10 things to do in Cape Town

Cape Town has so much to offer and there will not be a boring moment while visiting this city. One of the things I loved about Cape Town is that there is something for everyone! Shopping, sightseeing, hiking, great food, wine tasting, beaches – you name is. We did quite a bit of walking as it is easy to find your way around Cape Town so I would absolutely suggest comfortable shoes.

We were in South Africa in April and the main tourist season was just coming to an end. And that was actually kind of perfect because that meant that there were shorter queues, the weather was comfortable and it was still amazing!

1: V&A Waterfront

We ended up spending almost every evening at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. It is situated on the heart of Cape Town and has a lot of great restaurant options as well as shopping. We had some great meals here and also ended up spending more money than planned, but this is also a great starting point when visiting Cape Town. This is where the ferry to Robben Island is, as well as the first stop on the hop-on-hop-off tour bus. We also stayed at a hotel which was only about 15-minute walk from V&A Waterfront, which was perfect.

2: Robben Island

You simply cannot go to Cape Town and not visit Robben Island! It is compulsory. We didn´t pre-book any tickets before going, but as we were planning to stay in the city for a week and our first stop was V&A Waterfront, we booked the tickets for later that week on our first day. And I am very glad we did! The tour is popular, and even though you don´t have to book the tickets week in advance as you have to do when visiting Alcatraz, I would still suggest booking your tickets as soon as you arrive. We heard several people who said they were only there for a day or two who wanted to buy someone’s tickets, so the tour is popular amongst tourists. And I can completely understand that!

3: Lion´s Head

It takes about an hour or so to hike up Lion´s Head and the view is great! And towards the end of the hike it is some interesting climbing options, and on a sunny day it is a popular hike for both locals and tourists.

4: Table Mountain

You can either hike up Table Mountain, like we did, or you can take the cable car. This is also a hiking tour that is popular. It looked like more people were hiking down the mountain, but either way it is great. And the view at the top truly is spectacular. Make sure you go on a clear day. The clouds tend to surround only Table Mountain and then you won´t be able to experience the view. So don´t wait – just go!

5: Greenmarket Square

If you are looking to buy some African souvenirs, then this is the place to go! The market isn´t very big, but it has everything you would look for. Be sure you are prepared to haggle and that you have cash, and you will end up buying some great and cheap souvenirs to take home.

6: Boo-Kaap

Bo-Kaap is an area in Cape Town with many colourful houses and it is only a short walk from Greenmarket Square. I liked this neighbourhood because of all the colours and it was different from the rest of the city, in a good way. If you are interested in learning more about the history from this area, there are daily walking tours you can sign up for, and they all start in Greenmarket Square.

7: Constantia Valley

This is Cape Town´s wine area with several vineyards you can visit. There are also wine tastings and it is so cheap! And of course, the wine is delicious. They have both red and white so if you prefer one of them over the other, then you´ll still find some great wines to taste. There are also restaurants and great areas to walk around, so you can easily spend a few hours here.

8: Long Street

This is the nightlife part of Cape Town. It has a lot of restaurants and bars and if you´re going backpacking then this is also the street to stay in. This street is also known for its Victorian buildings so it is a very nice street as well. Long Street is very close to Greenmarket Square, so as you can understand, this is the area to check out.

9: Eat great food

South Africa has a lot of great restaurants so take some time to walk around and see if you spot anyone you would like to try. We ended up trying several different restaurants at V&A Waterfront, and they really had some great options. Go crazy and eat ostrich, zebra or crocodile.

10: Hop-on-hop-off tour bus

This is a great way to see Cape Town and the area around! It is actually very cheap and you will be able to go to all of the places mentioned above! It has several stops in Cape Town as well as the backside of Table Mountain. So you really will be able to see all the wonders of Cape Town and easily find out where you want to go back.

The wonders of South Africa

I was in South Africa a few months ago and I was amazed at how spectacular this country is! It really has everything; a rich history, great food, nice people, amazing beaches and a lot to see and explore. You have wine tasting, safari, hiking tours, bus tours, walking tour, all kinds of things to do! I spent three weeks in SA and I promise you – it was not enough!

People were very sceptical when I told everyone that I was going to SA. I have heard that it can be dangerous with gangs and all, but it is still a huge tourist destination. And honestly, I´ve always wanted to go. A friend of mine and I talked about it for over a year and when it was close to the departure date, we started talking about all the people who were sceptical. Were we naïve? But we have both travelled a bit over the years and we decided that this would not be a problem. And it really wasn´t!

South Africa is far away from Norway, we basically had to fly over two continents to reach our final destination. I am used to having jet lag when I travel for about 25 hours, but during the summer there is no time difference from SA and Norway. Which was really nice!

When we finally arrived in Cape Town, we had been told to find a taxi company, a real one. Apparently there are illegal taxicabs around there and we wanted to be sure that we did not end up being robbed the minute after we arrived. And it was not a problem. Just be sure to agree on the price before getting in the cab – we always did that and did not encounter any problems. And the taxi drivers were always polite as well.

Because we experienced so much, I will write quite a bit about South Africa from now on. This will include Cape Town, hiking up Table Mountain and Lion´s Head, Robben Island, driving the Garden Route, Addo Elephant National Park, white shark cage diving, lion´s park, Cradle of Human Kind, safari in the Kruger Park and so much more. Because this country has a lot to offer! I do hope this will inspire some of you to open your eyes to the wonders in South Africa – I absolutely loved it!

Brexit – what will the consequences be?

There has been a lot in the media about Brexit in the last few months, and as the UK is my second home I have to say that I was shocked when I woke up and the UK had voted to leave the EU. I honestly did not think that would happen.

Because I love the UK and I also work with Norwegian students who are going to the UK to study higher education, I get asked a lot about my thoughts and opinions about what I think will happen during the next couple of years. And I really don´t know. I think that is mostly because I didn´t think Brexit would happen to begin with, and now all cards are on the table and anything can happen. I think we all have to wait and see and I really think the next couple of years can be very exciting – exciting meaning both positive and negative. I try to read as much about Brexit as possible, but in the end there is nothing I can do. But I will pay close attention to the development of Brexit, and hopefully the UK will make agreements that will work for as many nationalities as possible. Because let´s face it; the UK is a multinational country so Brexit affects so many people, not just the Brits.