or biking the trails on Table Mountain; meeting the penguins on Boulders Beach; or simply lazing on the powder-soft sands of Clifton’s beaches you’ll soon discover why this is called the ‘Fairest Cape’.

“Luxury for me is being able to open my door, and see the mountain; walk down to the sea and experience amazing nature with my family,” says Adetola, of what she loves about Cape Town.

 Begin with an all-day tour of the Cape Peninsula to get your bearings. Wander the fynbos gardens of Kirstenbosch, before exploring the charming seaside suburbs of False Bay. feel the wind in your hair at the Cape of Good Hope, before meandering back along the city’s glamorous Atlantic Seaboard.

 Allow time to delve into the city’s complex past, whether that’s a walking tour of the Bo-Kaap or a deep dive into apartheid history on Robben Island and in the District Six Museum. You’ll want at least a day for the city’s vibrant cultural attractions too: don’t miss the Iziko Natonal Gallery or the striking Zeitz MOCAA. 

Come evening, tap into Cape Town’s world-renowned culinary landscape, whether that’s dipping into the on-trend eateries of Bree Street, tasting the best of the city at the Time Out Market – the first in Africa – or finding a waterside seat in the fine-dining restaurants of the V&A Waterfront.

 Adetola’s’s top pick

The Karoo has always been a place for wanderers. It’s a landscape of empty plains and farm windmills turning slowly in solitude. Where sun-baked rocks seem almost immortal, and time slows in the quiet villages that punctuate long stretches of lonely roads.

It may appear an empty place, but look closer. Stop. Speak to the locals. Here the Koo Valley orchards erupt in blossoms with the arrival of spring. In Montagu, history and hot springs combine. En route to Barrydale you’ll find a vast – and malaria-free – game reserve where the ‘Big Five’ roam wild.

Then discover the Karoo’s remarkable mountain passes: where big skies meet ambitious road-builders to create a road-trippers paradise. Descend the northern flanks and the village of Prince Albert awaits; a place for artists and those captivated by the unique energy of the Karoo.

For those who love a two-wheeled adventure, these far-flung roads are “challenging, but rewarding. You get the heart pumping!” says Scott. “I find myself at ease in these landscapes. There’s a great peace that comes with being far away.”

Scott's top pick

The Overberg region is a bucolic corner of the Western Cape, a rolling landscape of farmland and fynbos, where fields of wheat and canola change shades with the seasons, and a wildly enigmatic coastline offers some of the world’s best whale-watching.

Start exploring in Hermanus; the burgeoning seaside town that was in 2019 inscribed as a Creative City of Gastronomy by the United Nations, thanks to the diversity of culinary adventures you’ll find here. Inland the Hemel-en-Aarde – ‘Heaven and Earth’ – valley offers charming country bistros and award-winning wine cellars.  

Hermanus is also a hotspot for land-based whale-watching (July to November) and whether you’re wandering the Cliff Path, paddling out on a kayak excursion, or taking a boat trip you’re sure to spot the Southern right whales that migrate here each year to mate and calve in the warm waters of Walker Bay.   

 “The beauty of the Western Cape lies in its diversity,” says Scott. “You can head in any direction and find something that takes your breath away. It’s an outdoor paradise.”

 Further along the coastline, the quaint village of Stanford offers luxury accommodation on the shores of the Klein River Lagoon, with Grootbos Private Nature Reserve nearby famous worldwide for its ‘fynbos safaris’. The impressive new botanical art gallery here is home to a remarkable fynbos florilegium of botanical art, while the nearby town of Gansbaai is equally famous for its great white and bronze whaler sharks. 

From Gansbaai head east past wetlands and wild landscapes to find the terroir-driven wineries at the mission village of Elim, before heading for Africa’s southernmost point at Cape Agulhas. The iconic lighthouse here was built in 1848, and today you can still climb to the light for unbeatable views of the coastline.

Scott’s top pick

Did you know that the Western Cape is home to the oldest vineyards in the Southern Hemisphere? Even though South Africa falls into the ‘New World’ of wine, the heritage and traditions of winemaking here date back to 1659… more than a century before the first vines were planted in Australia or California!

That rich history is matched by superlative quality and a remarkable array of cellar-door experiences, with both historic estates and contemporary cellars offering cellar tours, culinary adventures and guided tastings.

South African winemaking began in the vineyards of Constantia, just 20 minutes from the centre of Cape Town, but to appreciate the true beauty of the Cape Winelands you’ll want to head for the winemaking regions of Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

Start in Stellenbosch – often dubbed ‘The Kingdom of Cabernet’ for its world-class reds – with a beguiling mix of historic and contemporary estates to explore, while the oak-lined streets of this vibrant university town play host to a thriving wine bar culture.

“I’ve been lucky enough to live all over Africa, in Europe, and in the UK. And I really can say that the Western Cape is by far the most beautiful,” enthuses Adetola. “The wine, the restaurants, the nature, the outdoors. The expanse of the place. The minute that I stepped off the plane I just felt at home here.”

You’ll certainly feel at home in Franschhoek, a town as famous for its culinary attractions as its wine. Huguenot Street is lined with exceptional eateries and the valley boasts a collection of memorable museums and inspiring galleries. Just 20 minutes’ drive brings you to Paarl, a region making a name for itself with elegant estates and inspired eateries. And that’s just the beginning… if time allows you can easily spend a week exploring the Swartland, Breedekloof and Agulhas wineries to discover the diversity of terroir across the Western Cape’s world-class winelands.

Adetola’s top pick

One of South Africa’s most famous road trips is also its most beautiful. Stretching for 200 kilometres from Mossel Bay to Tsitsikamma the Garden Route offers something for every type of traveller. A selection of small game reserves offer a convenient and malaria-free safari experience, while families will love the warm waters and wide-open beaches of Plettenberg Bay, while the languid waters of the Knysna lagoon offer sailing trips and paddleboat excursions.

Foodies will love Knysna’s vibrant restaurant scene and charming country markets, while active travellers can run, hike and bike through old-growth indigenous forests, or soar through the canopy on a zipline. In Tsitsikamma, you’ll find multi-day hiking trails and thrilling ocean adventures, while canyoning trips and the world’s highest commercial bungee jump will get the adrenalin pumping.

Or take it slow, with a leisurely kayak on the rivers and lakes of the Garden Route National Park. And don’t forget to look up: the onshore winds here draw paragliders from across the globe, launching into thin air from the mountains above the town of Wilderness.

“Wilderness is a great place to live; there is so much you can do,” says Khobi. “The moment that’s changed my life was the first time I flew off the ‘Map of Africa’ … flying is a truly amazing experience when you’re up in the sky and the clouds and it’s just you and the elements. You have this feeling of freedom.”

Khobi’s top pick

Lonely. Wild. Windswept. And truly wonderful. With its cold waters and lonely roads South Africa’s West Coast isn’t your typical coastal holiday hotspot, but the stretches of sandy solitude and fynbos landscapes that stretch north of Cape Town are quick to reveal their unfiltered charms to those who make the effort.

Start at !Khwa Ttu, a remarkable San Heritage Centre that sensitively tells the story of the San people who once lived nomadically across the region. Then press on to the West Coast National Park, which promises wonderful whale watching in the winter, and sprays of wildflowers in spring. It’s also a Ramsar ‘wetland of global importance’, so expect remarkable bird watching from the Geelbek hides. In summer, the blue waters and white sands draw savvy beachgoers.

“The Western Cape is a playground for adults,” says Scott. “You’ve got oceans, mountains, deserts. I find myself at ease in these landscapes.”

Hungry? You’re in luck. At Die Strandloper in the town of Langebaan you’ll find a 10-course seafood feast prepared on open fires, while at Paternoster the hyper-local foraged cuisine at Wolfgat has seen it win a string of global awards. Stay a few days to wander the empty sands, or explore the enigmatic lighthouse nearby.

Take a day-trip to the Berg River for boat trips, birdwatching and a taste of bokkoms – a regional delicacy of salted, air-dried fish – then return via the West Coast Fossil Park to delve into the area’s ancient history.

Scott’s top pick