I’m not going to sugarcoat it: planning a 3 days in Cape Town itinerary isn’t a simple feat.
Why not?
Because in addition to there being a seemingly endless list of amazing things to do in Cape Town (and eat–seriously, we are so in love with Cape Town’s food scene), the city is a geographically spread-out place without a dense network of public transportation.
In other words, for those of us coming from the USA, exploring Cape Town is more like visiting Miami or Los Angeles than it is like visiting Boston or NYC.
Pair the spread-out nature of Cape Town with the fact that many of its highlights are big time commitments, and it quickly becomes obvious that a 3 day Cape Town vacation isn’t going to be able to cover all the cool things to do in Cape Town.
That being said… you can definitely make a solid dent in your Cape Town bucket list with a few days in the city!
We were lucky enough to spend a solid month visiting Cape Town, South Africa, and in that time, it skyrocketed its way onto our list of favorite cities in the world.
Seriously, this place has it all: stunning coastline, delicious food, a million and one ways to be active outside, great weather, friendly people, competitive prices, and–most importantly, let’s be real–penguins.
Here’s how we suggest structuring your Cape Town itinerary to get the most out of your few days in the Mother City!
Table of Contents
Planning your Cape Town vacation at the last minute?
We’ll cover all of these incredible things to do in Cape Town (and many more!) extensively below, but here are the top tours and activities we recommend in this blog post:
- Boulders Beach and Cape Point Day Trip (the penguins are a must!)
- Guided Lion’s Head Hike (all the views, none of the stress)
- Half-Day Stellenbosch/Cape Winelands Day Trip (we loved this!)
- Bo-Kaap Walking Tour (great way to get oriented!)
Wondering where to stay? Here are the highly rated hotels we recommend:
- Number 5 Guesthouse (quiet, idyllic, but close to the action)
- Cloud 9 Boutique Hotel & Spa (rooftop pool + rave reviews!)
- Urban Hive Backpackers (super convenient budget option)
A Note on the Weather in Cape Town, South Africa
Before getting started, though, I do want to note that putting together this 3 day Cape Town itinerary did involve one rather large assumption: that the weather will be clear and sunny during your visit.
If that’s not the case, certain things–like heading to the top of Table Mountain, for example–may be impossible or at least far less fun than they could be.
If you’re not lucky with the weather during your 3 days in Cape Town, check out the “more things to do in Cape Town” section below for some alternate ideas for your Cape Town itinerary.
And, if you see that you’ll have some days that are likely to be clear and others that are a wash-out, immediately rearrange your vacation schedule to prioritize Table Mountain and any of your other top outdoor priorities to visit at the most optimistic times!
The Ultimate 3 Day Cape Town Itinerary
Day 1 in Cape Town: Bo-Kaap, Iconic Views + Beyond.
Start with a visit to Bo-Kaap.
Arguably Cape Town’s most photogenic (and certainly most social-media-famous) neighborhood, a stroll through the Cape Malay neighborhood of Bo-Kaap is the perfect way to kick off your 3 days in Cape Town.
As a bonus, it’s also very centrally located!
Famous for its brightly colored houses, Bo-Kaap is also Cape Town’s oldest surviving neighborhood.
The neighborhood was founded in 1760, when a Dutch colonist began leasing some homes to enslaved Muslim people from what was then the Dutch East Indies (including Malaysia). These people became known as the “Cape Malay” people, and they and their culture still call Bo-Kaap home today!
To dive into the history of Bo-Kaap, you can visit the Bo-Kaap Museum (it’s housed in one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes), and/or sign up for a guided walking tour like this.
Cape Malay cooking classes are also very popular here, but with only a few days in Cape Town to work with, most travelers will likely want to move on faster.
Head to the District 6 Museum.
Even with only 3 days in Cape Town, it’s important to make time for the city’s (often ugly) history.
The District 6 Museum tells the story of the once vibrant and multicultural community of District 6, and the subsequent destruction of the neighborhood through forced removals of 60,000 citizens under apartheid.
This is not a fun thing to do in Cape Town, but it is an important one. It’s impossible to understand the history of Cape Town (or South Africa in general) without learning about apartheid.
The museum is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Saturday, and guided tours are sometimes offered. You can purchase tickets through the museum’s website.
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Taste the best coffee in the world at Truth Coffee.
Want to taste the best coffee on Earth? Then it’s a good thing you came to Cape Town.
Truth Coffee is famous for serving what is called some of the best coffee in the world. It has swept awards from across the world with its brews!
We definitely agreed–the coffee we had at Truth Coffee was some of the best of our lives, and we still can’t stop talking about it weeks later!
Truth Coffee is also known for its decor: the entire (enormous) shop is steampunk-themed, and everything from the waiters to the tables to the bar is decidedly on-theme, making the environment extra entertaining.
One of the most important reasons to stop by Truth Coffee at the beginning of your 3 days in Cape Town?
To give yourself time to go back repeatedly if you fall in love with it!
Hike Lion’s Head OR ride the cable car up Table Mountain.
Unfortunately, this is one of those trade-offs that has to be made when putting together a 3 day Cape Town itinerary: you’ll likely have time for Lions’ Head or Table Mountain, but not both, unless you’re willing to cut something else out.
The hike up Lion’s Head is short, so if you’re a fan of the outdoors, we recommend taking the hike. We hiked the whole thing round-trip in under 3 hours, even taking into account plenty of photo breaks.
Plus, unlike the cable car up Table Mountain, climbing Lion’s Head is free!
If you’re not athletically inclined or don’t want to bother with a hike, consider heading up Table Mountain via cable car instead.
Just keep in mind that while the cable cars rarely have to shut down, they do warn that in the event of a weather issue, you must always be prepared to hike down the mountain if the cable cars stop running.
We visited both viewpoints during our time in Cape Town, and while they were both wonderful, we did slightly prefer the view from Lion’s Head–but perhaps that’s just because we worked for it!
If you’d like to watch the sunset from either viewpoint, Table Mountain is the easier choice for those not experienced with hiking in the dark or concerned about safety (there are some reports of muggings on Lion’s Head at night).
If you’d like to hike Lion’s Head at sunset, bring a headlamp, some friends, and consider joining a guided group hike to help with both safety and logistics.
If you decide to ride the cable car up Table Mountain, make sure to buy your tickets in advance!
When you arrive, you’ll see two lines of people waiting to go up: a very long line of people without tickets, and a much shorter and faster-moving line of people who already have their tickets with them.
It pays to plan ahead here!
Want to experience sunset on Lion’s Head? Consider booking a guided hike to stay safe and make logistics easy!
If you’re headed up Table Mountain, book your Table Mountain ticket in advance to save time and money!
Day 2 in Cape Town: Penguins + Cape Point
A Quick Note on Getting Around the Peninsula
The second day of this Cape Town itinerary involves a lot of driving, which practically speaking, means the easiest two options are to rent a car for the day or book an organized day trip!
We opted to self-drive to these spots in Cape Town and had an excellent time. If you want to do the same, we recommend shopping for your rental car through Discover Cars to find the best price.
Be sure to read up on driving safely in South Africa before setting off! We have some tips later in this blog post.
Alternatively, this well-reviewed tour is a wildly popular and easy way to get around!
Shop rental cars or book your Cape Peninsula day trip today!
Say hello to the penguins at Boulders Beach.
No trip to Cape Town could be complete without a visit to Boulders Beach!
South Africa may be better known for the Big 5, but the country is also home to one of the world’s most accessible wild penguin colonies.
Driving less than an hour outside of Cape Town is a far easier way to see wild penguins than booking a cruise to Antarctica!
Unsurprisingly, Boulders Beach is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in South Africa, and it’s a must-see when visiting Cape Town!
The African penguins who live in this colony are beyond easy to observe: they hang out right on the beach, and sometimes even visit the designated swimming area.
As longtime penguin lovers, we consider this to be one of the highlights of spending 3 days in Cape Town. Unsurprisingly, people traveling to Cape Town with kids also tend to rank it among the best experiences near the city.
The experience more than lived up to our expectations, and when we return to Cape Town in the future, I have absolutely no doubt that we will visit again!
Head to Cape Point.
Boulders Beach is located on the Cape Peninsula, so once you’re there, just another 30 minutes of driving will get you to Cape Point!
Once believed to be the southern tip of Africa, in reality, it’s the southwestern tip of Africa.
While I suppose you could say that counts for something, it’s mostly popular today due to its rugged, gorgeous coastline.
You can also hike to the Cape of Good Hope from here, and there are several hiking trails of varying distances/level of challenge in the area.
Generally speaking, Cape Point is best known for its dramatic views and the Cape of Good Hope for its beach and history, but for nature lovers, there’s a lot to love about both.
One of my personal clearest memories from visiting Cape Point? The large monkey that opted to sit in the middle of the trail!
Come back to Cape Town and set sail for a sunset cruise.
Once you get back to Cape Town after your day of exploring, odds are high that you’ll be ready to relax a bit… but not ready to stop enjoying the city.
The perfect way to relax and enjoy an evening in Cape Town? Take a sunset cruise!
The city’s coastline is a thing of beauty, and we highly recommend seeing it from the water during your trip to Cape Town.
If you set sail in the early evening, you’ll be able to enjoy one of Cape Town’s incredible sunsets from one of the most relaxing vantage points that there is.
Day 3 in Cape Town: Seapoint, V&A Waterfront + the Cape Winelands
Start the day in Sea Point.
Sea Point is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Cape Town!
Set right against the water, it has a very beachy feel that reminds us of what we’ve always imagined southern California to be like.
Start your morning by strolling through town (we can recommend JARRYDS for breakfast), and then head to the waterfront.
Rent bikes and ride to the V&A Waterfront.
The Sea Point Promenade runs right along the coast, complete with beautiful views of the ocean on one side and Cape Town/Table Mountain on the other.
Rent some bikes (we had a great experience with Upcycles) and hit the promenade,
We recommend riding all the way to the V&A Waterfront, which should take about an hour depending on how many photos you decide to stop for!
Check out the V&A Waterfront.
The V&A Waterfront is one of the most popular spots in Cape Town, but to be honest, it isn’t our favorite, as it’s essentially a sterile mall and shopping area.
The views of the harbor and Table Mountain, though, are incredible, and make it worth just a quick glance since you’re already there!
Spend the afternoon in the Cape Winelands.
For the last afternoon of your 3 days in Cape Town, head out of town to experience some of Cape Town’s magical wineries!
The nearby Cape Winelands are beautiful, boast some delicious wine and gorgeous vineyards, and make a great getaway from Cape Town.
With only 3 days in Cape Town, a full day spent in the Winelands is a bit overkill (unless you want to make a day of it and enjoy a picnic on a wine estate), but a half-day trip to just a couple of wineries is well worth the time spent.
We signed up for a half-day wine tour to experience the Cape Winelands, and had an amazing time!
It was fantastic to be able to kick back and relax without worrying about any of the logistics, and the wineries we visited had delicious wines that we would be happy to taste again (don’t even get me started on how tasty the homemade cheese was).
Alternatively, if you’re not a drinker or are planning on visiting the Cape Winelands for a day or two after your 3 days in Cape Town are over, consider using this afternoon to visit Table Mountain or climb Lion’s Head–whichever activity you chose not to do on your first day.
You could also use this time to take a sobering trip to Robben Island, which is a chance to see a very different side of Cape Town (we have more details on what to expect there below).
You can also opt to visit the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, or head out to Woodstock to check out some incredible street art.
Where to Stay For a Few Days in Cape Town
With only 3 days in Cape Town, a central location in downtown Cape Town will provide the best combination of access to restaurants and tourism services, as well as access to other areas you’ll definitely want to visit, like Sea Point, the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, and Lion’s Head.
Long Street, Kloof Street, and Bree Street are focused on tourism in this area, and you can’t go wrong as far as location when staying near these streets.
Here are a few popular options in the area at all price points!
Budget
Urban Hive Backpackers — Featuring solid reviews and a prime location right along Long Street, you’ll be in the center of the action staying at Urban Hive Backpackers!
There are plenty of restaurants, bars, tour companies, and even a souvenir market within a short walk from the doorstep.
Check rates & book your stay at Urban Hive Backpackers!
Mid-range
Number 5 Guesthouse — Located on a quiet road but just minutes away from the action on Kloof Street, Number 5 Guesthouse boasts excellent reviews, a delicious included breakfast, and an attentive staff at mid-range prices.
If you’re looking for a cozy escape where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without sacrificing on travel time, this is the perfect place to stay in Cape Town!
Check rates & book your stay at Number 5 Guesthouse!
Luxury
Cloud 9 Boutique Hotel & Spa — Looking to be pampered during your 3 days in Cape Town? Look no further than Cloud 9.
Here, you’ll find an excellent location within short walking distance of plenty of restaurants and boutiques, on-site spa services, a rooftop pool, and an incredible view of Table Mountain!
Check rates & book your stay at Cloud 9 Boutique Hotel & Spa!
What About Robben Island?
Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held captive for 18 of his 27 years in prison, can be visited from Cape Town, including a tour of Mandela’s jail cell, the island’s graveyard, army and navy quarters, and more.
Visiting Robben Island is a popular thing to do in Cape Town, and a very meaningful one.
However, we didn’t include it on this 3 day Cape Town itinerary for two reasons: one, tickets are known to sell out, and two, it’s a large time commitment that involves a ferry ride to and from the island.
Visiting requires booking an organized tour, and the tour itself gets mixed reviews, with some saying it is very impactful and some saying that there’s not much depth to it, and that there are better ways to learn about Mandela’s enduring legacy.
If you’d like to visit Robben Island during your 3 days in Cape Town, we’d recommend booking as soon as you can commit to a date. However, keep in mind that tours are very weather-dependent due to the ferry.
The tour, including the ferry to and from the V&A Waterfront, lasts about 3.5 hours. You can check availability and book tickets here.
Witstinkhout, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cape Town Restaurants We Loved
We’re far from experts on the Cape Town food scene, but after a month in town, we can definitely say this: we ate very, very well in Cape Town, and South African food is delicious.
Here are a few recommendations based on what we enjoyed!
Jerry’s Burger Bar
How’s this for a sentence?
We are American, hailing from the land of burgers… and the best burger we have ever eaten in our lives is in South Africa.
Jerry’s Burger Bar serves up absolutely delicious burgers (I’m still dreaming about the Back and Blue Burger) and jalapeno poppers.
The fries are less memorable, but that’s okay–the burgers are what make the place.
Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room
Clarke’s Bar and Dining Room is cozy, comfortable, and home to delicious food.
We ate here more times than we can count when visiting Cape Town (usually for breakfast, but sometimes other meals as well), and everything from the sandwiches to the eggs to the toast was completely delicious.
If you’re looking for a great breakfast during your 3 days in Cape Town, definitely stop by Clarke’s.
Truth Coffee
I know we already talked about Truth Coffee above, but it deserves to have its praises sung again.
If you are a coffee lover, do not leave Cape Town without heading to Truth Coffee at least once!
Lola’s
Serving up delicious brunches and beyond right on Long Street, Lola’s is a great choice if you’re looking for a healthy option in Cape Town.
We loved stopping there for breakfast!
JARRYDS Espresso Bar & Eatery
Located over in Sea Point, JARRYDS serves up delicious brunches and excellent coffee–can you sense a theme?
Cape Town is all about their brunch and coffee scene–and you won’t walk away disappointed from JARRYDS.
Getting Around Cape Town, South Africa
While some attractions included in this 3 day itinerary for Cape Town are within walking distance of each other (for example, the route on the first morning), Cape Town, in general, is not a very walkable city.
Its highlights are spread out, and the city itself is more designed for cars than human traffic. To us, it feels much more like a typical American city than most cities we visit abroad.
Essentially, how you decide to get around Cape Town for 3 days will come down to one basic decision: whether or not you decide to rent a car.
Here are quick outlines of the 3 main ways you’ll likely use to get around Cape Town, and the pros and cons of each. Most travelers, us included, will likely mix-and-match more than one option depending on what their route is for the day!
Option 1: Rent a car.
If you’d like to rent a car in Cape Town, it’s definitely an option: be sure to check what your insurance will cover before renting, however, and purchase any extra coverage needed.
You’ll also want to double-check that your hotel has parking before booking!
Keep in mind that when parking in public spaces in Cape Town, informal “car watchers” will approach you and ask for a tip for “watching” the car and to make sure no one breaks in.
This is culturally accepted in Cape Town, and it’s best to give them a small amount of money, say 5-10 rand, and get on with your day.
If you do decide to rent a car during your 3 days in Cape Town, you won’t necessarily need to use it to get everywhere.
When you’re headed downtown to spots like Bo-Kaap and Truth Coffee, it will likely be more trouble than it is worth to drive and park. If you’re not staying within walking distance of those places, consider taking an Uber that day.
We used a rental car to visit Boulders Beach and Cape Point, as well as many places to visit in Cape Town that we didn’t have room to include in this 3 day itinerary (Muizenberg Beach, Chapman’s Peak Drive, etc.) and enjoyed the flexibility of driving ourselves.
Check rates & shop rental cars for your trip to Cape Town today!
Option 2: Use Uber and/or tours.
If you’d rather not rent a car while in Cape Town, a combination of booking tours and using Uber (very common in the city) is sufficient to get you around during your 3 days in Cape Town.
If we were planning a 3 day Cape Town trip, this would almost certainly be the transportation option we chose to use most of the time.
We did not rent a car for most of our month in Cape Town, instead relying on Uber and, in the case of the Cape Winelands, an organized day trip to get around.
However, we did rent a car for our final week in South Africa, and we visited the Cape Peninsula, including Boulders Beach and Cape Point, during that time.
If everyone in your group is planning on drinking in the Winelands, this option offers another benefit: a built-in designated driver! That was one of major the reasons we chose to use a tour to visit the Cape Winelands while staying in Cape Town.
If you’re planning to see several dispersed Cape Town attractions in one day, you might also want to consider signing up for a hop-on/hop-off bus tour. The buses go all over the city, including to Table Mountain!
Alternatively, use public transportation.
Cape Town does have a public transportation system, and if you’re traveling on a strict budget, it may be the transportation option for you.
However, expect delays (especially with the train), slow service, and difficulty navigating your way, especially with only 3 days in Cape Town to learn the ropes.
We aren’t personally experienced with Cape Town’s Metro Rail, Golden Arrow buses, or minibus taxis/chapas, but this article provides a solid overview if you’re interested in looking further into this option.
More Than 3 Days in Cape Town?
Sadly, 3 days in Cape Town is just enough to get a small taste of this incredible city.
If you happen to have more time in Cape Town or are planning another trip soon, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy.
There are an endless number of fun adventures to have in the area, including a huge number of fabulous day trips from Cape Town. Even after a month there, we left with the city with lots of things to do in Cape Town still on our bucket list!
Other things to do in Cape Town include paying a visit to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (we loved it here), making arrangements to visit Robben Island, taking one of Cape Town’s famed helicopter tours, or having a picnic on Signal Hill.
If you have a chance to check out the the stunning Chapman’s Peak drive, we highly recommend it: it’s one of the most scenic drives we’ve taken anywhere in the world!
You may also like heading to popular Muizenberg Beach to try out some surfing (or just to admire one of the most Instagrammable spots in Cape Town), seeking our some epic street art in Woodstock, or heading over to Camps Bay for a day.
If you love to hit the trails, there’s also always more hiking to do around Cape Town! Consider starting by ascending one of Table Mountain’s many trails.
Safety in Cape Town
Curious about staying safe in Cape Town?
In a nutshell, our personal experience was that we never felt threatened, we would definitely visit again, and we have no qualms about recommending that other people visit Cape Town.
However, it’s factually true that Cape Town struggles with both violent crime and property crime.
It’s also true, like most cities around the world, that those problems are more prevalent in certain neighborhoods, and those neighborhoods do not tend to be the ones that tourists are visiting.
All the same, the seriousness of security in Cape Town (bars on windows, electric fences surrounding houses, signs just about everywhere warning to leave nothing inside your car so as to deter smash-and-grab robberies) was a constant reminder of the struggles that Cape Town’s residents deal with.
These reminders, of course, also served to make us feel less secure in the city than we would have otherwise.
It was a bit of an odd feeling, honestly–in many ways, Cape Town looked and felt more like a city in the USA than anywhere else we have ever been, but the security situation gave the atmosphere a distinct feeling that we associate with Latin America: the feeling that yes we’re reasonably safe, no there’s no reason to leave, but also, let’s pay careful attention to our valuables, avoid attracting attention, and not wander the streets at night.
In other words, despite its trendy restaurants and boutiques, traveling in Cape Town felt more like being in Colombia than Croatia.
From a practical perspective, here’s what we can say: be aware of your surroundings, don’t flash valuables on the street, don’t leave anything in your car, and consider not visiting Bo-Kaap late in the afternoon (muggings have been reported there during that time).
But also, don’t overthink it–millions of tourists descend on Cape Town each year, most of whom have amazing, unforgettable trips.
Cape Town is one coolest cities we have ever visited, and it would be a shame to miss out on it due to fear.
Simply come prepared, be cautious, and take particular care with your car if you choose to rent one, and you should have a wonderful few days in Cape Town, South Africa.
What to Pack for Cape Town
We have a full recommended packing list for South Africa here, but here are a few things we particularly liked having along for our Cape Town travels!
Travel Insurance — Definitely don’t visit South Africa without travel insurance! It’s a good idea to purchase anywhere, but the further from home you are and the more likely you are to participate in adventure activities, generally the better of an idea it is.
Pacsafe
This safe makes it incredibly easy to keep valuables safe abroad, and we highly recommend bringing one to Cape Town.
Travel Adapters for South Africa
Cell Phone eSIM or SIM Card — These days, cell phone data while abroad (especially if you’re taking a South Africa road trip) can be considered a must!
Consider buying an eSIM before you leave, or purchasing an international plan for your cell phone (most carriers offer them, but they tend to be more expensive than eSIMs). If you have an unlocked phone, you can also just buy a local SIM card once you land.
Lately, we buy an eSIM from Airalo before each trip, and marvel at how much easier using our phones abroad has gotten since we first started traveling!
Travel Journal
Be sure to preserve your in-the-moment thoughts from your 3 days in Cape Town with a daily travel journal!
For people like me who can’t bear to commit to more than a couple sentences a night, I can’t recommend this One Line a Day Journal
Sea Bands
Safety Whistle
Reusable Water Bottle — Cape Town’s water is safe to drink, and is actually some of the tastiest we have ever come across!
Bring a reusable bottle with you to cut down on both plastic waste and expenses.
Also, keep in mind that drought or the chance of a future one is always a major concern in Cape Town, and don’t waste a single drop!
Hi-
I’d love to see the specific wine land tour you did and the link brings up a bunch of tours. Could you share specifics?
Hi Allison,
Sadly it looks like the exact tour we took is offline right now, which is why we’re getting redirected to a generic page (normally it would be the first tour list and highlighted in blue).
Hopefully it comes back one day, but with all the shuffling in the industry the last few years, it’s not uncommon to see things change.
Thanks for the great ideas! This post made me even more excited about my upcoming trip!
So happy to hear that, Annie! Enjoy Cape Town! 🙂
We have 3 full days to see Cape Town
Altho I hear the food is great, that is not a high priory.
We love vistas. We are ok using Uber if that is available and we would even be willing to hire a private guy to drive us and show us the sites. How much would a private guide cost per day?
Hi! I’m not sure how much an all-day private guide would cost–I’d say your best bet for that would be to contact a company selling those services directly. Hope you have a great trip to Cape Town!
Thanks for the great itinerary! We will be spending 3 days in Cape Town in September and can’t wait!
Thanks so much, Laura! Hope you have a blast in Cape Town!
Hi J & K,
Great and helpful guide. I will have 3 days in CT by myself next month and have been debating visiting Robben Island or not due to my limited time there. I think I am going to pass this time …
Thanks for all the wonderful tips!
Cheers,
Mai (from Los Angeles)
Thanks so much for reading, Mai! I’m so glad you found our post helpful.
Cape Town is an unbelievably fun city and South Africa as a whole is an amazing travel destination–hope that you have an incredible trip next month!