Two days in Cape Town

You only have two days in Cape Town and want some ideas on what to do. On my One day in Cape Town page I asked a few Capetonians to share some places and activities that they will suggest if you only had one day in the Mother City.

On this page I will however be sharing my itinerary for the two days. Because most of the activities are weather bound,you can obviously change the activities to suite your pace and your interests.

Day One

We'll start and end the day at the V&A Waterfont.

V&A Waterfront

From here you have access to the any one of the following activities:

• Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium and watch fish in their natural habitat and see sharks hand fed by divers.
• At the Nelson Mandela Gateway you can take a tour to Robben Island. The Gateway has a restaurant and a museum conveying the island's history.
  
• Take a guided historical walk which will provide a overview of the Waterfront area, its history and various other influences which played a role over the years. The tour starts at the Chavonnes Battery Museum.
• Take a walk to Nobel Square and see the slightly larger than life sculptures honouring South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
• See Cape Town’s 2'nd oldest major fortification, The Chavonnes Battery Museum.
• Enjoy the performances of the buskers
• Sit down and chill - enjoy the sights, sounds and smells!
• See the earliest existing model of Table Bay harbour and a collection of ship models at The Maritime Centre.
• Learn more about diamonds at the Diamond Museum.
• The Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre is crammed with shops, cinemas, kiosks and stalls. The restaurants cater for all tastes, ranging from sushi bars, coffee shops, take-out joints and upmarket venues.

Now that I've whetted your appetite, skip everything and head to the City Sightseeing terminus at the Two Oceans Aquarium.

City Sightseeing

Today we'll take the The Red City Tour with stops at:

Two Oceans Aquarium, The Clock Tower, Cape Town International Conference Centre, Cape Town Tourism Centre, St Georges Cathedral, The SA Museum, Mount Nelson Hotel, SA Jewish Museum, District Six Museum, Castle of Good Hope, Gold Museum, Jewel Africa, Table Mountain Cableway, Camps Bay, President Hotel, Sea Point and Winchester Mansions Hotel.

As the buses run on a regular schedule, you can plan your stops so as to see as many sights as possible. Tickets are available for the whole day.

On the trip you also have a choice of 16 languages from the multi-language commentary system. Even as a born and bred Capetonian, I was impressed with both the content and the manner of the commentary.

You can explore the Cape Town city centre but the idea is to visit Table Mountain.

Tip: Do not put your earphones on your ears when you plug them in as it seems like a standing joke to increase the volume levels to max when you leave the bus.

I was caught out and my ears is still singing. :-)

Table Mountain

The main attraction is the view of Cape Town and the greater Western Cape, but you will also be able to:

• Enjoy the trip to the top on the Rotair Cable Cars where floors of the cars rotate through 360 degrees during the ascent or descent,giving passengers a panoramic view of the city.
• Dine at Table mountain Cafe. The menu include pizzas, gourmet burgers and a section with traditional South African food. Light meals are also available from the deli.
• Take free short guided walks which depart daily at 10:00 and 12:00 from the Upper Cable Station.
• Enjoy the estimated 1,470 species of plants to be found on the mountain which forms part of the unique and rich Cape fynbos.

Tip 1: Always pack something warm, as it might be much colder at the top of Table Mountain than at the bottom.

Tip 2: Visit the Aerial Cableway website to book your tickets and skip the queues.

After all that fresh air you are probably starving. Hop on to the bus for a short drive to Camps Bay with its many trendy sidewalk cafés and restaurants on the beachfront.

You can even stay for a sundowner to enjoy a spectacular sunset and then it's back to the Waterfront for the end of Day one.

>> Day Two

Optional Trips

City Sightseeing Night Tour

The Night Tour is available daily from Stop 1, the City Sightseeing Kiosk, and departs at 6pm sharp.

The Bus snakes around the Atlantic Coastline, providing views of the suburbs of Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay and will then, depending on the weather, visit either the summit of Signal Hill or the lower Cableway station.

Cape Town Helicopter Trip

Cape Town Helicopters have various trips available and it is something I would recommend in an instant. Trips include:

The Hopper

One of their most popular routes available. Sights of the city with views of Cape Town Stadium, the beaches of Clifton, Camps Bay and the majestic Twelve Apostles.

Atlantico

Enjoy a scenic flight along the Atlantic Coast viewing famous spots like the Cape Town Stadium, the 4 beaches of Clifton, Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles. Swing around Karbonkelberg to catch a glimpse of Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak before returning back to the V&A Waterfront.

Two Oceans

Take off from the V&A Waterfront and enjoy a scenic flight along the Atlantic Coast passing Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak over to False Bay, passing Fish Hoek to Muizenberg following the railway to Town around Hospital Bend.

Full Peninsula

Taking the Full trip from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope viewing the Cape Peninsula from all angles!

Enquiries and Bookings

>> Day Two

 Hotel Accommodation Deals: Check Availability

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