1. natural scenery

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As you approach for landing, it’s already impossible to miss: Table Mountain, Cape Town’s most famous landmark. In its shadow, the Mother City—as South Africans call this five-million-strong metropolis—has been transforming into a top tourist destination for years. World-class hotels and incredible restaurants pair beautifully with impressive museums. The mild climate appeals to Central Europeans, as does the prospect of a long-haul trip without jet lag. Add to that the diverse surrounding areas, from the Winelands to the Cape of Good Hope.

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2. art and design

Back in 2014, Cape Town proudly held the title of "World Design Capital" for a year. The city’s art scene, in particular, seized this momentum: contemporary galleries sprang up around Bree Street and guerrilla art competed with ambitious museum plans. In September 2017, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, or Mocaa for short, opened in a converted grain silo at the harbor. Former Puma CEO Jochen Zeitz donated his collection to the museum, which now builds on this foundation with its own acquisitions. Mocaa is the largest platform for contemporary art on the continent to date. Spanning seven floors and 6,500 square meters of exhibition space, it features artists from Benin, Kenya, South Africa, and the diaspora, among others.

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Just above, in a sleek glass structure, Silo Hotel offers guests a glimpse into the private collection of its owner, Liz Biden. Sculptors like Kenyan artist Cyrus Kabiru, known for his imaginative “Freak Masks,” can be found both in this luxury hotel and in the museum below. The equally exclusive Ellerman House, a boutique hotel in a seaside villa, boasts one of the finest collections of South African art, ranging from historic colonial paintings to vibrant pop art. Guests are guided through the house by an in-house art guide, and the hotel occasionally arranges art tours for outside visitors.

The Woodstock neighborhood is undergoing a thoroughly modern transformation. Just a few years ago, it was considered rundown and unsafe; mere hundreds of meters from the old Dutch fort, Black families lived here, working long hours for meager pay. Victorian two-story homes fell into disrepair, gangs roamed the streets, and former factories crumbled into decay. Now, street artists are painting the facades with works infused with local influences—rhinos adorn building walls, and indigenous faces gaze down at passersby.

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3. innovative restaurants and cafés

The neighborhood’s revival began a few years ago with the renovation of the Old Biscuit Mill. This former cookie factory, comprised of several red-brick buildings, is now home to interior design stores and designer boutiques. Where grain once sat in a silo, the top floor now hosts the Pot Luck Club, an exclusive tapas restaurant with panoramic views of the city and the Atlantic. On Saturdays, when the large Neighbourgoods Market takes over the premises, locals fill the courtyard. On weekdays, however, it’s quieter, giving travelers more time to browse for unique finds. That said, prices here are higher than at the larger shopping mall by the Waterfront, where you'll find many chain stores. The expectations for customers at the Mill are, well, a bit more refined: at the chic coffee bar "Espresso Lab," the barista insists that sugar should never be added to espresso—it’s simply not fitting for such an excellent Colombian roast.

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For those longing for old-school rituals, Mount Nelson is the perfect destination. The Afternoon High Tea at this five-star Belmond property is an indulgent excuse even for Capetonians: with tea, scones, and pastries, guests lounge on the lawn and pretend they’re still part of the Victorian Empire.

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4. varied excursions

For a day trip, the beautifully restored towns of the Winelands are well worth visiting: Franschhoek, Stellenbosch—or Babylonstoren, an extensively renovated farm about 45 minutes outside the city center. The estate is full of superlatives: spread across more than 200 hectares, it grows every fruit and vegetable that thrives under the South African sun—plums, peaches, pumpkins, prickly pears, asparagus, olives, apples, zucchini—all planted in endless rows or neatly arranged beds. The property features a massive wine cellar, three restaurants, a spa, a popular farm shop, and an adjoining hotel with luxurious cottages. Babylonstoren is a literal pleasure park—a permanent showcase of South African agriculture, set amidst colonial architecture and meticulously curated gardens.

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On the eastern coast, beyond Walker Bay, a detour to Grootbos is highly recommended—a 2,759-hectare botanical paradise where strict conservation and eco-tourism share equal importance. While tourists elsewhere in South Africa might be on the lookout for giraffes and lions, visitors to Grootbos focus on the Fynbos. Known as the fine bush, a name given by the Dutch, this unique vegetation is one of the botanical wonders of the world. It's one of six floral kingdoms (regions with distinct plant life) and can only be found in a 100- to 200-kilometer-wide coastal strip at Africa’s southwestern tip.

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On flower safaris, hotel guests can explore this unique flora: from the comfort of a jeep, they discover fascinating herbs and gnarled trees, take in the scents of blossoms, and unwind in the newly opened Forest Spa beneath milkwood trees. In the evening, everyone gathers in the on-site restaurant, gazing through floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows at the sun setting over the ocean—and wishing this journey would never end.