Last Updated on 05/02/2023 by kami
It was love at first sight. Funily enough, just few days before I was thinking how hard it is for the new place to enchant me. There were so many great cities I was lucky to visit that now I’m more careful with naming the destination “one of the best I’ve ever been to”. But Cape Town stole my heart from the very first moment that I arrived. And in next 5 days I was falling in love more and more with it. It’s actually hard to name one reason why I went so crazy about Cape Town. It’s more a compilation of places, vibe, views, scents that alltogether made me love the city so very much.
I’ve heard people raving about visiting Cape Town so many times that I was almost sure the place will leave me indifferent. I knew I will enjoy it but nothing more than that. And well, from the very first moment I just felt like at home there! I blame the Observatory for that too, the awesome bohemian neighborhood of Cape Town where I happened to stay. But the whole city was awesome and exploring it was a pure pleasure! Below you can see random things that I loved when visiting Cape Town
I love mountains and I like sea. But when the place has a mix of both I’m in heaven! And Cape Town was like that: located on the shores of Atlantic Ocean, right at the footsteps of the famous Table Mountains it couldn’t be any more perfect! Even if the weather was hot, the nice wind from the ocean made discovering Cape Town bearable. The only downside of the location can be low clouds covering Table Mountain but fortunately it wasn’t the case for most of my stay there.
Going to the top of Table Mountain is a must in Cape Town. It’s the city’s biggest attraction and I can understand that perfectly well – as soon as I saw the view from up there I was enchanted. It’s incredible that such a wonderful nature getaway is located right in the city. From the top you can see big part of Cape Town as well as Robben Island and the Atlantic coast. There’s also a possibility to hike a little bit up there and that means even more breathtaking views. Guess I could have spent hours there, just looking at the world around me, realizing it’s not a dream and I really am there.
During my stay in Cape Town I could see so many incredible exotic plants, growing wildly at the top of Table Mountain or organized neatly in Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. I must confess I’ve never been really crazy about flowers, trees and so on. I liked them, they looked nice but that was all. But what I’ve seen in and around Cape Town just amazed me. Actually in Kirstenbosch I spent much more time than expected because I just had to check every single flower and bush. I think I might have found a new interest in flowers over there!
During my time in Cape Town I stayed in the Observatory – the bohemian area of the city. It was so great to start the day with a cup of tea on the balcony overlooking the main street and observing how the neighborhood is waking up. But it was even better to return there after the busy day of exploring Cape Town – it seemed like the life is much slower there, the place was full of quirky shops and local cafes and I felt like it’s a right place for me. I loved the Obs so much that it deserved a blog post that you can find here.
For some reason I can’t explain difficult issues interest me, a lot. Conflicts, genocides, war, apartheid, divided cities – that’s what I like to focus on when I travel. And even if Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities ever it also hides a dark history. The suburb with the location like from the paradise is the home to Imizamo Yetho – a big township with a dismal living conditions. You can read more about my visit in the post about the life in townships.
In the center of the city you can find one of the “must visit” South African museums – District Six Museum. It tells the story of one neighborhood that completely disappeared during the apartheid rule. The museum is a testimony to the area and its inhabitants and visiting it is a really touching experience as it gives you the idea of the life in this terrible times.
Wherever I was in Cape Town I could feel the city is alive. Fancy Waterfront, bohemian Observatory or cultural Long Street – they all had this special vibe that I enjoyed there so very much. I love cities where you don’t feel like a boring spots or (worst) like a museum. And Cape Town was nothing like that. The young vibe and the joyful atmosphere was remarkable and clearly present all over the city.
In the center of Cape Town you can find this small colorful neighbourhood called Bo-Kaap. It was the highlight of downtown for me. The area used to be known as the Malay Quarter as the majority of inhabitants were Muslim slaves from South-East Asia. Bo-Kaap has a big historical value, is a multicultural center and well, it looks like from a fairy tale. Small houses painted in bright colours, cobbled streets and the overwhelming quietness make this place a perfect getaway from the bustling downtown. I could spend hours wandering around this place, soaking up the atmosphere of old times.
I might not be a big beach person as I get bored after a day of doing nothing. But beaches in Cape Town were incredible. Not only they were clean and sandy but also surrounded by breathtaking mountains that just added up to the overall picture of the place. Location on the shore of Atlantic Ocean makes the water a little bit chilly to swim in but on the other hand it gives a perfect opportunity to surf (or observe others surfing). Each afternoon I tried to spend at least an hour at the beach: in Camps Bay, Clifton or Muizenberg and it was a perfect relaxation time.
These were the small things that put together made me fall in love with Cape Town. At first I thought that almost 5 days there might be a lot but when the time to leave came I was really sad that I have to say good bye to the city. I felt extremely good there, like I’ve been knowing the place for ages. And right now I can only wish to be back soon, not to explore more but just to chill out and enjoy the vibe of Cape Town.
If you’re considering a trip to South Africa don’t hesitate and just go, Cape Town can be a great starting point to explore the country!
Is South Africa on your bucket list? Which place did you fall in love with?
If you think of visiting South Africa or just want to read more about the country take a look what else I wrote about it!
NOTE: I wrote this post in partnership with eShores but as always all opinions are 100% mine and Cape Town really is amazing!
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26 Comments
Tiana Harris
28/08/2015 at 18:06this is great, we are going in Feb
Dr. Vineet Sinha. Patna. India
30/10/2019 at 00:40So nicely put. Thnx for this info piece coz we r having a family trip there in Dec . This has boosted our excitement.
kami
07/11/2019 at 15:14Thank you. Hope you will have a wonderful trip to South Africa!
Łukasz Kędzierski
28/08/2015 at 18:09Honestly, I didn’t know that there the landscape is so beautiful
Gabriela Solowska
28/08/2015 at 18:40I think it’s not easy to get a good deal I’m afraid:-( I know that Monarch airlines fly to Funchal from London Gatwick. I went with TUI and I didn’t like it at all. But I stayed in a great hotel near Prazeres:-)
Revati
29/08/2015 at 07:42I like that you have focused on the positives. Often one hears about the rampant crime in capetown’s grittier neighbourhoods, but friends of mine who live there say nothing has personally ever happened to them. So it is clearly a lot safer than it seems!
kami
04/09/2015 at 13:49I think every city has bad neighbourhoods yet tourists don’t usually hang out there. Before my trip to South Africa I was slightly freaking out about the safety but as it turned out there was nothing to worry about, it was really fine!
Marie-Carmen
29/08/2015 at 08:23I’ve heard a lot about Cape Town and it’s nice to see that most of it is true. As Revati said: it’s nice that you’ve focused on the positives, it looks beautiful and feels safe, I wouldn’t mind spending a few days there! And the surroundings are lovely too!
kami
04/09/2015 at 14:01I’m sure you’d love it! It’s an amazing city and the surroundings are even better! So many to see and do there!!
Floating My Boat
29/08/2015 at 11:22chcę tam <3
The Educational Tourist
29/08/2015 at 14:40Interesting post! LOVE the colorful buildings – so bright and cheery. I’m with you about a beach…can not stand it – feel bored!! LOL! Thanks for the great information.
kami
04/09/2015 at 14:07Thank you for your nice comment! One day at the beach is fine but that’s my maximum ;)
W 10 inspiracji dookoła świata
29/08/2015 at 16:34Cudowne to foto z kawiarni :)
Heather Cole
29/08/2015 at 20:33Looks like you didn’t get thwarted by the ‘Cape Doctor’ winds too badly, beautiful pics from Table Mountain! Very jealous as ours are all shrouded in mists! Cape Town is a beautifully colourful city, and it’s so important to remember there is still darkness in so many areas that the tourists don’t often see, or realise, thanks for showing the truth. Oh, and some of the best calamari we’ve ever eaten was at Quay Four, I’d go back just for that :-)
kami
04/09/2015 at 15:30you’re right, eating out there was a delight! And I must have been really lucky as I had an amazing view over Table Mountain every day I was there, just the Cape Point was misty and windy! Ah, I so would love to come back there!
zof
30/08/2015 at 09:56I’ve never really thought of visiting Cape Town, but you’ve convinced me. The history, the mountains, the water and bohemian neighourhoods, all in one? I’m sold.
kami
05/09/2015 at 07:44me neither but then I’ve seen crazy cheap flights (350€ return from Rome) and I thought why not :) and then I loved it! I think you’d enjoy it too!
Vlad
30/08/2015 at 12:44WOW, talk about breathtaking views! I love how you can see the mountains and the ocean at the same time. I’m like you, I get bored after a day on the beach, but everything looks so good, I want to go to Cape Town now. :)
kami
05/09/2015 at 07:45I hope you will go one day, it’s pretty amazing! and it has everything you wish for in a great city destination! :)
Dannielle Noonan
01/09/2015 at 10:36This is one of my top bucket list destinations but nobody will come with me!
Jesper, The Biveros Effect
15/01/2016 at 10:49It really sounds and looks like an amazing place for a visit. Thank you for a nice post :)
kami
15/01/2016 at 14:20It is incredible indeed! I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed it!
Khole
02/12/2017 at 07:59The view from the top of the table mountain is really awesome, i am also amazed to see some 1975 car models in the city.
kami
22/12/2017 at 22:18It was one of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen!
Adam
26/04/2021 at 23:37Cape Town was incredible when I went over 10 years ago now! Since then I have set up a travel business so I really hope I can do tours in South Africa one day :)
kami
27/06/2021 at 12:31Good luck!