Contents
Introduction
If you get to spend 48 hours in Cape Town, a world class city at the tip of Africa, for the first time it is like being a child in a candy store: There are so many fun places to go in Cape Town and it will be hard to choose in which way you’re going to spend that 48 hours in Cape Town. Cape Town is situated in South Africa in the Western Cape and it is about an 11.5 hours direct flight from London, Amsterdam, or Paris. Since we are in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are the other way around and there’s hardly any time difference with Europe. So another advantage is: NO JETLAG! Yieha!!
The infrastructure in Cape Town is fantastic. Many different types of accommodation are on offer in Cape Town so there’s something for everyone. From backpackers to 5 star deluxe and anything in between.
Book your direct flights from Cape Town to Amsterdam with KLM HERE.
Check out the accommodation on offer in Cape Town HERE
Cape Town really has something for everybody so in case you like nature, good food, adrenaline stuff, art or if you travel with your family, 48 hours in Cape Town can be spend VERY well so let me talk a bit about all these fun places to go in Cape Town and what to with your 48 hours.
48 hours in Cape Town for nature lovers
My favourite way to start the day in Cape Town is to hike up Lion’s Head. You will have beautiful views of Robben Island, the Waterfront, the city and of course the ocean and Camps Bay Beach. It is not a very difficult walk up and it is one of the favorite things to do for locals. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, bring enough water, snacks, sun protection and an hat and off you go. You will probably be super hungry by the time you come down so hop in an Uber down to The Roundhouse Restaurant and order one of their spectacular breakfasts while enjoying the view of the 12 Apostle Mountain range. You’ve done your exercise so you can take up the cable car to Table Mountain from where you will have incredible views. On a clear day you can see all the way to Cape Town. Take part in a free guided walking tour at the table top and explore the different view points. You can see Klipdassies and beautiful birds as well.
For the late afternoon we suggest you head down to Constantia Forest and perhaps enjoy another small hike in the forest. Cape Town is situated in the middle of a national park which is what makes this city super special.
48 hours in Cape Town for the culinary crowd
Start your Saturday at either the Old Biscuit Mill Market or the Oranjezicht Farmers Market where all kinds of delicacies can be found and of course wonderful breakfast options. How about some shakshuka or Eggs Benedict with Salmon while zipping some bubbly? Start early because before noon you need to be in Bo-Kaap where your culinary cooking class is starting. You will learn all about the flavors of the Malay Kitchen which was brought to Cape Town by the Malay political prisoners in the early days. You will prepare a 3 course meal and then share lunch with your fellow chefs. It is super entertaining and the Bo-Kaap residents are one of the most hospitable people you will find in Cape Town.
Now for the evening, you need to be a bit organized if you want to eat in any of the Top South African restaurants like La Colombe or The Test Kitchen. Bookings often need to be made long in advance and a deposit needs to be paid to secure the booking. Our absolute favorite is La Colombe where you are taken on an incredible journey of culinary discovery that will stay with you for the rest of your life. What I love about fancy restaurants in Cape Town is that they are fancy yes but they’re not formal and service happens in a very relaxed manner where you will feel at home and you can laugh out loud if you want and it is a great ambiance with fantastic food at a fraction of the cost of what you would pay for a similar experience in Europe. A special mention we would like to give to www.4roomedekasiculture.com in Khayelitsha. If you are truly looking for something different and special book for lunch on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Those are the times that the restaurant is open. You will sample local dishes in a beautiful way and an SA Masterchef will do the cooking!
48 hours in Cape Town for adrenaline addicts
Being surrounded by mountains and 2 oceans makes Cape Town a perfect destination to get the adrenaline going. What about paragliding off Lion’s Head of Signal Hill followed by going up Table Mountain by cable car and then abseil down? Both should definitely be on your bucket list if you’re visiting Cape Town and looking for some adrenaline. On a full moon night you can then kayak into the big moon from Three Anchor Bay or go for a paddle between the penguins in Simonstown. Cape Town apparently is also fantastic for scuba diving, the water is cold though and I’m a tropical diver who enjoys colorful fish so scuba diving in Cape Town I’ve never done. If you love kelp diving and wreck diving than Cape Town is your place to be with. The Cape Coast is aptly called ‘The Graveyard of Ships’ with about 3.000 sunken ships so take your pick and explore.
48 hours in Cape Town for art aficionados
With the newly opened (Sept 2017) Zeitz-Mocaa Museum, Cape Town has become the center of Africa for modern art. Even if you are not an art lover, a visit to the building only will leave you in awe. The architecture, a former grain silo turned art museum, is beyond comprehension and has won many awards already. Around the corner of the museum you can find Southern Guild. A grand collection of design furniture, each piece with her own story is awaiting you and will leave you quite astounded of what is possible when art, design and functionality are all combined. After you’ve spend the morning at the Silo District, I would suggest you head to the art galleries in town. If you visit Cape Town on a First Thursday of the month, you will find all the art galleries open till about 9pm at night and afterwards you can enjoy a wonderful street party. It is really one of my favorite things to do on a First Thursday. This is also when I fell in love for the first time with a painting and started my art collection (still just 1 piece…).
48 hours in child friendly Cape Town
Since I have a small child, I could write an entire book about Cape Town with kids. We explore all the time and new awesome stuff is added continuously. My daughter is 5 and our favorite part to hang out is the Seapoint Promenade with many play parks, an amazing outdoor pool, the best ice-cream vendor in Cape Town and bicycles to rent. What else do you need? Then there’s the V&A Waterfront with the 2Oceans Aquarium, the scratch patch, Tommy The Tugboot, the Big Wheel, the Hamleys Train, the rugby museum (for the bigger boys) and this is only really the start. Don’t hesitate of bringing your kids here. They will have a blast and there’s something for everyone. I mean, where on earth can you go to a beach with penguins?
