Cape Town in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Cape Town is a place with many attractions, natural spaces, museums, and monuments, among other tourist attractions. Basically, you will find as many destinations as there are types of tourists. So, if you plan to be in the South African capital for a long weekend and want to discover everything it has to offer, then you won't have a minute to waste. Organize your itinerary and optimize your time.

Among the best things to see and do in Cape Town in three days is a tour of the Central Business District, to get to know the must-see places. Such is the case of the Castle of Good Hope, the District Six Museum, among others. You can also visit some of the local beaches, such as Camps Bay, Glen Beach and Clifton 4th; or explore the city's surroundings through a boat tour, a safari in Aquila Game Reserve, a wine tour, and many more options. Let's organize an incredible 3 days!

The priority during your first day in the South African capital is to discover the must-see sights that Cape Town's Central Business District is home to. You will see the Castle of Good Hope, the District Six Museum, the South African National Gallery, the Bo-Kaap Quarter and the Green Market Square.

The Castle of Good Hope

After your transfer from the Cape Town airport you can start the first day of your itinerary by visiting the Castle of Good Hope, located about four minutes from the central area of the city. It is an important 17th century building.

In this colonial castle, formerly used as a defensive fortress and later as a prison, you will now find an interesting museum with military exhibits and a number of historical art exhibits. You can visit the place on your own or through a guided tour of Cape Town.

• Price: the value of this visit is around 3€ per person.
• Opening hours: The castle is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.

The District Six Museum

For the next stop you will walk about 450 meters (approximately 7 minutes) from the previous destination to the District Six Museum, where you will learn about the struggle experienced by black South Africans in the past.

The museum was built on top of a multi-ethnic neighborhood that was demolished in the 1970s. Therefore, you will see on one level of the building a monument dedicated to the 60,000 residents who inhabit this place.

• Price: access to the museum has an average cost of about €2 per person.
• Hours: The museum doors are open from Monday to Saturday (9:00 am to 4:00 pm).

The South African National Gallery

From the District Six Museum you will have to walk about 13 minutes to the South African National Gallery. There, you will have the opportunity to discover South African art.

If you decide to enter the rooms of this gallery, you will see a series of contemporary works (conceived from the twentieth century) from South Africa. Also, other samples of art from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century, originating in Holland, France and England. Additionally, if your stay is for more days, or you want to visit more museums, then I recommend you book a Cape Town City Pass. This tourist card will allow you access to a large list of museums and other attractions in the city.

• Price: the price of tickets for the gallery is approximately 3€ per person.
• Opening hours: the rooms of this gallery are open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Bo-Kaap Quarter

Another must-see on this tour of Cape Town's Central Business District is the Bo-Kaap Quarter, located about a 15-minute walk from the South African National Gallery towards Leeuwen St.

. This is a vibrant neighborhood where you can make a few stops for food and souvenirs, as it is dotted with stores, restaurants and cafes. Also, as you wander the streets you will find the Bo-Kaap Museum, which compiles the history of the neighborhood.

• Price: Access to the Bo-Kaap Neighborhood is free. The entrance to the museum costs around 3€ per person.
• Hours: you can enter the Bo-Kaap Quarter at any time. However, the museum is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Saturday.

The Green Market Square

To end this day you can go to the Green Market Square, which is located in the heart of the financial center, approximately 650 meters away from the Bo-Kaap Quarter. You will have to walk about 8 minutes in the direction of Church St.

. In this square you will enjoy a picturesque market with handicrafts, art, fashion and gastronomy. You will be caught in a lively atmosphere and discover the traditions and culture of the locals.

• Price: access to the Green Market Square is free.
• Hours: the square is open 24 hours, but the market is only available from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (every day).

For this day the plan is very simple: visit some of Cape Town' s beaches and enjoy the paradisiacal natural scene. You can visit Camps Bay, Glen Beach and Clifton 4th.

Camps Bay Beach

This time the adventure starts at Camps Bay Beach, located approximately 25 minutes away by car from the center of the South African capital. And, which you can also access through one of the tourist bus routes in Cape Town.

This beach is considered one of the most beautiful in the city, as well as one of the busiest. Upon arrival you will enjoy the fine sand and swim in the natural rock pools. You could even bet on spending the whole day there. And is that behind the beach you will find a whole strip of restaurants, cafes, rooftop bars from where you can see a different view of the place.

• Price: Camps Bay is a public beach, so access to it is completely free. However, if you go there by private car, you will have to pay the parking service. This is usually 1€ per hour or 5€ for the whole day.
• Opening hours: Camps Bay beach is open 24 hours a day.

Glen Beach

From Camps Bay you will have to walk about 7 minutes (450 meters) and you will arrive at Glen Beach. This is another of Cape Town's beaches, which should not be missing in your itinerary. You can lie on the white sand and dive into its crystal clear waters.

Also, if you are a water sports enthusiast like surfing, you should take advantage of your passage through this beach. Throughout the year there is a good swell and many surfers enjoy this natural phenomenon. In fact, if you are with children in Cape Town or you are starting in this discipline, you could take advantage of the surf schools.

• Price: the entrance to the beach is free. But if you arrive by car, you will have to pay for access to the parking lot (about 1 € per hour or 5 € for the whole day).
• Hours: You can visit Glen Beach from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Clifton 4th beach

The last destination of this route through some of the main beaches of Cape Town is Clifton 4th beach. You can get there by walking about 15 minutes from Glen Beach, or by driving a maximum of two minutes. There, you will have the opportunity to swim in its clear waters, practice water sports, relax in the sun, play volleyball, etc.

In fact, you can take one of the sunset cruises in Cape Town that depart from this beach. This way, you will observe a unique perspective of the place while the sun sets on the horizon: the cliffs that border the beach, the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and, in the distance, the mountain of Table Mountain National Park.

• Price: access to Clifton Beach 4ht is free. However, if you travel by car you will have to pay the parking service, which corresponds to approximately €1 per hour and €5 for the whole day.
• Hours: The beach is open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

For the last day of your Cape Town itinerary, you can opt to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and explore the surrounding area. You will have several interesting options: a safari in the Aquila Game Reserve, a boat tour to spot marine animals or a wine tour through the villages of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

Option 1: Be part of a marine wildlife boat tour

A boat trip on the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Town will allow you to enjoy the most impressive marine animals in Africa: whales, white sharks, dolphins and sea lions. In addition, you will contemplate a dreamlike natural landscape from a unique perspective.

Through this boat tour to see marine animals from Cape Town, you can also make a stop at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS). This enclosure is home to a colony of African penguins and various seabirds. For example, the grey heron, the Cape cormorant, the yellow-legged gull, among others. You will be able to learn about all the species sighted throughout this experience, thanks to the comments of the marine biologist who accompanies you on board.

• Price: the average price of this tour is 133€ per person.
• Duration: this marine sighting activity usually lasts at least 10 hours.

Option 2: Take a safari in Aquila Game Reserve from Cape Town

If you want to have a wild experience with lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, warthogs, giraffes and more, then you should join a safari tour to Aquila Game Reserve from Cape Town. You will enjoy the native wildlife of this land, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Once you connect with your driver-guide in the city center, you will embark on a 2-hour drive to the reserve. There, you will have some time to relax in the spa area, and then you will board a jeep to begin the tour. You will be surrounded by jungle scenery and amazing animals that have been rescued. Afterwards, you will return to Cape Town at night.

• Price: the cost of this type of experience starts at 139€ per person.
• Duration: the excursion can last approximately 9 hours.

Option 3: Embark on a wine tour from Cape Town to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek

Discovering South Africa' s wine history and culture is another thing you can do on the third day of your trip. Embark on a wine tour to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek from Cape Town to see the local wineries and vineyards of these lands.

Accompanied by a driver-guide, you will travel a distance of approximately 80 kilometers from Cape Town to this pair of wine towns. Upon arrival, you will visit several traditional wineries, such as Boschendal Wine Estate. You will be able to see the winemaking and bottling process up close. You will also taste some vintages, taste chocolates and artisan cheeses.

• Price: the value of this experience is around 82€ per person.
• Duration: the activity usually lasts about 8 hours and 30 minutes approximately.

The Cape Town sightseeing bus is a good alternative to cover long distances during your tour of the South African capital. You can save time and money, thanks to the 3 routes offered by this service, which also have more than 30 free stops where you can get on and off as many times as you want.

For example, you can travel throughout the coastal region south of the city, which is about 2 hours away. You will also have the possibility to go to Table Mountain, the Clock Tower and Ferris wheel at the V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay beach, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, among other destinations.

If your goal is to enjoy the best of Cape Town during your 3-day stay, but you don't want to spend too much money, you will want to purchase the city's tourist card. This way, you will get free access to dozens of places: natural areas, monuments, museums, leisure attractions, wine experiences, among many others.

The Cape Town City Pass has a validity period of 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. It all depends on the option you purchase. During that time you can enjoy more than 80 attractions throughout the city. Such is the case of the Cape Town Safari tours, the Table Mountain Cable Car, the Jewish Museum, kayaking experiences, walking tours to visit must-see destinations and much more.