Cape Town - must see sights and where to eat

There’s something about Cape Town that stays with you. It’s not just the mountains or the ocean or the food—though those are all pretty great. It’s the mix of wild and calm, quiet corners and bold experiences, all within a short drive of each other. We spent a few days exploring the area recently, and these are some of the places that made the trip feel unforgettable.

Tintswalo Atlantic

Hidden below Chapman’s Peak Drive, right on the edge of the water, it’s a small, peaceful retreat with just a handful of suites. Although, we did not stay in the suites we got to eat at Chef's Warehouse which over looks the water. It was so beautiful and the food was amazing!

Wine, Mountains, and Franschhoek Charm

One of our favorite days was spent in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the heart of South Africa’s wine country. You could spend a whole week out there and still have more to discover, but even a day or two is magic.

We stopped by the Ernie Els Winery—not just because of the name (though yes, it’s the golfer), but because the setting is incredible. Wide views, great reds, and a calm, open space that invites you to slow down. The wine tasting was relaxed and unpretentious—just good wine, good people, and a view you wish you could bottle up and bring home.

It is crazy I have never been to a winery! I could of gone to Niagara on the Lake back home, we have lots of wineries. However, I love that my first time going to a winery was in Cape Town!

From there, we made our way to Delaire Graff Estate, which is on a whole different level of elegance. The restaurant there is stunning, perched up in the mountains with floor-to-ceiling windows and gardens everywhere. The food? Creative, fresh, and absolutely worth lingering over. It’s the kind of place you plan to stay for lunch and end up still sitting there with a second glass of wine as the sun starts to shift.

Boulders Beach

If you’ve never seen penguins in real life, this is the place. They’re everywhere—wandering through the sand, diving into the water, waddling right past you like tiny, tuxedoed locals.

There’s a boardwalk that makes it easy to walk among the rocks without disturbing them, but the beach itself is also open, and you can get surprisingly close. It’s fun and a little surreal, and definitely a must if you’re anywhere near Simon’s Town.

It is best to go early morning as the tide gets high and sometimes you wont get to see them up close.

Cape Town doesn’t try too hard—it just is. One moment you're sipping wine in the mountains, the next you're watching penguins by the sea. It’s a place that invites you to slow down and look around. Everything is so close to one another. The sights dont ever get boring.