72 Hours in Cape Town: The best things to see and do.

Cape Town has drawn us back. A year and a half after our first experience of the capital of South Africa's Western Cape, we couldn't resist another visit. What is it about Cape Town's eclectic mix of African and European culture which is so compelling?  Last visit we had only two days to explore the city, much of it spent in a jet-lag induced haze. This time, armed with a couple of Cape Town Passes, we were determined to see all the things we missed.

Our Cape Town Passes gave us entry to the city's best attractions and the phone app which came with them worked like a travel guide with descriptions and photos of each attraction and turn by turn directions showing how to get to them.

Cape Town - Day 1

On Day 1 our mission was to shake off the jet lag, get our bearings and just wander around for a while soaking up the mixture of familiar and exotic cultures. Central Cape Town is small enough to explore on foot without any set plan. It is hard to find anywhere uninteresting but try not to miss -

• Bo Kaap - This district of brightly coloured terraces became home to the descendants of Muslim slaves brought to Sth Africa in the early years of  Dutch rule.  Today you can still hear the calls to prayer ringing out each morning and evening. Wale Street has a particularly photogenic stretch of houses.
  
  My tip - If you happen to be staying at the Hilton, Bo Kaap is right next door. Ask for a room overlooking Wale Street and you can wake up to the view of Bo Kaap set against the background of Table Mountain.

• The District Six Museum - Are you old enough to remember the dark days of Apartheid; when as far away as Australia, the nightly news was filled with scenes of a country engulfed in turmoil? More than 60,000, mostly coloured, residents were forcibly removed from their homes when District Six was designated a 'whites only area' under the Apartheid Regime's Group Areas Act. International condemnation made it difficult for the district to be redeveloped and so instead of a 'white' area District Six became a wasteland. The District Six Museum tells the stories of those who were dispossessed.
  
  Entry to the District Six Museum was included in our Cape Town Passes.

• The Castle of Good Hope - Five minutes on foot from the District Six Museum is The Castle of Good Hope. The Castle was built between 1666 and 1679 as a fortified headquarters for the Dutch East India Company ('VOC'). The VOC was to the 17th Century what Google and Amazon are to today's world - a massive behemoth dwarfing all opposition.  In its heyday it was the largest commercial enterprise on the planet.  With a fleet of hundreds of ships and thousands of employees it was a formidable business, political and military organisation. Formed to profit from the spice trade between Europe and (modern day)  Indonesia it eclipsed its rivals for almost 200 years.
  
  The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving colonial building in Sth Africa. On the outside its hexagonal fortifications dominate the landscape. The impressive external presence leads to a slightly disappointing interior. There isn't a lot to see inside, but there was no way I was going to miss having a peek behind those impressive walls. I have to confess too that I have had a fascination with the history of the Dutch East India Company since learning the awful story of the wreck of the company's flagship, Batavia, off the coast of Western Australia in 1629.
  
  For a short history of the wreck of the Batavia, its bloody aftermath and its connection to the early history of Western Australia, read my post on - The Abrolhos Islands and the Bloody Story of the Wreck of the Batavia. Did you know that long before Captain Cook discovered Australia's east coast, two of  Batavia's crew were left stranded on the west coast and were probably the first Europeans to live out their lives on the continent?
  
  My tip - Try to time your visit to coincide with one of the Castle's free tours to get an overview of its place in the history of Cape Town.
  
  Entry to The Castle of Good Hope was included in our Cape Town Passes.

• The Company Gardens - Long before Cape Town was settled, early VOC ships called in at Table Bay to trade with the local Khoikhoi (Hottentot) population for fresh provisions. It soon became apparent that a formal provisioning station was needed, and in 1652 the first European settlement at Cape Town was established and the Company Gardens were created. Today, enough of the gardens remain to make for a pleasant stroll. More significantly the gardens are surrounded, especially to the east along Government Avenue, by some of Cape Town's most impressive early colonial buildings.

• Cape Town Markets - Less than ten minutes walk from the Company Gardens brings you to Greenmarket Square at the corner of Longmarket St and Long St.  Whether you are looking for a souvenir or just want to wander through the tightly packed stalls, you can't visit Cape Town and not spend at least some time exploring the colours and buzz of an African market. 

Cape Town - Day 2 

On our second day in Cape Town we ventured out in a hire car. Cape Town is much easier to drive in than you would imagine. The traffic is not too busy and, for the most part, everyone obeys the road rules. Parking is simple and inexpensive. Coming from Australia we had the added bonus of driving on the left hand side of the road.

My tip - If the idea of driving in a foreign city fills you with horror, the 3-day Cape Town Pass includes unlimited trips on Cape Town's MyCiti Bus Rapid Transport system.

• Table Mountain Aerial Cableway - I have included the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway because it is probably the iconic tourist attraction in the city but David and I didn't actually manage to go on it. All the advice we were given was to arrive early in order to beat the crowds. We completely ignored this and went in the afternoon during the school holidays on a Friday. One look at the queue and we decided it wasn't worth the effort. The fact that David has a fear of heights and is not all that crazy about cable cars probably factored into our decision a little as well.
My Tip - If the queues on the Cableway are too long, drive up Signal Hill instead. It is right next to Table Mountain and the views are stunning.

The return trip on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway was included in our Cape Town Passes.

• The V & A Waterfront - The V & A Waterfront is Cape Town in full 21st Century mode with ultra modern shopping centres and work spaces side by side with chic restaurants and fun street entertainment.  All this is set against the stunning background of Table Mountain. We missed the V & A Waterfront entirely on our first visit but loved it so much this time we went back again and again.

• A quick note on Robben Island - Robben Island was the prison in which Nelson Mandela spent most of his years of incarceration. Tours depart from the V & A Waterfront and take four hours or more. David and I have not yet been to Robben Island - another reason to return to Cape Town one day.

• Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden - Kirstenbosch has a reputation as the most beautiful garden in Africa. I defy anyone who visits in spring to argue with that description. All I can say is - don't miss it - and leave yourself plenty of time. The flowers are gorgeous. 

My tip - Visit in the first couple of weeks of October to see the flowers in full bloom.

Entry to Kirstenbosch was included in our Cape Town Passes.

• Groot Constantia - For a taste of the Winelands without leaving suburbia, visit Groot Constantia. Just twenty minutes by car from the centre of the city, Groot Constantia is the oldest winery in South Africa.  The manor house was built in the unique Cape Dutch style with white-washed walls, thatched roof and large attractive gables. 

My tip - Book a table outside for lunch at Jonkershuis Restaurant. The food is surpassed only by the view. We enjoyed it so much we went there twice.

The Groot Constantia cellar tour and wine tasting are included with the Cape Town Pass.

Cape Town - Day 3

Today we ventured further afield, heading south along Chapman's Peak Drive to the tip of the Cape of Good Hope, taking in the colony of African Penguins at Boulders Beach and the colourful changing boxes at Muizenberg Beach on our return drive.

• Chapman's Peak Drive - The 15 kilometres of Chapman's Peak Drive hug the edge of the cliffs along Hout Bay south of Cape Town, creating one of the world's great scenic ocean drives. There are plenty of spots to pull over and enjoy the spectacular views.

The road is occasionally closed so it is worth checking the official website before you set out. There is a toll of R45.

My Tip - South Africans drive on the left. If you want to be on the ocean side of the road, drive the Cape of Good Hope in a clockwise direction so that you approach Chapman's Peak Drive from the south. David and I have driven the road twice now, both times from north to south. The views are still stunning from the cliff side of the road and we had no problems pulling in to any of the ocean side viewpoints.

• The Cape of Good Hope and The Flying Dutchman - The southern most tip of the continent of Africa is Cape Agulhas, about 200 kilometres east of the Cape of Good Hope.  However it is the much better known Cape of Good Hope which struck fear into the souls of early sailors and became the stuff of myths and legends. This is where the story of the Flying Dutchman arose - a Captain who refused to turn back in the face of a terrible gale, thus dooming his ship to sail on forever never making port or finding peace.

Today's Flying Dutchman is a funicular railway. It leaves the Cape Point car park every few minutes and takes visitors to Cape Point Lighthouse where you can brave the ferocious winds to look out across the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

My Tip - The Cape of  Good Hope is a great place to see wild baboons and ostriches but be careful of the baboons in the car park at Cape Point and don't ignore the advice to keep food out of sight. To read what happened to me when David did ignore this advice click on my post from our trip last year - The Cape of Good Hope - Cape Point, Chapman's Peak Drive and African Penguins. 

Return tickets on The Flying Dutchman, entry to Cape Point Nature Reserve and a tour of Cape Point Ostrich Farm were all included in our Cape Town Passes. Check the Cape Town Pass directions on how to redeem your Nature Reserve Pass before you arrive there.

• African Penguins -  Did you know Africa has penguins? It came as a surprise to me, but there is a colony of penguins at Boulders Beach, Simons Town about half way between Cape Point and Cape Town. There are literally hundreds of tuxedo wearing birds hanging around posing for tourists, as if they are paid extras on a film set. A short boardwalk takes you right into the heart of the colony.

Entry to the boardwalk was included in our Cape Town Passes.

• Muizenberg Beach Boxes - I have a soft spot for colourful architecture. It makes such great photos. Half an hour north of Simons Town, call in at Muizenberg Beach to see a row of bathing boxes in bright colours looking for all the world like giant lego blocks against the white sand.

Cape Town Pass - 

What is it?  Cape Town Pass is an entry pass to attractions throughout Cape Town and its surrounds.  For a list of attractions included with the pass click - here. 

How do you buy it? Cape Town Pass can be purchased online and downloaded to your phone. The Cape Town Pass App acts as both an entry ticket and a travel guide with photos, descriptions and information on the main attractions as well as turn by turn navigation. The directions came in especially handy for David and I when we headed out in completely the wrong direction looking for the District Six Museum.

For information on the Cape Town Pass App click - here. 

You can also purchase a physical Cape Town Pass card if you prefer something you can hold in your hand. 

How much does it cost? The cost of the card varies according to whether you purchase a Two Day Pass, a Three Day Pass, a Three Day Plus Pass or a Promo Pass. For up to date pricing information click - here.

Is it Value for Money? Like all city passes Cape Town Pass is great for tourists who want to pack lots of attractions into their itinerary. Visit the Cape Town Pass website before you purchase your pass to work out what you want to visit and how much you will save. You'll find the standard ticket prices for each attraction on the website.

There are also two Garden Route Passes available.  Click - here - for attractions along the Garden Route.

Note: David and I received complimentary Cape Town Passes.

My other blog posts on South Africa - 

• Cape Town to Port Elizabeth via the Winelands and the Garden Route

• Cape Town, South Africa

• The Cape of Good Hope - Cape Point, Chapmans Peak Drive and African Penguins

• The Winelands - Vergelegen, Delaire Graff, Zorgvliet and Asara Wine Estate

• Botlierskop Private Game Reserve

• Surviving a riot at the Nekkies, Knysna

• Shamwari Game Reserve - and the fastest animal on the planet.

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