Written by Amanda Poulson (51) second home owner and frequent visitor to Cape Town
Getting there/around 
Car hire is essential (book well in advance for peak season). Driving is on the left and very straightforward. Although public transport in the form of trains, buses and minibus taxis is cheap and covers the metropolitan area it is not safe from either the point of view of personal security or road safety. Private hire cabs and minibuses are fine but need to be booked in advance. When parking on the street or in off road car parks you will need to tip the car guard. These are not official or accredited but will look out for your car. However don’t pay up front – do it when you come back to the car. 10 – 20 rand is usually enough, a bit more if they’ve found you a spot where spaces are hard to find. In the city there are now official attendants and rates for parking.
Staying there
The standard of all levels of accommodation is generally very high. You won’t be disappointed by any of the top hotels in the area although they are quite pricey (£250 per night plus). It would be a shame to stay in the city bowl for a whole week when there are stunning hotels in the Constantia Winelands (20 minutes away) such as Steenberg and Cellars Hohenhort (Relais & Chateaux). For a family or a group renting a house is a great option – choose an area like Llandudno or Constantia and you will be living a millionaire lifestyle at an affordable price. There are also hundreds of very comfortable and stylish B&Bs (personal favourite is Kidger House in Newlands). Stay away from chains such as Holiday Inn – they’re the same standard as elsewhere in the world but the local independent options are way better in terms of standards and value for money.
Things to do
Table Mountain and Cape Point Peninsula. There is a cable car up the mountain (arrive early to beat the queues and check it is running before setting out) or you can hike up and cable car down. There are various hiking routes for example a four hour medium challenge walk that starts at Constantia Nek. You don’t have to join a guided group but you should never hike alone and bear in mind that obvious tourists can be vulnerable to mugging.
The drive down to False Bay coast that takes in Kalk Bay, Simonstown and Boulders.
Kalk Bay is a working fishing port and has loads of high quality craft shops, restaurants and quirky antique shops. Boulders is home to the jackass penguins who are definitely worth a visit. Next stop is the spectacularly beautiful Cape Point National Park where there are gorgeous beaches and spectacular seascapes. It is also home to a variety of wildlife notably ostriches which are fine and baboons which should be treated with caution.
Robben Island - people feel thay should go but I would say its time consuming and if its an engaging insight into the realities and complexities of apartheid that you want then go to
The District Six Museum and have a local guide show you round followed by the
Slavery museum round the corner.
Greenmarket Square for the daily African crafts market offering the best quality and prices for souvenirs.
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront probably should be visited once but it is essentially a touristy shopping mall. There is much better high end shopping in the
Cavendish Square Mall (Claremont) and Newlands Village. Depending on the exchange rate diamond and gold jewellery, homewares and clothing are the best buys.
The vineyards at Constantia, Franschoek, Paarl and Stellenbosch are on most people’s itinerary although, unless you’re very serious about wine, a day trip is enough to visit a vineyard or two and admire the scenery. Drinking the wine is a pleasure all the time.
World class rugby and cricket at Newlands (the grounds are next to each other). Its very easy (and cheap!) to get tickets and well worth going for the atmosphere alone. Cape Town is surrounded by championship golf courses. All (except Erinvale) are easy to book into and far less costly than the equivalent standard of course elsewhere – try Pearl Valley.
Eating outCape Town is a foody paradise. Go to the Constantia Winelands and choose from La Colombe (Constantia Uitsig), Buitenverwachting or Cellars Hohenhort for fine dining at around £30 a head. In the city, my favourites are Ginja (fusion), 95 on Keerom (modern Italian) and Bukhara (Indian). For self catering or picnics Melissa’s, Pick n Pay and Woolworths (M&S equivalent) are all very, very good. Kalk Bay has superb take away fish and chips and the Olympia Café is a lovely bakery. On Saturdays there is a Farmers Market at the The Old Biscuit Mill in Salt River. Franschoek (about an hour drive) has several highly regarded restaurants. Reubens is one of the best. Around Christmas and New Year it is essential to book advance. Tip 15% for good service. Smart casual is acceptable everywhere including the top hotel restaurants.
Safety
The crime rate is undeniably high and houses all have an intimidating level of security. However, like any city, there are safe places to be and areas that you should avoid. The city centre, the waterfront and the southern suburbs are all perfectly safe given normal sensible precautions. A visit to the townships needs to be an organised guided tour. Car doors should be locked when driving and a mobile is vital to summon help if you find yourself in an area where its not safe to get out of the car. There are vagrants and hawkers at traffic lights (robots is the local term) – it’s fine to ignore them, there are much better ways of making donations to help people in need.