With only three days to explore Cape Town, we set out to make the most of every moment — and what a journey it was! From discovering the city’s vibrant history and culture on two fascinating walking tours to soaking in the stunning coastal and mountain scenery aboard the hop-on hop-off bus, every experience revealed a new side of this incredible city. To top it all off, we escaped to the nearby winelands for a private wine tour — the perfect blend of relaxation, flavour, and South African hospitality.
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Stay at the Pullman City Centre Cape Town Hotel review
See our YouTube video here on our 3 days in Cape Town
Day 1: Exploring Cape Town’s Historic Heart on Foot with Cape Town Free Walking Tours
Morning: Join a guided historical City Tour
We booked a Cape Town Free Walking Tour for the morning tour departing from Motherland Coffee at St George’s Mall at 11 am.
Our passionate and knowledgeable guide, Natalie, began our tour at Green Market Square, the second-oldest market in Cape Town. The Square started as a slave market, and over the years, it evolved into a fresh fruit and vegetable market, a car parking lot, and, these days, it is home to local African traders selling souvenirs, jewellery, arts and crafts, clothing, and paintings.
Have you seen the national flower of South Africa? We headed to the Flower Market in search of the Protea. With its striking crown of pink petals surrounding a silvery centre, the protea stands as a symbol of beauty. It is so resilient that it can survive wildfires by resprouting from underground stems.
Location: Trafalgar Place
We admired the Art Deco Mutual Assurance Building, which was constructed between 1936 and 1940, as the headquarters for the South African Mutual Life Assurance Society. The building is now used for residential purposes. It has also been featured in several movies, such as Good Omens and Death Race 2.
Location: 14 Darling Street Cape Town
Heading down towards the Castle of Good Hope, we enter the Grand Parade area and the statue of Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, who was a South African journalist and politician (1845-1909) and was a big supporter of Afrikaner rights.
Location: Church Square, 11B Parliament Street, Cape Town
Castle of Good Hope
The oldest surviving building in South Africa, the castle, was completed in 1679 by the Dutch East India Company. Today, it is a popular place to learn about Cape Town’s history.
Location: Castle Street, Foreshore, Cape Town
Cape Town City Hall
Love taking selfies with famous people? Head to the Cape Town City Hall and have your photo taken with Nelson Mandela on the balcony. This is where Nelson Mandela delivered his first speech after being freed from jail on February 11 1990. The City Hall’s Clock Tower is a replica of Big Ben.
Location: Darling Street Cape Town
We make our way up to the Company’s Garden, the large historical public garden in the centre of the CBD built by the Dutch East India Company in the 1650s. Planting during this time was to provide produce for the many ships that passed through the region. Today it is home to the Iziko South African Museum, the National Gallery, and the Parliament Buildings. The gardens are popular with locals and tourists. Enjoy morning tea or lunch at one of the small cafes in the grounds. We loved coffee@the vine. This was also a favourite of our guide.
Good to know: make sure you visit the oldest pear tree planted in 1652, and it still bears fruit.
Afternoon: Choose between the Apartheid to Freedom Walking Tour or the Bo-Kaap Tour with Cape Town Free Walking Tours
We chose to do the Apartheid to Freedom Walking Tour.
Our guide in the afternoon again was Natalie, and the tour started at Motherland Coffee at 2 pm.
We headed towards St George’s Cathedral, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu delivered powerful sermons from the pulpit denouncing the apartheid system. From the steps, he also led many marches against the government. As a result, it was nicknamed the People’s Cathedral.
This tour was one of the most heart-wrenching ones we have done in our travels. We were moved in Buenos Aires when we learnt about the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, whose children were abducted by military families during the dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.
What was particularly upsetting were two benches outside the High Court – one labelled “Whites Only” and the other “Non-Whites Only”. This segregation was just one example; many stories were told of different areas, such as transportation, housing, shops, beaches, and parks.
We were enlightened about the District Six Museum and the history of the forced relocations of residents in the area, as well as the history of the Slave Lodge and the sufferings and struggles of the people of Cape Town.
Evening: Dinner at the V&A Waterfront with Table Mountain views at the Cape Town Fish Market Restaurant at Shop G12 Clock Tower. We can highly recommend this restaurant for location, views, the menu and the staff.
Good to know: Although both walking tours are free, they rely on tips. What to tip? Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether the tour and guide were worth it. Compare the prices of other paid walking tours and base your tip on those.
Day 2: Scenic Adventures on the City Sightseeing Cape Town Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
Three routes can be completed in one day.
What is the best way to enjoy your day on the Hop on Hop off bus?
Begin the Mini Peninsula Tour by departing either from the Aquarium, the first stop, or the Sightseeing Tour Office located at 81 Long Street.
The Mini Peninsula tour (Blue Tour) includes stops at the Aquarium, Foreshore, Long Street, Mount Nelson, Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden, Constantia Nek, World of Birds, Mariners Wharf, Camps Bay, Queens Road, St John’s Road, The Winchester Hotel, and Green Point.
First departure 09.00 and last departure 15.45 from the Aquarium.
At Constantia Nek, disembark and proceed to the Wine Tour (Purple Tour) to visit Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia. If you plan to spend time at the wineries, you will need to book in advance for tastings.
First departure: 09:55 and last departure: 16:45 from Constantia Nek.
Change to the Red Tour in the afternoon at either the Aquarium or Long Street. The Red Tour route includes the Aquarium, Clocktower, CTICC, Long Street, Table Mountain Cableway, Camps Bay, Queens Road, St John’s Road, The Winchester Hotel and Green Point. The Table Mountain Cableway is busier in the morning, with fewer queues in the afternoon.
First departure 0830 and last departure 1645 from the Aquarium.
At the Clocktower, disembark and head to V & A Waterfront for dinner. The V & A Waterfront is the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. You will find hotels, restaurants, shops, breweries, and the historic Clock Tower.
If you pick up the brochure, there is a QR Code for live bus tracking – it is definitely worth it! Book here.
Day 3: Wine Country Escape — A Private Tour of the Cape Winelands
There are many tours available to enjoy the Cape Winelands.
We decided to hire a private driver and guide to visit three wineries. The reason we chose a private tour was that we wanted to spend as much time at each winery without feeling rushed. Tours typically have a time limit, which varies depending on the number of wineries included in the tour.
We departed our hotel at 9 am and headed for our first winery of the day.
Ernie Els Winery
Address: Annandale Road, Stellenbosch
All we can say is wow! The location of Ernie Els Winery is spectacular, offering a view over Stellenbosch and the Helderberg Mountains. On arrival, after wandering through their stunning garden entrance and koi pond, you are greeted with a glass of chilled 2024 Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon Rose. I would have been happy just drinking this during our stay.
There are several tasting options available, which vary from vintage to vintage. We chose a combination of white, red and rose. If we hadn’t just started our travels in Africa, we would have purchased a few bottles to take with us.
Good to know: before you leave the tasting, make sure you have time to wander through the Cellar Door – it is stunning.
The Restaurant is available daily for lunch from 12.00 to 15.30. Dinner is available Thursday to Saturday from 18.00 to 21.30 from November to April. Reservations are recommended.
The Cellar Door is open from Monday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.
Last tastings 4 pm Monday to Saturday and 3 pm Sunday.
Tokara Wine Estate
Address: Helshoogte Rd, Stellenbosch
Our driver mentioned to us that he thought Tokara had the best views, but we disagree. We think that Ernie Els had the better views for us.
As we arrived close to lunchtime, the winery was busy, and we managed to secure a table, where we enjoyed the tastings of their famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Not only do they have wine tastings, but they also offer olive oil tastings.
Their restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday for lunch (12 pm to 3 pm) and dinner (6 pm to 9 pm) and Sunday lunch from 12 pm to 3 pm. Reservations are required. Tokara has its own delicatessen.
Check out their sculptures and artworks as you wander through the premises.
The cellar door is open from Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm, with the last tasting at 5:30 pm.
Boschendal Winery
Address: Boschendal Estate, Pniel Road, Groot, Franschhoek
What another stunner of a winery. Such extensive grounds offer cellar door tastings, a restaurant, function rooms, accommodation, a farm shop, horse riding, and garden tours.
We enjoyed the pairing of chocolate with our wines, and all were exquisite as we sat outside underneath a tree. Highly recommended!
Boschendal is the 2nd-oldest wine farm in the region.
You could fit in a fourth winery if you choose, but after three excellent tastings, we headed back to the V & A Waterfront for dinner.
Dinner at Life Grand Cafe – highly recommended for food, service and views.
Where to Stay in Cape Town
There are many places to stay in Cape Town that suit all budgets. We chose to stay at the Pullman Cape Town.
Check out the Pullman Cape Town here.
Compare prices with other hotels in Cape Town here.
Recommendations for centrally located hotels, guesthouses, or boutique stays with easy access to key attractions.
Tips for First-Time Visitors to Cape Town
When is the Best time to visit Cape Town
What would you like to do in Cape Town? This will determine the best time to visit.
If you are after sun and surf, summer is the best time from December to March. It is also the peak time to visit Cape Town.
Shoulder seasons, which are Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November), tend to have fewer crowds and cheaper prices, making them suitable for whale watching and visiting wineries. Mornings can be chilly.
Winter, from June to August, can be cold, but it is a great time for whale watching.
Getting around Cape Town safely
Staff at the Pullman Hotel would remind us daily to be cautious of our surroundings as we headed out to join the Hop-on Hop-off bus city location on Long Street, a few blocks from the hotel. Ensure that you have your bags close to you and mobile phones out of sight. There were a few times when waiting at traffic lights that we felt uneasy.
Our guide on the Cape Town Free Walking Tour explained that we needed to know exactly where we were heading, not to have our mobile phones out for directions, to keep our wallets and bags close to us and to be careful when taking photographs.
Our hotel, the Pullman Cape Town, offered a regular complimentary shuttle service to the V&A Waterfront.
What to pack for the changing weather in Cape Town
We were in Cape Town at the beginning of September. The mornings were chilly, with beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures at lunchtime, and chilly in the evenings. We recommend layers of clothing.
Travel with an E-Sim
During our stay in South Africa, we used Saily e-SIM. Saily was perfect for us, easy to set up, we used the hot spot and the coverage was excellent.
Quote To Travel Too when purchasing your plan from Saily to get 5% off.
Booking tours in advance
We used Get Your Guide for our Hop-on Hop-off Bus tour. You can purchase tickets here. You take your digital tickets to the office, where you board the bus, have them exchanged for paper tickets, and pick up your brochure with the QR Code for the bus timetable. You will need to show your digital ticket when checking in for Table Mountain Cableway.
Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Our final thoughts
Our three days in Cape Town gave us just a taste of what this extraordinary city has to offer — from its rich history and diverse culture to breathtaking natural beauty and world-class wine. Whether exploring on foot, by bus, or through the rolling vineyards beyond the city, every moment was filled with colour, warmth, and unforgettable experiences. Cape Town truly embodies the spirit of South Africa — vibrant, welcoming, and unforgettable.
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