Recommended itineraries

If you can’t spend as much time as you’d like to in the Mother City, here are a few suggestions if you only have…

One day

• Catch the open-top double-decker Cape Town City Sightseeing Bus and enjoy a guided hop-on hop-off bus tour of the city. There are 17 stops to choose from – why not start at Sea Point, the closest stop to the Cape Town Stadium?
• Hop off for a quick cable car ride up Table Mountain and be inspired by the breath-taking views from the top. See if you can spot the Grand Parade fan park from here.
• Visit the District Six Museum and immerse yourself in the memories of what was one of Cape Town’s most close-knit communities before its residents were subjected to forced removals during the apartheid era.
• Stop to shop, have a bite to eat or explore the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront, where you’re guaranteed to find soccer memorabilia.
• Begin your evening with sundowners on the Camps Bay strip, followed by dinner at one of the city’s award-winning restaurants, and end off by catching some live local music on Long Street in the city centre.

Two days

• Take a break from the soccer crowds and head south along the scenic Chapman’s Peak drive and then on to Cape Point, part of the Table Mountain National Park and home to an abundance of flora and fauna. A funicular ride to the point and a guided walk with the resident baboons is a must.
• Make your next stop at Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town, home to one of the few mainland-based penguin colonies in the world.
• Stop off at Kalk Bay harbour and enjoy fresh-off-the-boat seafood, followed by a stroll along the quaint cobbled streets and some antiques-hunting.
• Not to be missed is Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the first botanical garden in the world to be established to protect local flora. Its lawns are ideal for picnics and there are several walking trails. This is the perfect place to recharge your batteries before facing the hype of another soccer match.

Three days

• If your match schedule will allow for three days of sightseeing, begin the first day with a boat trip to and guided tour of the World Heritage Site, Robben Island, where former South African president Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Today, former political prisoners act as your guides to this remarkable experience.
• Wondering about township life in Cape Town? Take a guided tour to our vibrant and colourful township communities; meet the people, taste the food, feast your eyes on the array of handcrafts and be inspired.
• No trip to Cape Town – even one centred on the World Cup – is complete without a visit to our picturesque winelands. Choose one of the wine-producing areas and sample a mouth-watering selection of fine Cape wines, cheeses, chocolates and olives.
• Spend the evening savouring your last moments in Cape Town over a traditional Cape Malay meal in the Bo-Kaap, with the city lights laid out in front of you and the plans for your next trip spread around you. If the World Cup brought you to the Mother City, your memories of this fantastic place will bring you back!

Other unique experiences

Here are some unique experiences that you can incorporate into your itinerary too:

• A Cape Malay Cooking Safari involves a visit to the Bo-Kaap museum, tour through this historical area and cooking course and lunch in a local resident’s home.
• Get into the groove on a Cape Town Jazz Safari.
• Abseil off the top of Table Mountain or stay over in a tented camp.
• Party the night away at a shebeen and stay over in a local bed and breakfast in the townships.
• Go sand boarding in Atlantis.
• Get up close and personal with whales from July to November.
• Horse riding at sunset on Noordhoek beach.
• Relax and unwind in one of the city’s luxurious spas, enjoying treatments with quintessentially Cape elements like fynbos.
• Experience a walking tour of Cape Town; whether it is a modern Creative Cape Town or Historical City tour.
• Visit one of the city’s theatres for a local production with music ranging from opera, to swing, jazz, kwaito and hip-hop.
• Let the Cape Town Design Route map guide you to explore our city’s top design shops and incorporate spellbinding art galleries in your tour.

Naturally, watching a game of soccer at the Cape Town Stadium or in one of our fan parks will be at the top of every World Cup visitor’s must-do list!

Please do not hesitate to contact Cape Town Tourism for suggestions on what to see and do, where to eat, how to get around and where to stay.

Cape Town Tourism offers a central information and reservation service online, by phone, fax, email or for walk-in visitors.

Cape Town Tourism does not charge commission. Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call +27 (0)21 487 6800 to request the team to make suggestions, enquiries and reservations for you at no extra charge.