Cape Town & Winelands: Mountains, Penguins, Vines and Valentine's Sunsets

A romantic, active week for two. You stay 4 nights in Camps Bay and 2 nights in Franschhoek. You hike Table Mountain, drive Chapman's Peak and Cape Point, visit the Boulders penguins, and taste wine from Constantia to Franschhoek. The pace is balanced, with sunset moments and long meals. A rental car is assumed from Day 3 through the airport drop-off on Day 7.

Valentine's Sunset on the Atlantic Seaboard

$105

Settle into Camps Bay on Valentine's Day with a beach stroll, sunset drinks and a relaxed seafood dinner. Book dinner and sundowners well ahead, because 14 February is very busy. This assumes you arrive by early afternoon, so shift the first activity later if your flight lands later.

Check-in & Camps Bay Beach Stroll

14:30 - 16:30(2h)

Camps Bay Beach, Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town

Drop your bags at your Camps Bay hotel, then walk the white-sand beach with Table Mountain's Twelve Apostles ridge behind you. Wade in the cold Atlantic and browse the palm-lined Victoria Road strip.

Sundowner Cocktails at Glen Beach

17:45 - 19:30(1h 45m)$30

Glen Beach, Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town

Have a sunset cocktail at a beachfront lounge on Glen Beach, between Camps Bay and Clifton. This is a good spot to watch the sun drop into the ocean. Reserve a table in advance.

Valentine's Seafood Dinner in Camps Bay

19:45 - 21:45(2h)$75

The Drive, Camps Bay, Cape Town

Have a candle-lit seafood dinner on The Drive, a short walk from the beach. Choose your fish, prawns or calamari and share a bottle of Western Cape white wine.

Up Platteklip Gorge & Into Bo-Kaap

$170

Start with the classic Table Mountain hike up Platteklip Gorge and ride the cable car back down. Spend the afternoon on Cape Malay cooking in colourful Bo-Kaap. End with a sunset drive up Signal Hill. Check weather and cableway status first, as strong wind can close the mountain.

Hike Table Mountain via Platteklip Gorge

07:30 - 10:45(3h 15m)

Platteklip Gorge Trailhead, Tafelberg Rd, Cape Town

Start early to beat the heat and hike the direct route up the mountain's front face. Allow 2 to 3 hours, and bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a windbreaker. The top has sweeping views over the city, Robben Island and the Atlantic.

Cable Car Descent & Summit Wander

10:45 - 12:00(1h 15m)$35

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, Tafelberg Rd, Cape Town

Walk the easy summit loops, then ride the rotating cable car down. A one-way ticket for two is cheaper than a return, and you skip the knee-jarring descent.

Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap

13:00 - 15:30(2h 30m)$100

Bo-Kaap, Wale St area, Cape Town

Cook curries, samoosas and koeksisters with a local Bo-Kaap host, then eat your creations. The cooking is hands-on, and the day includes some neighbourhood history in the colourful streets.

Signal Hill Sunset & Light Dinner

18:15 - 20:30(2h 15m)$35

Signal Hill Rd, Cape Town

Rest at your hotel, then drive or Uber up Signal Hill for golden-hour views over the city and Atlantic coast. Finish with a light dinner back in Camps Bay, since lunch was substantial.

Chapman's Peak, Cape Point & Penguins

$251

This is the big scenic day. You drive the Chapman's Peak toll road, explore Cape Point's dramatic tip of the peninsula, have lunch in Simon's Town and visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Pick up your rental car in the morning. Allow extra time for stops, baboons and photos.

Chapman's Peak Drive & Hout Bay Harbour

08:15 - 10:00(1h 45m)$115

Hout Bay Harbour, Hout Bay, Cape Town

Pick up your rental car early and take the cliffside toll road from Camps Bay towards Hout Bay. There are plenty of viewpoints for photos. Stop at Hout Bay harbour for coffee and watch the seals. The cost covers the toll, fuel and your share of the car rental.

Cape Point Nature Reserve

10:45 - 13:30(2h 45m)$65

Cape Point, Table Mountain National Park, Cape Peninsula

Drive through the Table Mountain National Park reserve to the old lighthouse. Take the funicular or walk up for views of the meeting of two oceans, then stroll to the Cape of Good Hope sign. Keep food in the car because baboons steal it.

Seafront Lunch in Simon's Town

14:15 - 15:30(1h 15m)$45

Seaforth Rd, Simon's Town, Cape Town

Have a relaxed seafood lunch at a waterfront restaurant on the Simon's Town harbour front. Share fresh line fish, calamari or fish and chips.

Boulders Beach Penguin Colony

15:45 - 17:15(1h 30m)$26

Boulders Beach, Seaforth Rd, Simon's Town, Cape Town

Walk the boardwalks past the African penguin colony and visit the viewing platforms. Then visit the sheltered swimming cove if you want a dip. Entry is a Table Mountain National Park fee.

Gardens, Constantia Wine & Sunset Sail

$233

Spend a gentler day on the green, southern side of the mountain: botanical gardens, then one of South Africa's oldest wine estates. In the evening, take a sunset cruise from the Waterfront.

Kirstenbosch Gardens & Picnic

09:30 - 12:45(3h 15m)$58

Rhodes Dr, Newlands, Cape Town

Wander the indigenous fynbos gardens and walk the Boomslang canopy walkway. Pick up a picnic or lunch at the garden's cafes. In summer the gardens are quiet and shaded.

Groot Constantia Wine Tasting

13:30 - 15:30(2h)$35

Groot Constantia Rd, Constantia, Cape Town

Visit South Africa's oldest wine estate for a tasting of Constantia whites and the famous sweet Vin de Constance. Tour the Cape Dutch buildings and cellars too. Share the driving duties, because tastings add up.

Sunset Cruise from the V&A Waterfront

17:45 - 19:45(2h)$80

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Board a sunset catamaran cruise from the V&A Waterfront. You sail past Table Mountain, Robben Island and the Atlantic coast, usually with a drink on board.

Waterfront Dinner

20:00 - 21:45(1h 45m)$60

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Have a romantic dinner at one of the harbour-front restaurants, with views of the working harbour and the lit-up mountain. Then drive back to Camps Bay.

Over Helshoogte to Franschhoek

$235

Check out of Camps Bay and drive to the winelands. Stop at a mountain-view estate on the Helshoogte Pass for tasting and lunch. Arrive in Franschhoek, the food capital of the Cape, and settle in for a refined dinner.

Tasting & Lunch at Delaire Graff Estate

10:45 - 13:45(3h)$105

Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch

Drive from Camps Bay to Stellenbosch (about 1 hour) and take in the valley views from the estate on Helshoogte. Taste premium wines, then have a long lunch on the terrace. Budget includes fuel for the drive.

Franschhoek Check-in & Village Stroll

14:30 - 16:30(2h)

Huguenot Rd, Franschhoek

Cross the pass to Franschhoek, check in, then stroll Huguenot Road's galleries, boutiques, chocolate shops and cafes. Take a break at your hotel before evening.

Huguenot Memorial Monument

16:45 - 17:30(45m)

Lambrechts Rd, Franschhoek

Take a short stroll to the monument and its gardens, which honour the French Huguenot settlers who founded the valley's wine culture. It is a calm spot, with the mountains in the background.

Tasting-Menu Dinner at Foliage

18:45 - 21:15(2h 30m)$130

Huguenot Rd, Franschhoek

Have a forest-inspired tasting menu with local wine pairings at one of Franschhoek's top restaurants. Reserve in advance.

Valley Trails & Wine Tram Tasting

$143

Start with an easy morning hike, then spend the day tasting wine at several estates on the hop-on, hop-off Wine Tram. Finish with a rustic farm-style dinner.

Fransch Hoek Nature Reserve Hike

07:45 - 09:45(2h)$8

Fransch Hoek Nature Reserve, Franschhoek

Take an easy morning walk on the reserve's trails, with mountain-and-valley scenery. Leave by 08:00 to avoid heat.

Franschhoek Wine Tram

10:30 - 15:30(5h)$65

Franschhoek Train Station, Franschhoek

Ride the hop-on, hop-off Wine Tram, which links several estates by tram and bus. Book a ticket for the line you prefer and taste at 3 to 4 farms. Book a day ahead, as it sells out.

Farm Dinner at Bread & Wine

18:30 - 20:30(2h)$70

Môreson Wine Estate, Happy Valley Rd, Franschhoek

Have a relaxed dinner at a winelands estate restaurant known for charcuterie and farm produce. It is a casual, romantic way to end your Franschhoek stay.

Last Sips & Airport Drop-off

$50

End with a brunch at a historic estate near Franschhoek, then return the car at Cape Town International. This assumes an afternoon or evening flight, so leave earlier if yours is sooner.

Brunch at Boschendal Estate

09:30 - 11:30(2h)$50

Boschendal Wine Estate, Pniel Rd, Franschhoek

Have a slow brunch at the historic farm, with a final tasting or a picnic under the oaks. Walk the farm's gardens and grounds afterwards.

Drive to Cape Town International Airport

11:45 - 13:15(1h 30m)

Cape Town International Airport, Matroosfontein, Cape Town

Return the rental car and check in. The drive takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Allow extra time for fuel and the rental return.

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