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. Organise your itinerary and optimise 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 see the must-see sights. This 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 organise an amazing 3 days!

The priority on your first day in the South African capital is to discover the must-see sights of Cape Town's Central Business District. 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.

Castle of Good Hope

After your transfer from Cape Town airport you can start the first day of your itinerary with a visit to 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 displays. You can visit on your own or on a guided tour of Cape Town.

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

District Six Museum

Next stop is a 450 metre walk (approximately 7 minutes) from the previous destination to the District Six Museum, where you will learn about the struggles experienced by black South Africans in the past.

The museum was built on top of a multi-ethnic neighbourhood that was demolished in the 1970s. As such, you will see a monument on one level of the building dedicated to the 60,000 residents who lived there.

• Price: Access to the museum costs an average of around €2 per person.
• Opening hours: The museum is open from Monday to Saturday (9am to 4pm).

The South African National Gallery

From the District Six Museum it is a 13-minute walk 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 number of contemporary works (conceived from the 20th century onwards) from South Africa. There are also other examples of 17th to 19th century art from Holland, France and England. Additionally, if your stay is for more days, or you want to take advantage of seeing more museums, then I recommend you book a Cape Town City Pass. This tourist card will give you access to a large list of museums and other attractions in the city.

• Price: Tickets to the gallery are approximately €3 per person.
• Opening hours: The galleries are open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Bo-Kaap Quarter

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

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

• Price: Access to the Bo-Kaap Quarter is free. Entrance to the museum costs around €3 per person.
• Opening 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.

Green Market Square

To end the day, you can go to the Green Market Square, which is located in the heart of the financial centre, approximately 650 metres 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 food. You will get caught up in the lively atmosphere and discover the traditions and culture of the locals.

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

The plan for this day is 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' drive from the centre of the South African capital. It is also accessible via one of Cape Town's tour bus routes.

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

• Price: Camps Bay is a public beach, so access to it is completely free. However, if you drive to the beach in a private car, you will have to pay for parking. 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 metres) and you will arrive at Glen Beach. This is another one of Cape Town's must-see beaches on your itinerary. You can lie on the white sand and dive into the crystal clear waters.

Also, if you are keen on water sports such as surfing, you should make the most of your time at this beach. There are good waves all year round and many surfers enjoy this natural phenomenon. In fact, if you're with children in Cape Town or you're just starting out in this discipline, you could take advantage of the surf schools.

• Price: Entrance to the beach is free. However, if you arrive by car, you will have to pay for access to the car park (around €1 per hour or €5 for the whole day).
• Opening hours: You can visit Glen Beach from 6am to 6pm.

Clifton 4th Beach

The last destination on this tour of some of Cape Town's top beaches is Clifton 4th Beach. You can walk there for about 15 minutes from Glen Beach, or drive for a maximum of two minutes. There, you'll have the opportunity to swim in the clear waters, play water sports, relax in the sun, play volleyball, etc.

In fact, you can take one of the Cape Town sunset cruises that depart from this beach. This will give you a unique perspective of the place as the sun sets on the horizon: the cliffs that line 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 are travelling by car you will have to pay a parking fee, which is approximately €1 per hour and €5 for the whole day.
• Opening 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. There are several interesting options: a safari in the Aquila Game Reserve, a boat tour to spot marine animals or a wine tour through the towns 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 see some of the most impressive marine animals in Africa: whales, great white sharks, dolphins and sea lions. You'll also get a unique perspective of the natural scenery.

On this boat tour from Cape Town, you'll also 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, Cape cormorant, yellow-legged gull, among others. You will be able to learn about all the species sighted throughout this experience, thanks to the commentary 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: Aquila Game Reserve safari from Cape Town

If you want to experience the wilderness 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 wildlife indigenous to this land, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Once you connect with your driver-guide in the city centre, you will embark on a drive of around 2 hours to the reserve. There you will have some time to relax in the spa area and then you will get into a jeep to start 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 tour can take 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.

Accompanied by a driver-guide, you will drive approximately 80 kilometres from Cape Town to these two wine towns. Upon arrival, you will visit several traditional wineries, such as Boschendal Wine Estate. You'll get a close-up look at the winemaking and bottling process. 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 approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes.

The Cape Town sightseeing bus is a good alternative for covering 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 go all along the coastal region south of the city, which is about 2 hours away. You can also go to Table Mountain, the Clock Tower and Ferris wheel at the V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay Beach, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens and other destinations.

If your aim is to enjoy the best of Cape Town during your 3-day stay, but you don't want to spend too much money, you'll want to buy a Cape Town 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 is valid for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. It all depends on which option you purchase. During this time you will be able to enjoy more than 80 attractions throughout the city. These include Cape Town Safari tours, the Table Mountain Cable Car, the Jewish Museum, kayaking experiences, walking tours to must-see destinations and much more.