Things to do
Boulders Beach
Visiting the quirky penguins at Boulders Beach, between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, is a unique experience.
The colony, which lives incongruously in the middle of a residential area, is one of the few sites where African penguins – previously called Jackass penguins because of their braying call – can be observed at close range, as they wander freely in a protected natural environment.
Boulders forms part of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) Marine Protected Area and an entrance fee is required to access the sandy shores. Strictly controlled access to this beach by the South African National Parks (SANparks) authority ensures it is always clean and tidy and the facilities are well maintained and spotless. These facilities include toilets and outdoor beach showers. The beach is a real hit with little ones as it offers a very gentle and warm ocean swimming experience. The immense boulders after which the beach is named shelter the cove from currents and large waves – but please always take care. Also, don’t touch or feed the penguins. They might look cute and cuddly but their beaks are razor sharp and if they feel threatened they have no qualms about nipping the odd finger or nose. They also feel nothing about traipsing through your picnic lunch and over your towels. Once through the turnstiles, stake your claim on the pristine sand – check the tides beforehand, this is a very narrow beach – and then freely explore the large 540 million year-old granite boulders, small rock pools and little bays in close proximity of the penguins. UP CLOSE To view the African penguins and their nesting and breeding sites, a superb walkway has been established at Foxy Beach, just a short stroll from the actual Boulders Beach.
This takes the visitor on an intimate tour of the area these birds call home. The boardwalks are all wheelchair-friendly and will take you within metres of the birds. There is also a visitors’ centre accessed on foot using “Willis Walk” from the Bellevue Road/Cape Point side, or via Kleintuin Road from the Seaforth Road/Simon’s Town side. The area is patrolled by park rangers to ensure visitors’ safety and that of the birds. Boulders Beach has plenty of food and accommodation offerings close to the gates (although nothing is on offer inside the reserve precinct).
Visiting the quirky penguins at Boulders Beach, between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, is a unique experience.
The colony, which lives incongruously in the middle of a residential area, is one of the few sites where African penguins – previously called Jackass penguins because of their braying call – can be observed at close range, as they wander freely in a protected natural environment.
Boulders forms part of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) Marine Protected Area and an entrance fee is required to access the sandy shores. Strictly controlled access to this beach by the South African National Parks (SANparks) authority ensures it is always clean and tidy and the facilities are well maintained and spotless. These facilities include toilets and outdoor beach showers. The beach is a real hit with little ones as it offers a very gentle and warm ocean swimming experience. The immense boulders after which the beach is named shelter the cove from currents and large waves – but please always take care. Also, don’t touch or feed the penguins. They might look cute and cuddly but their beaks are razor sharp and if they feel threatened they have no qualms about nipping the odd finger or nose. They also feel nothing about traipsing through your picnic lunch and over your towels. Once through the turnstiles, stake your claim on the pristine sand – check the tides beforehand, this is a very narrow beach – and then freely explore the large 540 million year-old granite boulders, small rock pools and little bays in close proximity of the penguins. UP CLOSE To view the African penguins and their nesting and breeding sites, a superb walkway has been established at Foxy Beach, just a short stroll from the actual Boulders Beach.
This takes the visitor on an intimate tour of the area these birds call home. The boardwalks are all wheelchair-friendly and will take you within metres of the birds. There is also a visitors’ centre accessed on foot using “Willis Walk” from the Bellevue Road/Cape Point side, or via Kleintuin Road from the Seaforth Road/Simon’s Town side. The area is patrolled by park rangers to ensure visitors’ safety and that of the birds. Boulders Beach has plenty of food and accommodation offerings close to the gates (although nothing is on offer inside the reserve precinct).
Robben Island Museum
Now, Robben Island is a World Heritage Site and museum, offering daily tours. The tour begins at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront with a multimedia exhibition, museum shop and restaurant, after which, guests hop onto the ferry for a scenic trip to the island. Once on Robben Island itself, the tour is guided by a former political prisoner of the island, for unique and incomparable insights into the island’s history.
Parents who want their children to learn more about South Africa’s political history and gain insight into the struggles and triumphs of the past, will find this Robben Island experience one of the many ways to share South Africa’s history and ensure that our children appreciate our city’s heritage.
Highlights:
- Ferry tour from V&A Waterfront to Robben Island
- See where Nelson Mandela served the majority of his sentence
- Island tour guided by a former political prisoner
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is proof that not all gardens were created equal. Go on, pay it a visit. You can thank us later.
It’s a favourite among locals amd visitors alike for many reasons: picnics on the lawns, hiking up Skeleton Gorge, enjoying a glass of chilled Chardonnay before a summer sunset concert, exploring the many shady trails, and taking in the panoramic views from the canopy walkway, to mention just a few.
The garden’s history
Regarded as one of the great botanic gardens of the world, Kirstenbosch—or rather, the land on which it sits—was bequeathed to the government by Cecil John Rhodes. At the time, it was nothing more than ramshackle farmland overrun with pigs. In 1913 a botanist called Harold Pearson set about transforming the land into a botanic garden devoted to the country’s indigenous flora. It now contains over 7000 species of plants from southern Africa. The 528-hectare Kirstenbosch Estate (which includes the Garden) falls under the Cape Floristic Region, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to expect
Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, just 13km from the city centre, Kirstenbosch includes a fragrance garden, a medicinal garden, 2,500 species of plants found on the Cape Peninsula, a Protea garden (best seen in spring!), a braille trail, and a cycad amphitheatre. There is also the Botanical Society Conservatory, which houses plants from the continent’s more arid regions. To immerse yourself in all that the Garden has to offer, it is worth taking one of the free guided tours that depart from the Visitors’ Centre at 11am and 2pm from Monday to Saturday. If the times are inconvenient, audio guides are also available.
If you have little ones, you simply must take them to see the cycad amphitheatre. Dotted among the cycads are life-sized anatomically correct sculptures of dinosaurs and a pterosaur! Kirstenbosch also features a sculpture garden, where you’ll find an ever-changing exhibition of African stone sculptures, and bronze animal sculptures by Dylan Lewis. Your kids will also enjoy a walk along the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway – affectionately known as the Boomslang. This 130-metre steel-and-timber bridge snakes its way through and over the trees of the Arboretum, providing stunning views of the Garden and the Cape Flats.
All that walking is bound to work up an appetite, and – if you haven’t packed a picnic – there are a number of options for satiating your hunger. Visit the African themed Moyo restaurant for a hearty lunch, or pop into the Kirstenbosch Tea Room for scones, cake and cucumber sandwiches. You can even pick up a picnic hamper from either of these restaurants. For a quick coffee fix, Vida e Caffe has you covered.
When to visit
While the Garden is spectacular all year round, you’ll see the fynbos at its best from August to November. However, summer has its own charm in the form of the Summer Sunset Concerts every Sunday evening and the open air Galileo Cinema on Wednesday evenings.
Get your city Sightseeing bus ticket and free entry to Kirstenbosch with a one day City Pass.
Franschhoek Wine Tram
The Franschhoek Wine Tram hop-on hop-off tour (www.winetram.co.za) is one of the best ways to discover the true essence of the Franschhoek Valley – picturesque vineyards, breath-taking scenery, warm hospitality, world-class cuisine, fine wines and a 300-year history.
Passengers aboard the hop-on hop-off tour will experience a unique and leisurely introduction to the Franschhoek Valley as they journey through rolling vineyards in an open-side tram and open-air tram-bus stopping at some of South Africa’s oldest and most distinguished wine estates.
A combination of tram and tram-bus transports passengers around a loop of stops allowing them to hop off at each stop and experience the activities on offer, such as wine tasting, a cellar tour, lunch or simply a stroll through the vineyards. When they are ready they simply hop on to continue the tour.
The tour takes passengers right into the heart of the Franschhoek Valley, with a narration focusing on the history of Franschhoek and wine cultivation in the valley, and unparalleled views of the valley and vineyards.
Franschhoek Wine Tram currently offers four Franschhoek Village-based combination tram and tram-bus tours: Blue Line, Red Line, Yellow Line and Green Line. Each visits eight wine estates and showcases a different part of the Franschhoek Valley. A tram-bus only hop-on hop-off tour, Purple Line, visits seven wine estates in the greater Franschhoek Valley, about half-an-hour outside the village.
Route Highlights
BLUE LINE
The Blue Line starts with a number of tram-bus stops and concludes with two tram stops. It showcases Franschhoek’s breath-taking mountain views while stopping at the following wine estates: Mont Rochelle, Le Lude, La Bri, La Bourgogne, Holden Manz, La Couronne, Rickety Bridge and Grande Provence.
GREEN LINE
The Green Line starts with a two tram stops and concludes with a number of tram-bus stops. It showcases Franschhoek’s breath-taking mountain views while stopping at the following wine estates: Rickety Bridge, Grande Provence, Mont Rochelle, Le Lude, La Bri, La Bourgogne, Holden Manz and La Couronne.
RED LINE
The Red Line starts with a number of tram-bus stops and concludes with two tram stops. It showcases Franschhoek’s picturesque rolling vineyards while stopping at the following wine estates: Maison, Eikehof, Leopard’s Leap, Chamonix, Dieu Donne, Franschhoek Cellar, Rickety Bridge and Grande Provence.
YELLOW LINE
The Yellow Line starts with a two tram stops and concludes with a number of tram-bus stops. It showcases Franschhoek’s picturesque rolling vineyards while stopping at the following wine estates: Rickety Bridge, Grande Provence, Maison, Eikehof, Leopard’s Leap, Chamonix, Dieu Donne and Franschhoek Cellar.
PURPLE LINE
The Purple Line tour starts on a double-decker railway tram and ends with a tram-bus. The tour showcases the picturesque western region of the Franschhoek Valley with stops at: Vrede en Lust, Plaisir de Merle, Allée Bleue, Noble Hill, Babylonstoren, Backsberg, Glen Carlou and Solms Delta.
The Purple Line departs at:
09:40 am (Max: 6 Stops)
10:40 am (Max: 5 Stops)
11:40 am (Max: 4 Stops)
ORANGE LINE
The Orange Line tour starts on a tram-bus and ends with a double-decker railway tram. The tour showcases the picturesque western region of the Franschhoek Valley with stops at Noble Hill, Babylonstoren, Backsberg, Glen Carlou, Solms Delta, Vrede en Lust, Plaisir de Merle and Allée Bleue.
The Orange Line departs at:
09:40 am (Max: 6 Stops)
10:40 am (Max: 5 Stops)
11:40 am (Max: 4 Stops)
V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront has a romanticism about it that has been attracting visitors since its development in 1988. The 123-hectare property holds a shopping mall, marina, working harbour, and scores of other smaller features.
There is plenty on offer for the kids – from the Hamleys Express train ride from the Cape Wheel to the Watershed, to a ride on the Jolly Roger Pirate Boat and in the School holidays, fun-filled holiday programmes.
When you’ve built up an appetite, take your pick of cuisine, take in the hub of activity of a working harbour while you feast on divine food. Watch a show in the amphitheatre and take a romantic sunset harbour cruise. Finally, as the stars come out and the city lights up, climb into the Cape Wheel for the inimitable 360° view of the marina, the city and the stadium, all framed in the foreground of Table Mountain.
With all this and even more on offer, it really is no wonder that the V&A Waterfront joins the ranks with Cape Point, Groot Constantia, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Robben Island, Table Mountain Cableway and City Walk as one of Cape Town’s Big 7.
Highlights
- Cape Town’s premier shopping and entertainment destination
- Find boutique stores, fine dining restaurants, food markets, cruise boats, museums, and more
- One of the Cape Town Big 7
- Watershed – Africa’s new home for craft and design with 150 tenants and 360 local brands
- Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) – Africa’s most significant museum in over a 100 years *Opening it’s door 25 September 2017
- NuMetro Cinema – first 4DX cinema in Africa.
- Over 450 retail stores – diverse offering of local and international brands that guarantee something for everyone shopping in Cape Town, irrespective of taste or budget.
- Over 80 restaurants – Whether you are looking for a quick bite from our world-class food market or a more leisurely experience at some of our unique fine dining restaurants
- Variety of leisure activities and attractions that includes helicopter rides, leisure boat cruises, stand-up paddling, live entertainment, visit the Two Oceans Aquarium or take a ride on the Cape Wheel.
- V&A Waterfront is home to 22 historical landmarks, learn about the rich history with our Guided V&A Waterfront Historical Walking Tour or the Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour.
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