Cape Town: What to See and Do
Cape Town is famous for Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and the beaches of the Atlantic Seaboard, but some of the city’s most rewarding experiences lie away from the busiest tourist areas.
On the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs offer a more relaxed side of the city, combining botanical gardens, historic wine estates, mountain trails, leafy neighbourhoods and scenic drives. The area around Constantia and Upper Wynberg is particularly well placed for visitors who want to experience both Cape Town’s natural beauty and its food and wine culture.
One of the most distinctive places to stay in this part of the city is Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa, a historic property surrounded by gardens in Upper Wynberg. From here, visitors can explore many of the Cape Town attractions that make the Southern Suburbs worth adding to an itinerary.
Here are some of the best places to visit.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is one of the major attractions in the Southern Suburbs and should be high on the list for first-time visitors.
Set against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch combines beautifully landscaped gardens with the natural vegetation of the Cape Floristic Region. The garden covers 200 hectares, with about 50 hectares devoted to cultivated gardens and the remainder consisting of natural forest and fynbos.
One of its most memorable features is the Boomslang, a raised canopy walkway that winds through the trees of the Arboretum and provides views across the gardens and towards the surrounding mountains.
Kirstenbosch is also a good place simply to slow down. Visitors can explore the gardens, walk the trails, enjoy a picnic or look for seasonal plants and wildlife.
The garden is open throughout the year, although opening hours vary by season. International visitors should also note that the 2026–27 standard adult admission is R270.
Explore the Constantia Wine Route
One of the biggest advantages of staying in this part of Cape Town is the proximity to the Constantia Winelands.
Constantia is one of South Africa’s best-known wine regions and is home to historic estates, restaurants and wine-tasting experiences. Cape Town Tourism specifically highlights Constantia as one of the Southern Suburbs’ principal attractions.
Among the estates worth considering is Groot Constantia, one of the area’s historic wine estates.
Visitors can also explore estates including Klein Constantia Estate, Constantia Glen and Constantia Uitsig.
Rather than trying to visit every winery in one day, it can be more enjoyable to choose a few estates and allow time for wine tasting and lunch.
For travelers interested in Cape Town’s history as well as its wine, Constantia is particularly worthwhile.
Take in the Views from Table Mountain
No visit to Cape Town would be complete without experiencing Table Mountain.
Table Mountain rises above the city and forms part of Table Mountain National Park. Visitors can hike up the mountain or take the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway to the summit. SANParks notes that hiking routes range from relatively easy walks to more demanding climbs.
For visitors who want the views without undertaking a strenuous hike, the cableway is the obvious choice. From the summit, there are sweeping views across Cape Town, the surrounding mountains and the Atlantic coastline.
Weather is an important consideration. Table Mountain can have dramatically different conditions from the city below, so check conditions before setting out and follow the park’s hiking safety advice.
Discover Hout Bay
From the Southern Suburbs, it is easy to continue towards Hout Bay, a seaside neighbourhood surrounded by mountains.
Hout Bay has a harbour, restaurants, galleries and marine experiences. Cape Town Tourism describes it as a seaside neighbourhood with a mix of restaurants, marine activities and arts and crafts.
Hout Bay is also an excellent starting point for one of Cape Town’s most spectacular drives.
See: The Ultimate Hout Bay Tour Bird Sanctuary and Seal Island
Make a Day Trip to Cape Point
If you have a full day available, continue south through the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape Point is within Table Mountain National Park and offers dramatic coastal scenery, hiking opportunities and historic lighthouses.
The park is also home to wildlife including eland, bontebok and zebra, while the coastline provides opportunities for bird and whale watching. Visitors can walk to the lighthouse or take the Flying Dutchman funicular.
Cape Point is considerably farther from our hotel than Kirstenbosch or Constantia, so it works best as a dedicated day trip rather than a quick excursion.
Drive to Chapman’s Peak
Chapman’s Peak Drive, known locally as “Chappies”, follows the dramatic Atlantic coastline between Hout Bay and Noordhoek.
The road is famous for its spectacular mountain-and-ocean scenery, with numerous viewpoints where drivers can stop to take photographs. Cape Town Tourism describes it as one of the world’s great scenic coastal drives.
A drive along Chapman’s Peak can easily be combined with a visit to Hout Bay and a longer trip around the Cape Peninsula.
However, the road can close because of adverse weather or other conditions, so check its status before setting out.
See: Chapmans Peak Sunset Trike Tour from Cape Town
Palm House: The Story of a Historic Cape Town Mansion
Palm House is more than a boutique hotel tucked away in Cape Town’s leafy Southern Suburbs. The property began as a grand private residence in the 1920s, with distinctive architecture associated with the tradition of Sir Herbert Baker and a garden setting that has long been part of its identity.
Over the years, the mansion became an established guesthouse in Upper Wynberg. But its future was not always certain. Development proposals in 2016 and 2019 prompted concerns from local residents about preserving the historic house, its gardens and its mature palm trees.
A new chapter began in 2023, when Max Jong and Shelagh Wood took ownership of the property. They undertook a major refurbishment that preserved defining features of the original house, including its sweeping staircase and wood-panelled fireplace, while introducing contemporary interiors and modern comforts.
Today, Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa brings together the atmosphere of a historic residence with the amenities of a luxury retreat. Its story also reflects the changing character of Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, where established homes and gardens continue to find new purposes.
The hotel is located in Upper Wynberg on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, close to the Constantia Winelands and within easy reach of the attractions of the Southern Suburbs.
The property itself is part of the attraction. Palm House occupies a century-old main house surrounded by landscaped gardens and has 10 rooms and five garden suites. Its facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, the Açaí Spa, two restaurants, secure parking and concierge services.
Its two restaurants provide another reason to spend an evening at the hotel rather than heading back into central Cape Town. Palm Terrace offers all-day dining, while de Tafel provides a more intimate dinner experience focused on contemporary Cape cuisine, seasonality and local ingredients.
The hotel also currently promotes a Pay 2, Stay 3 offer, giving travelers an incentive to stay longer and use Palm House as a base for exploring the surrounding area.
A Different Side of Cape Town
Palm House is particularly well suited to travelers who want to experience a quieter and greener side of Cape Town.
Instead of staying exclusively around the V&A Waterfront or city centre, guests can wake up among gardens beneath Table Mountain, visit Kirstenbosch in the morning, explore the Constantia wine estates in the afternoon and head towards Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak on another day.
For a longer Cape Town trip, this location also makes it possible to combine nature, wine, food, mountains and coastal scenery without having to stay in the heart of the city.
See: The 10 best hotels in Cape Town
For travelers looking for a boutique hotel with character and a convenient base for exploring Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa is worth considering.
