The Best of Cape Town: Where to Eat, Drink, and Explore

Housed in a three-story heritage building that once served as an underground speakeasy, this is Cape Town’s most handsome spot for a pre-show drink. Sip a classic Negroni amidst velvet green booths, vintage sports memorabilia, and a soundtrack curated by local vinyl heads.

Run by twin sisters, this Bree Street dining room is a masterclass in understated elegance, featuring raw brick walls, soft linen accents, and towering floral arrangements. Order the poached eggs with garden herbs and a perfectly pulled flat white while watching the city slowly wake up.

Run by sisters Jesse and Jamie Friedberg, this Bree Street sanctuary feels more like a chic friend's dining room than a cafe. The interiors are all earthy tones, wild flowers, and raw timber, providing a serene backdrop for a breakfast of poached eggs with green herbs and house-baked sourdough.

Peter Tempelhoff’s rooftop sanctuary flips the script on fine dining, blending Japanese techniques with hyper-local South African ingredients. Expect neat, design-forward plates like out-of-this-world ostrich tsukune served under a ceiling of suspended wooden bobbins.

Wind down high above the city streets at this lush, pool-side oasis atop the Gorgeous George hotel. It’s the perfect design-conscious spot to unpack the concert over a late-night mezcal cocktail under the stars.

The main event. Head into the arena for Kehlani's highly anticipated performance, where their R&B hooks and sharp choreography meet an electric, fashion-forward South African crowd.

Set against the dramatic eastern slopes of Table Mountain, this is the place for quiet, aimless wandering. Walk the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway—affectionately known as the Boomslang—to drift above the forest floor, then find a quiet patch of lawn near the ancient cycads to simply sit and breathe.

Conclude your day with a slow walk through these world-renowned gardens on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Stroll along the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway—affectionately known as the 'Boomslang'—to drift among the treetops with views of the surrounding Cape fynbos. It is the ultimate low-tempo grounding exercise.

Housed in three late-Victorian heritage homes on the grounds of the iconic 'Nellie', this spa avoids flashy gimmickry in favor of deep, restorative therapy. Book a signature massage using local botanicals, then spend an hour detoxing in the steam room and sipping Rooibos tea in the quiet conservatory.

Skip the crowded beaches and head to this granite-hugged tidal pool in Bantry Bay. A quick, sharp dip in the cold Atlantic is the ultimate nervous-system wake-up call, followed by a slow warm-up on the sun-baked rocks as the ocean mist clears.

Skip the hotel gym and head straight to this mid-century seaside classic for a few laps in the filtered ocean water. It is crisp, bracing, and entirely necessary to shake off any lingering jet lag. Grab a post-swim flat white from the nearby beach kiosk and watch the sea mist lift.

Tucked away in the glens of Camps Bay, this outdoor spot offers a softer, greener alternative to the windy beachfront strip. Find a deckchair on the grass under the pine trees, order a chilled glass of local Chenin Blanc, and watch the sun dip below the Atlantic horizon.

Check into Thomas Heatherwick’s architectural masterpiece, where the pillowed glass windows frame the harbor like living art. Spend your morning descending into the monumental concrete atrium of the Zeitz MOCAA below, home to the world's most comprehensive collection of contemporary African art.

Cut into the dramatic slopes of the Twelve Apostles mountain range, this spa feels wonderfully isolated from the city. Book an outdoor treatment gazebo to experience a massage accompanied only by the Atlantic breeze and crashing waves. Spend some time afterward floating in the warm and cold plunge pools carved directly into the rock.