12 Reasons Cape Town is The Best City in the World
Cape Town is the Best City in the World—again. In 2025, it claimed the top spot in Time Out’s global survey and The Telegraph Travel Awards, where more than 20,000 readers voted. This is the seventh time The Telegraph’s audience has ranked it number one, ahead of cities like Sydney, Seville, and Tokyo.
The appeal is broad and lasting. Cape Town has one of the most recognisable natural landmarks on the planet. With easy access to coastlines, wine farms, hiking trails, wildlife, and a food scene that makes international shortlists, its reputation is built on substance.
For many travellers, it’s a destination that’s hard to match and impossible to forget.
Cape Town is Consistently Ranked the World’s Best—For Good Reason
Cape Town often appears at the top of global travel lists, not just for its setting, but for how well that setting is integrated into daily life. This is a city where the mountains form part of your morning routine, locals use beaches as much as visitors, and food, wine, and culture aren’t side trips; they’re part of the rhythm of the day.
Public rankings focus on aesthetics, weather, and affordability, but Cape Town’s appeal runs deeper.It’s about the access to green space without leaving the city. It’s in the variety of neighbourhoods that each offers something distinct. And it’s the sense that you’ll only scratch the surface even if you stay for a week.
What follows isn’t a list of tourist highlights. It’s a closer look at why Cape Town is winning hearts and why so many people return.
1. Cape Town is a City of Jaw-Dropping Scenery
Cape Town is instantly recognisable because of its geography. The city is built around Table Mountain, a flat-topped landmark that rises over 1,000 metres above sea level and dominates the skyline. The mountain is visible from nearly any point in the city and changes colour with the light and the weather.
The landscape surrounding the mountain is just as striking. The ridgeline continues into the Twelve Apostles, a series of sandstone peaks running along the Atlantic coast. Lion’s Head and Signal Hill rise between the central business district and the ocean, rounding out the city’s central peaks.
One of the best ways to experience this geography is by driving Chapman’s Peak Drive. The route begins in Hout Bay, a working harbour and residential neighbourhood, and climbs quickly along the mountainside.
The road cuts through rock in places and hugs the cliffs above the ocean, with lookout points facing north and south. Large boulders shape the edges of the coastline in some sections, while others transition directly into the sea. The contrast between the mountains and the Atlantic is sharp and visible throughout the drive, making it one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world.
As the road descends toward Noordhoek, the landscape shifts. The terrain opens into flat, white-sand beaches that run for several kilometres.
2. Wildlife, Biodiversity, and Open Space
Cape Town is home to one of the most ecologically diverse environments on the planet. The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms. Nearly 9,000 plant species grow here, around 70% of which are endemic.
Fynbos, the dominant vegetation type, consists of fire-adapted shrubs, reeds, and flowering plants that thrive in the region’s dry summers and wet winters.
Cape Town is one of the few cities where nature is part of the urban landscape. Wildlife is regularly seen in parks, on mountain trails, and along the coastline.
Table Mountain National Park runs through the city, extending from Signal Hill to Cape Point. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the mountain’s eastern slope offers trails leading straight into Table Mountain National Park.
It’s common to see dassies (rock hyraxes), mongoose, porcupines, and occasionally caracal. Chacma baboons are frequently spotted on the peninsula, particularly near Scarborough and Cape Point. Inland areas like Rondevlei and the Zandvlei Estuary support birdlife and small antelope species.
Marine life is visible from land. Southern right whales are visible from the coast between June and November, especially along False Bay and the Atlantic side. Dolphins often appear in the early mornings, and Cape fur seals are a regular sight around harbours and rocky bays.
Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is one of the few urban penguin colonies in the world. Visitors can walk along boardwalks through the protected area to view the critically endangered African penguins at close range. Though the colony draws large numbers of tourists, it’s also a critical conservation site as the species continues to face rapid population decline.
3. Creative Culture and City Life
The Mother City is a centre for contemporary art, live music, and independent culture. Across the city, galleries, performance venues, and informal creative spaces shape a rhythm that runs beyond the tourist view. First Thursdays, a monthly event in the central city, draws crowds into galleries, museums, and shops that stay open late, many offering free exhibitions, performances, and studio access.
Neighbourhoods like Gardens, Observatory, and Woodstock are especially active in the creative space. The streets are lined with small galleries, design studios, record shops, and bookstores, many of which double as cafés or event spaces.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), located in a converted grain silo at the V&A Waterfront, is one of the largest institutions of its kind on the continent and anchors the city’s international presence in the art world.
Rooftop bars and open-air venues are common, particularly in the CBD, where views of the mountain, harbour, and city lights frame the experience. Coffee shops are not just for caffeine—they act as workspaces, meeting points, and performance spots.
After dark, the focus turns to music, food, and good company. Small venues host live sets across the city, from jazz and amapiano to indie and electronic. Bars and clubs stay open late in the inner city, especially around Long Street and Bree.
4. Diverse and Trendy Neighbourhoods
Cape Town is one of the most culturally layered cities in the world, and its neighbourhoods reflect that diversity with clarity and contrast. From the historic homes of Bo-Kaap to the surf-centred community of Muizenberg, the city’s layout reads like a living map of its people and influences.
The Cape Town CBD and City Bowl are fast-paced and densely packed with food, nightlife, and heritage landmarks. Long Street, Greenmarket Square, and the Company’s Garden combine history and modern city life in a few walkable blocks.
A short distance away, Tamboerskloof and Kloof Street are lined with Victorian-era homes, cafés, bars, and independent shops.
On the Atlantic Seaboard, Green Point and Sea Point offer beach access and city convenience, with a strong focus on outdoor activity and dining. Observatory, just east of the centre, is known for its student population, street art, and relaxed pace. Kalk Bay balances a working harbour, tidal pools, and day-long browsing in galleries and vintage shops.
Newlands, built beneath the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, is surrounded by forest and includes the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden within its borders. Further out, Noordhoek has a coastal village feel and access to one of the city’s longest beaches.
Across these areas, the mix of languages, religions, architectural styles, and local traditions is everyday life.
5. Beaches on Two Coastlines
Few cities offer a coastline as varied as Cape Town’s. Along the Atlantic Seaboard, you’ll find compact coves, long sandy stretches, and surf breaks within a short drive of each other. Clifton’s four beaches are known for soft white sand and glassy turquoise water.
Clifton 2nd draws a mixed crowd and has just enough space for beach games and quiet sunbathing. Around the corner, Glen Beach stays low-key, often attracting locals and surfers looking for a quieter spot.
Camps Bay delivers more: a wider beach, a busier vibe, and a full line-up of cafés and bars across the road. Llandudno, by contrast, has no commercial strip—just a clean sweep of sand framed by boulders and some of the coldest, clearest water in the city.
The water on the False Bay side of Cape Town is warmer and the surf more consistent. Muizenberg is ideal for beginner surfers, long walks, and casual beach days, while nearby St James and Kalk Bay offer tidal pools and easier access to restaurants and shops.
Boulders Beach, just past Simon’s Town, is part of Table Mountain National Park and home to a colony of critically endangered African penguins. Swimming here comes with a conservation fee—and the chance to share the water with one of the world’s most endangered seabirds.
Across the peninsula, Blouberg’s long stretch and reliable wind conditions have made it one of the world’s top kitesurfing locations, with clear views back toward Table Mountain.
6. Outdoor Adventure
Cape Town’s landscape creates natural access to hiking, climbing, and water sports within the city limits. Few urban areas offer this much range without leaving town.
Table Mountain and Lion’s Head are the most popular climbs, with marked trails and direct views over the city and coastline. The Pipe Track and Silvermine trails offer less vertical routes with steady inclines and fewer crowds.
North of the city, the Atlantis Dunes are used for sandboarding and quad biking. Mountain biking trails in Tokai Forest and the Constantia Greenbelt range from flat loops to more technical tracks, and there are ziplining sites just outside the city that cross valleys and forested areas.
Cape Town is one of the few coastal locations where kayaking puts you within view of wild marine life within minutes of the shoreline. Routes launch from Simon’s Town, Hout Bay, and the V&A Waterfront, passing through areas frequented by seals, penguins, and—on calm mornings—dolphins.
Muizenberg is the city’s most popular spot for learning to surf, with a wide beach and consistent, beginner-friendly waves. More advanced surfers head for Long Beach or Dunes, where the swell is stronger and the breaks more challenging.
False Bay’s kelp forests are accessible to snorkellers and divers, with regular sightings of reef fish and small sharks. For a closer look at larger species, licensed shark cage diving operators run trips out of Gansbaai.
7. A Deep, Complex History
Cape Town’s history is layered and visible throughout the city.
Robben Island lies just offshore, visible across Table Bay. Once a maximum-security prison during apartheid, it held many political prisoners—including Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 of his 27 years there. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island is open to visitors, with guided tours led by former inmates offering insight into its long and often brutal history.
In the heart of Cape Town, the District Six Museum records the destruction of an entire neighbourhood during forced removals in the 1970s. Through photographs, maps, and personal testimonies, the museum documents the lives of those who were displaced and the lasting impact of state policies that reshaped the city.
On the lower slopes of Signal Hill, Bo-Kaap remains one of the city’s most historically and culturally distinct neighbourhoods. Once home to freed slaves and craftspeople, it became the centre of Cape Malay identity.
The area is known for its steep streets, painted houses, and long-running food traditions. The Auwal Mosque, built in 1794, still stands as the first established mosque in South Africa. The nearby Bo-Kaap Museum offers a deeper view into the area’s social and architectural history.
Cape Town is shaped by these stories. The legacy of colonisation, resistance, and cultural survival is not confined to monuments—it’s embedded in the streets, institutions, and neighbourhoods still lived in today.
8. Living Cultures and Local Traditions
Cape Town’s cultural identity is shaped by centuries of migration, displacement, and exchange. The result is a city where languages, religions, traditions, and creative forms coexist and continue to evolve. Walking through different parts of the city—Bo-Kaap, Observatory, or the CBD—you’ll encounter layered histories and living cultures not confined to museums or heritage days.
Cape Malay traditions are central to Cape Town’s cultural landscape. Introduced by enslaved people brought from Southeast Asia during the Dutch colonial period, this community’s influence is most visible in its food, music, and religious practices. The annual Minstrel Carnival, which traces its origins to the emancipation of slaves, brings thousands into the streets in celebration through colour, costume, and sound.
Xhosa culture, rooted in one of South Africa’s largest ethnic groups, is also deeply embedded in Cape Town’s identity. The language is widely spoken, and traditions remain strong in township and urban life. Religious diversity is another constant. Mosques, churches, temples, and synagogues can all be found across the city, often within blocks of each other.
The city’s creative scene reflects this mix. Street art is prominent in Woodstock and Salt River; galleries and studios open doors for First Thursdays in the city centre; live music carries through neighbourhood venues in multiple languages and genres.
Cape Town is often described as the cultural heartbeat of Southern Africa—not for a single defining tradition, but for the mix of histories that continue to shape daily life.
9. A Food Scene That Rivals the World’s Best
Cape Town’s food culture draws from the many communities that have shaped the city. Cape Malay, Xhosa, Indian, Dutch, and broader European influences are reflected in everything from daily meals to fine dining.
You’ll find this diversity at every level. Restaurants like La Colombe, FYN, and Salsify have earned international attention, but they exist alongside neighbourhood staples—a samoosa from a corner bakery in Bo-Kaap, or a Gatsby shared at a local takeaway. Both carry cultural weight.
Weekend markets such as Oranjezicht and the Neighbourgoods Market in Woodstock showcase seasonal produce, regional flavours, and a wide mix of small producers. Cape Malay cuisine remains a defining part of the city’s identity, known for its layered use of spice and slow-cooked stews.
Braai culture is a key part of how people gather, especially on weekends, and Xhosa dishes like umngqusho and chakalaka are served at family-run restaurants and township kitchens across the city.
In 2024, Condé Nast Traveller named Cape Town the world’s best city for food. It’s a recognition that mirrors what’s already evident to those who live and eat here: food in Cape Town isn’t just a scene—it’s part of daily life, shaped by culture, history, and pride in what’s being made.
10. Access to Wine Regions
Cape Town is one of the few urban centres with direct access to internationally recognised wine country. The city is surrounded by some of South Africa’s most established wine regions.
Constantia lies just 20 minutes from the city centre and is home to some of the country’s oldest estates. Groot Constantia, dating back to 1685, remains in operation today and offers tastings, cellar tours, and walking paths through its vineyards.
Further inland, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek form the heart of the Cape Winelands. Stellenbosch is known for its wide range of varietals, including some of the country’s best reds, while Franschhoek focuses more heavily on small-batch production and is recognised for its food-and-wine pairings.
Both regions offer structured tastings, casual walk-ins, and access to cellar tours or full-day routes through the vineyards.
11. A Mediterranean Climate
Cape Town enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate, marked by hot summers and mild winters. The city is home to several microclimates thanks to its unique geography. It’s a common local joke that you can experience all four seasons in one day, so be ready for some weather variety.
Summer (December to February) in Cape Town brings warm, sunny days with temperatures often between 20°C and 26°C (68°F to 78°F), sometimes climbing into the mid-30s Celsius. Rainfall is rare during these months, making it ideal for long hikes, beach days, and evenings outside.
During the warmer months, from spring through late summer (September to March), Cape Town can be breezy thanks to the Cape Doctor—a strong south-easterly wind known for clearing the air and bringing a refreshing coolness to the city.
Winter (June to August) is cooler and wetter. Daytime temperatures hover between 12°C and 17°C (54°F to 62°F), dropping to as low as 4°C at night. Frequent rains refresh the region, turning the landscape lush and green after the dry summer. The nearby mountains sometimes even get dusted with snow. It’s a great season for indoor experiences like museum visits or wine tasting tours.
One of Cape Town’s best features is its sunshine—around 300 days of bright sun each year, with daily daylight ranging from about 7.5 to 9.5 hours. This consistent sunshine means you can plan beach trips, hikes, and sightseeing almost any time of year.
12. Accommodation That Enhances the Experience
Choosing where to stay in Cape Town can shape how you experience the city.
At The Oyster Collection, our boutique properties offer quiet, well-run stays that connect guests directly with the places they’ve come to explore—a nearby beach, a favourite restaurant, or a local trail.
Our beautifully appointed establishments put you within walking distance of markets, galleries, and cafés. Because our team knows each neighbourhood well, they offer thoughtful recommendations and the quiet attention that returning guests have come to expect. It’s this consistency across properties that brings many travellers back.
Each location has its story, shaped by its surroundings and the people who run it. What ties them together is a shared commitment to care through small details, considered spaces, and local knowledge.
Cape Town is best explored slowly, with time to take in the texture of everyday life. Our role is to support that pace through practical help, familiar guidance, and a sense of welcome that lasts beyond the stay.
Getting Here is Easier Than Ever
Cape Town International was named Best Airport in the World in 2025, a recognition that reflects how far the city has come in making travel smoother and more accessible. With increased international routes and efficient local connections, arriving in Cape Town has never been more straightforward.
Mountains, beaches, world-class food and wine, history, creativity, and a deep connection to local culture—few destinations bring it together like Cape Town does.
Cape Town is the world’s favourite city for good reason. It rewards curiosity, values culture, and keeps people coming back.
If you’ve never been, now is the time. If you have, you already know one visit is never enough.