I recently noticed myself listing off a few facts about Cape Town to a friend who wanted to visit, and realised this information may not be generally accessible before you get here.
So, if you’re considering a visit to South Africa’s cultural capital, these are the most important things you need to know before you make your decision.
But first, a few quick points before we deep-dive:
- Much of our local economy is made up of entrepreneurs and small businesses, creating genuine quality products — it does a lot of good when you support them!
- You’ll struggle to find a bad cup of coffee.
- You can get super creative with your beer choices — we have everything, and they’re amazing.
- You’ll find a ton of award-winning wines here, and incredibly beautiful wine estates, at prices that make international visitors’ eyes boggle.
- We have good trains and buses, but neither systems cross the whole city — see our guide.
- The street food is really great, mostly Cape Malay.
- You can find cuisines from all over the world, at excellent quality.
- Waiters expect a 10-15% tip as standard.
- There are regular power outages countrywide — sometimes; you could visit and experience no problems, or it could go out 4h/day; roll of the dice!
- We have a homelessness problem in the city, which increases the risk of petty crime.
The basics: FAQs
Let’s look at some of your most common questions about Cape Town.
Why is Cape Town so famous?
Because it is so beautiful! Table Mountain is our iconic feature, rising up in the middle of the city. But we also have pristine beaches and coastlines, rich and diverse ecosystems, and so much beauty all around us. There’s more to love about Cape Town, but the city is definitely most famous for its natural beauty.
Which is safer, Cape Town or Johannesburg?
Cape Town.
Gun violence and murder are higher in Joburg, as are hijacking, kidnapping, and carjacking. In Cape Town, violent crime is localised to specific areas like Delft, Nyanga and Khayelitsha. Petty crime is a risk in both cities, but because tourism is one of Cape Town’s largest industries, popular spaces are well protected.
Is Cape Town a walkable city?
The suburbs of Cape Town are largely walkable — particularly neighbourhoods like Sea Point, Camps Bay, Vredehoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. The CBD is also totally walkable! But it’s a really sprawling city, with some dangerous areas, so you can’t explore the city only on foot.
Is Cape Town an expensive city?
This depends on your definition of expensive. For tourists from the US and Europe, Cape Town is really affordable. If you’re a South African looking to visit the Mother City, you’ll definitely find the prices higher than you’re used to, particularly for accommodation.
Do most people in Cape Town speak English?
Yes! You’ll find that anyone in the service industry speaks fluent English, and so do most of the other people you’ll meet. It’s the main language of communication in South Africa, despite being only one of eleven official languages.
More generally: The good stuff
It’s mostly good stuff! Cape Town is a magical city, with a stunning and diverse environment, friendly people, and tons to enjoy. But let’s get into some of the nitty-gritty.
1. We’re a land of entrepreneurs
Exploring a Spring market at Rondebosch Park
There is an incredible amount of entrepreneurs in Cape Town, selling their crafts, their food, their inventions, their skills and expertise. So much creativity and hard work! This is both because South Africa is an inventive nation, and because it is also one with too few work opportunities. So people make their own.
We strongly recommend supporting local and small-scale as much as you can. You can do this via markets like:
- The Neighbourgoods Market, The Old Biscuit Mill, Woodstock
- Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Granger Bay, V&A Waterfront
- Bay Harbour Market, Hout Bay
- The Watershed, V&A Waterfront
You’ll also find a lot of coffeeshops showcasing local artists and creatives. And if the irregular Candor Market happens to be happening when you’re in the city, I would HIGHLY recommend attending. Our small-scale creatives really shine here, and everything is either beautiful or delicious.
2. We have an incredible coffee culture
Against the Grain Cafe in Bo Kaap
Don’t support Starbucks! In fact, don’t support any chains if you can avoid it (and you can). Cape Town has so many small, locally owned cafés and I’m telling you now, the coffee is absurdly good. Our baristas are artists, all across the city.
You’ll struggle to go wrong, particularly if you go for the smaller cafes, but a few of my favourites are:
- Sonder Cafe, Observatory
- Our Local, CBD
- Olympia Cafe, Kalk Bay
- Montebello, Newlands
- Pauline’s, Sea Point
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