25 Wholesome Things to Do in Cape Town on Sunday

Last Updated on May 26, 2024 by thecapetownblog

I absolutely love Sundays in Cape Town. It’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of all of the wholesome and outdoorsy activities on offer here, from hitting the beach to having brunch a farmer’s market, or enjoying some wine tasting! And if you’re not one for a slow Sunday, then there are plenty of adventures to be had, from kayaking with dolphins to paragliding. To be honest, every day in Cape Town is an absolute pleasure, but Sundays can be extra special!

I’ve spent many a Sunday in Cape Town since I moved here in 2021, so if you’re searching for the perfect Sunday activity, look no further because I’ve got a super detailed list of the best things to do! 

1. Go to the Oranjezicht Market 

I loooove the Oranjezicht Market.

I’m not alone in this either. It’s probably the most popular thing to do in Cape Town on Sunday.

It’s an excellent farmer’s market that takes place in Granger Bay at the Waterfront every weekend. It’s open from 9 am until 2 pm on Sunday, and you can enjoy food from tons of local restaurants here, as well as treat yourself to some locally made artisan goodies. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Vadas Bakery are hands down the stars of the show at the Oranjezicht Market. Their pastéis de nata always sell out well before closing time, so I recommend making a beeline for that stall when you arrive! 

You can find food from all over the world here, whether you want Cape Malay Cuisine, flammekueche (German flatbread pizza), avocado toast, or barbecue. Plus, I love checking out the handmade soaps, lotions, and knitwear. 

A visit to the Oranjezicht Market is a very solid way to start your Sunday. If you want to find out more about visiting, check out this guide. 

2. Have a beach day 

During the summer months, hitting the beach is easily one of the best things do to in Cape Town on Sunday. It’s also an awesome thing you can do for free!

There are tons of gorgeous beaches, from hotspots like Camps Bay and Clifton to the lesser-known sands of Beta Beach and Oudekraal. Or, you can head over to Muizenberg and learn how to surf. 

As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better than whiling away a Sunday on the sand. 

For more on the best beaches in Cape Town, check out this guide.

3. Take the cable car up Table Mountain 

Taking the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain is always a fun experience, and the views really are second-to-none. 

You can drive to the Cableway and park for free, or Uber if you haven’t got your own wheels. Tickets cost R395 for adults before 1 pm, or R340 afterwards, and you can buy them on the day. 

The opening times are as follows, and the last download is always an hour after the official closing time. 

• 16 December – 15 January (peak season): 8 am – 8 pm
• 16 – 31 January: 8 am – 7:30 pm
• 1 February – 30 April: 8 am – 6:30 pm
• 1 May – 31 August: 8:30 am – 4 pm
• 1 September – 15 December: 8:30 am – 6 pm

Once you’re at the top, you can walk around and soak up the views. There are plaques around with lots of information about Table Mountain and the Cape Floral Kingdom. You can even hike all the way to Maclear’s Beacon, which is the highest point on Table Mountain. It takes about 45 minutes each way and you can only do it on a clear day, otherwise it’s too dangerous.

After you’ve finished exploring, you can head to the cafe for a coffee (or a beer) and relax a little before you catch the cable car back down again. 

For more on visiting Table Mountain, check out this guide. It contains everything you need to know!

4. Go hiking

There are a ton of amazing hikes to enjoy in Cape Town. You can hike iconic peaks like Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, or explore some lesser known routes like the Newlands Ravine.

If you’re worried about hiking alone, you can join the Westside Adventurers! There’s safety in numbers, and Westside organise hikes almost every day of the week. It’s a nice way to discover some scenic routes you might not have known about. 

I can attest that the group’s organiser, Carmen, is absolutely lovely – she was my AirBnb host! It costs R100 per month to join Westside or R300 for the year, so it’s much cheaper than taking a hiking tour, and a great way to meet new people. You can fill out this form to sign up.

Table Mountain trails

I suggested taking the cable car to the top of Table Mountain above, but it’s also possible to hike. If you take the Platteklip route, you can hike up and take the cable car down. 

My favourite route, though, is Kasteelspoort. It starts in Camps Bay and doesn’t end anywhere near the cableway, so you have to hike both ways. The views are totally worth it, though, and it tends to be far less busy than Platteklip Gorge.

The Kasteelspoort route is 3.9 miles/6.3 kilometres long and is moderate in difficulty. I got sweaty, but I wasn’t absolutely exhausted afterwards or anything like that.

Lion’s Head

You can also hike Lion’s Head which is a fun, moderate hike with excellent views the entire way. Even the views from the parking lot are amazing! 

It takes about 3 hours to get up and down Lion’s Head, give or take half an hour depending on your pace. You don’t have to go all the way to the top, although the views from the summit are fantastic. 

The only thing to bear in mind is that Lion’s Head does get pretty busy on weekends, so you need to go early on a Sunday! For more on hiking Lion’s Head, check out this blog post.

Newlands Ravine

If you’re not in the mood to see a ton of people, the Newlands Ravine trail tends to be pretty quiet since it’s not super famous, but you get amazing views of the city on both sides at the top. 

You start off by making your way through the forest, and then when you find the trailhead it’s a simple, albeit fairly steep, walk to the top. The entire walk took us about 2.5 hours in total, and I definitely needed a nap afterwards.

We actually wished we had Ubered to Newlands because we realised we could walk all the way back to Green Point from the summit! 

Kloof Corner

Last but not least, Kloof Corner is a short hike to an amazing viewpoint where you can enjoy an epic Cape Town sunset. 

Well, it’s beautiful at any time of day, but watching the sunset here really is something else. 

There’s a small parking lot around the corner from the entrance to the Kloof Corner steps. From there, it takes 15-20 minutes to get to the top. The route is quite steep in places but it’s easy to follow and there’s no scrambling required. The steps are pretty even, too. 

It’s best to head up about 60-90 minutes before sunset, and then you should bring a head torch to head back down again. A phone torch works as well! 

For more on how to hike Kloof Corner, check out this guide!

5. Enjoy an affordable meal at the Waterfront 

If you want to eat out without breaking the bank this Sunday, you can always head to one of the affordable eateries at the Waterfront for a meal. The Waterfront is such a nice area to explore and you can easily enjoy a meal with a view (and maybe a cheeky glass of wine) for under R200 here. 

Personally, I’m partial to the Life Grand Cafe because it’s perched right on the Harbour and does an amazing seafood pasta, but there are plenty of other great choices. Quay Four is also pretty cheap and they have some awesome specials!

6. Walk on the prom 

The Sea Point promenade is probably the most popular place to go for a walk in Cape Town, and with good reason. It’s super easy to access and it runs right along the oceanfront. There’s also a swimming pool, several rock pools, beaches, and food stalls to stop at along the way. 

If you’re in the mood for a really long walk, you can keep walking past Saunders Rocks Beach to Bantry Bay. Victoria Road runs all the way past the Clifton Beaches and through Camps Bay, and you’ll have amazing views of the Twelve Apostles along the way, too. I love this route!

7. Visit the penguins at Boulders Beach

Whether you’ve lived in Cape Town for years or are just here for a couple of days, visiting the penguins at Boulders Beach is always a great day out. It should take you about 45 minutes to drive from central Cape Town to Boulders Beach on a Sunday, and if you don’t have a car at your disposal you can always join this tour.

Once you arrive, entry costs R45 South Africans, or R190 for internationals. Visitors from SADC countries get a discounted rate of R95.

Visiting the penguins is one of the very best things to do in Cape Town on any day of the week. Boulders Beach itself is so beautiful and it’s so cool to see African penguins up close. Plus, after you’ve said hi to the adorable penguins (and dassies), you can sunbathe on Foxy Beach next door, where you’ll probably see even more penguins, and maybe swim alongside them!

There are also some nice cafes and restaurants around. The Seaforth Restaurant has great fish and chips! 

8. Take a Woodstock street art tour

Woodstock used to be an industrial hub, but now it’s one of Cape Town’s coolest neighbourhoods where all of the artists and hipsters hang out. So unsurprisingly, it’s one of the best places in Cape Town to see street art!

This 90-minute walking tour is an excellent way to not only find all of the neighbourhood’s best street art, but also to learn about the deeper meaning behind it. 

Woodstock’s street murals tackle important issues from climate change and conservation to racism and social justice, so this tour is a really thought-provoking experience. 

And on a more superficial level, it’s great for your Instagram feed!

The tour also takes you to the Old Biscuit Mill market, which is one of the coolest markets in the city with lots of great food and crafts from talented local designers. 

You can choose to leave at 8:30 am or 10 am, so it might cut your Sunday lay in slightly short, but I think it’s worth it! It costs R550 per person, including tea and coffee along the way. 

Click here to find out more and book!

9. Paint Ceramics at Clay Café

Painting plates, bowls, and mugs at Clay Café is such a fun and therapeutic thing to do. I always feel so calm and relaxed while I’m painting, even though I’m terrible at it! 

There’s a R45 fee per person to paint, and then you choose your item(s) first, which are priced individually. Then, you select three paints, which you can swap around later. They also have stencils and lots of different tools to help you make patterns, and the staff are on hand to help. 

You can also order food and drink along the way, whether you want coffee, wine, salad, or a pizza. The chicken and avocado salad is really good! 

Once you’ve finished painting your items, you paint your order number on the bottom and your server will collect your items from you. You’ll get an email once your items are ready for you to collect; it usually takes between 3 – 5 weeks. 

There are two branches of Clay Café in Cape Town. One is on Bree Street and the other is in Hout Bay. I’ve only been to the Bree Street one myself, but I always have such a great time there. 

Clay Café in the City (the Bree Street branch) is open from 9 am until 6 pm on Sunday, and the Hout Bay one stays open until 7 pm.

10. Get Tipsy on the Wine Tram 

Franschhoek is a stunning town about an hour from Cape Town, and it’s best known for its wine trams.

Yup, you can hop aboard a historic tram and travel between wine farms, enjoying tastings as you go. It’s such a fun day out, and it’s tasting rather than binge drinking, so you don’t need to worry about having a sore head on Monday morning. 

If you don’t have a designated driver, you can book a combo wine tram ticket that includes round-trip transport from Cape Town! We had an amazing day out exploring the Navy route. Make sure you visit Bartinney, because the views are absolutely spectacular.

You’ll leave the city at around 8:30 AM. Then, you’ll have 6-7 hours to enjoy exploring Franschhoek’s different wine farms, so you can hit 4 or 5. The wine tram is super easy to navigate and you can visit some of the best vineyards that the Cape Winelands has to offer, including the huge Boschendaal estate. I also loved the cheeseboards at Plaisir Platform, which was our first stop of the day.

The tour costs R695 (£30/$38) per person, including a return bus from Cape Town with WiFi on board, your wine tram ticket, and a glass of wine when you get on the tram. 

You’ll need to pay for your tasting fees at the wine farms on the day. This usually costs between R80 – R120. 

This is such a fun way to spend a Sunday. Franschhoek is stunning and the wine tram is such a fun, novelty experience.

Click here to book your spot on the wine tram

11. Ride ATVs on the Sand Dunes 

Cape Town’s striking sand dunes are a bit of an oft-overlooked gem. So this Sunday, why not enjoy an exhilarating quad biking experience at the Atlantis sand dunes?

You’ll get a serious adrenaline rush, breathtaking views of Table Mountain, and a mini photoshoot, ensuring plenty of stunning photos to jazz up your Instagram feed. It was SO much fun, and although I was a little nervous, the quad bikes were actually quite easy to drive.

The quad biking experience costs R599 (£26/$32) for an hour, which covers your ATV, helmet, and guidance from an instructor. Additionally, there’s a R118 entry permit fee for accessing the sand dunes on the activity day.

For more details and bookings, click here.

12. Chapman’s Peak Scenic Drive

Chapman’s Peak Scenic Drive is regarded as one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Driving along this winding road past Hout Bay Harbour and alongside the red cliffs of Chapman’s Peak mountain is certainly a wholesome thing to do on a Sunday. 

The drive begins in Hout Bay, and you should definitely pull over to take some snaps of the harbour. Then, you follow the road along all the way to Noordhoek, where there are beautiful beaches and the Aegir Project, where you’ll find great burgers and beers. 

This road isn’t free to drive along; you’ll need to pay R57. I find it’s best to bring cash as the card machine is often slow due to the lack of reception along this road. 

You can drive to the starting point through the city, but I definitely recommend going via Camps Bay. This way, you’ll get to drive along the beautiful Victoria Road before you begin the main portion of the drive, so you get even more great views.

13. Watch a movie at the Labia Theatre

The Labia is the oldest independent cinema in South Africa. It’s a great place to catch a movie because it has a nice, old-timey cinema vibe and tickets are cheap! 

I also think part of the reason this place is so popular is that you can take alcoholic drinks into the theatre with you. They even serve slushie cocktails!

You can catch new releases here as well as old movies and independent films. It’s R70 for a ticket and they also partner with the Wolf House bar and restaurant on Kloof Street, so there are different meal-and-movie combos every day of the week. Right now, on a Sunday, you can get two waffles and two movie tickets for R160. Not bad!

14. Take a seal harbour cruise 

Spotting seals is one of the best things to do at the Waterfront, but you can also take a seal harbour cruise to see them swimming and playing up close. This is such a nice, fun, and relaxing way to spend a Sunday, and I think it’s such a great activity for families!

You’ll also get great views of the Waterfront as you cruise around the harbour and your guide will teach you more about the history of the area and the marine life that inhabits its waters.

A seal harbour cruise costs R130 for adults and R65 for kids. That’s about £5.50 or $7 USD for adults, and £2.75 or $3.50 for kids at the time of writing. 

Cruises depart once an hour, on the hour, from 11 am until 4 pm. To make a day of it, you could even grab a meal at the Waterfront before or after your boat ride. 

Click here to book your seal cruise!

15. Go surfing in Muizenberg 

Surfers in Cape Town flock to Muizenberg for its warmer waters and rideable swell. So if you like surfing, or want to learn how, Muizenberg Beach is the best place to go. 

There are lots of surf rental places here, such as Lifestyle Surf Shop, and you can take lessons from Gary’s Surf School. I don’t surf myself but I’ve had lessons before and it is a ton of fun, so if you want to try something new this Sunday, why not give it a go?

16. Enjoy some live music at Mojo Market

Mojo Market is a fantastic indoor food market in Sea Point. You can find everything here from barbecue to bagels and shawarma to poké bowls, but they also have live music 365 days a year! It usually starts in the evening, around 8 or 9 pm, so it’s a nice way to end your weekend in Cape Town. 

17. Go for brunch

Who doesn’t love a good Sunday brunch?

There are a ton of amazing restaurants in Cape Town where you can go and grab a fantastic brunch. Jarryd’s in Sea Point is one of the best places. Their pancake stacks are incredibly delicious and decadent, and I really love their huevos rancheros, too. 

Jason’s Bakery in Green Point is the perfect place for a Sunday carboload. Everything is freshly baked and they don’t use any preservatives or enzymes. From their savoury green pancakes to bacon chilli pepper toasties, everything here is decadent and delicious; perfect for a Sunday morning.

18. Go for a swim at Sea Point Pool 

If you’re in the mood for a Sunday swim, the Sea Point Pool is the perfect place to go. It’s an Olympic-sized saltwater infinity pool that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, and it only costs R33 to swim. 

There are also two kids pools and a diving pool, so coming here is a great thing for families to do on Sunday. And after your swim, you can head to one of the food carts right next door to grab some falafel, a pizza, or a Cape Malay curry. I don’t know about you, but swimming always makes me hungry! 

The Sea Point Pool is open from 7 am until 7 pm during the summer and from 8 am until 5 pm during winter.

19. Ride the Cape Wheel at sunset

I love riding the Cape Wheel at sunset. It’s the perfect way to round off a weekend! The views of Table Mountain, the Waterfront, and the Green Point stadium are fantastic. It’s a pretty quick experience, lasting just 10-12 minutes, but it definitely fits the “fun and wholesome” criteria!

Cape Wheel tickets aren’t timed, so to make sure that we got the best sunset possible, we arrived at the Cape Wheel a little early and asked when we should get on. Then, we paid for our tickets and headed over the road for a drink at Tasha’s while we waited. We came back at the recommended time and, as promised, the sunset was incredible.

For South Africans, it’s best to pay for your Cape Wheel tickets in person, as you get a discounted rate of R175. However, for foreigners it’s actually cheaper to buy tickets through Get Your Guide, as it only costs R235, compared to R250 at the ticket kiosk. Just make sure to do this at least a day in advance though!

20. Go paragliding

Paragliding over the Atlantic Seaboard is one heck of a way to end a weekend. In fact, paragliding was one of my all-time favourite experiences in Cape Town, which is really saying something! 

My friend bought me this tandem flight for my birthday, and I was lucky enough to go on a day with cloudless blue skies. I was definitely nervous, but there’s really nothing to worry about since the guides are friendly and set you at ease. Plus, you just have to run down the hill and the wind takes you, so there’s no jump or free fall involved. 

I launched off of Signal Hill, but sometimes they choose Lion’s Head instead, it just depends on the conditions of the day. You’ll glide over Sea Point and land on the prom – in fact, my best friend even caught footage of my flight from her apartment! 

For R300, you can also rent a GoPro and your instructor will take photos and videos of your flight for you. Then, they transfer the files straight onto your phone after you land, and it only takes a few seconds. 

The flight itself costs R,1600, and you can change or cancel your booking for free up to 24 hours beforehand. Obviously, paragliding is weather depending so if the wind is too strong the company will get in contact with you to reschedule. 

If you’re wondering whether or not to do this: DO IT. My only regret was that I didn’t do it sooner! You can check out my full review here.

Click here to book your tandem paragliding flight!

21. Take a free class at Yoga Life

If you want a more zen kind of workout, there’s a free beginners yoga class every Sunday at 5 pm at Yoga Life in De Waterkant. It’s great for learning the basics of yoga and you’ll definitely feel good afterwards. It really is free – they don’t ask for tips or donations, so what have you got to lose? 

If you want to go, you’ll need to book a place via the Mind Body app and bring your own mat. 

22. Spot some dolphins on a kayak adventure!

Make your Sunday memorable with a kayak adventure along the Atlantic seaboard! I went with Kaskazi Kayaks and got to see quite a few dolphins, as well as seals, a sunfish, and a lone penguin! It was so much fun, and a decent workout since you’re out on the water for two hours. You can read my full review here!

The kayaks have rudders which makes it so much easier to move across the water – and I say this as someone who has struggled A LOT with kayaking before. It’s actually a running joke with some of my friends, but I was totally fine on this tour. 

Kaskazi launch their kayaks from Three Anchor Bay Beach, and the 2-hour adventure costs R550 per person. I went at 9 am, but they have lots of different slots available, including sunset adventures!

However, there’s also a top-rated tour that departs from the V&A Waterfront, so you could couple this with brunch at the Oranjezicht Market! Or, this tour departs from beautiful Hout Bay and only costs R450 – bargain! 

23. Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens 

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are famous for their breathtaking beauty, as well as their extensive collection of indigenous South African plants. In fact, Kirstenbosch was the first botanical garden to be devoted to protecting a country’s indigenous flora. It’s a fantastic place to discover the unique plants that make up the Cape Floral Kingdom, or just enjoy a stroll with gorgeous views of Table Mountain in the background. 

There are lots of walking trails in the Gardens and you can even climb Table Mountain from here along Nursery Ravine or Skeleton Gorge. Or for something more chilled, you can follow the Yellowwood Trail around the park. 

One of the best ways to enjoy Kirstenbosch during the summer, though, is to attend one of the Sunday afternoon concerts. These run most Sundays between December and March, and you can check the schedule here. 

Entry costs:

• R220 for international adults
• R100 for local adults and SADC residents
• R140 for SADC residents for Africans from non-SADC countries 
• R40 for all kids aged 6-17 
• Free for under 6s 

Tip: Kirstenbosch Gardens are on the Constantia wine bus route, so you could always combine the two!

24. Go for fish and chips in Hout Bay 

Hout Bay is absolutely stunning, with vivid blue water and lush green mountains. There’s definitely a slower pace of life in this fishing community, making it the perfect place to go hang out on a Sunday and enjoy some delicious fish and chips. 

There are a few places to grab fish and chips in Hout Bay, but my favourite is Fish on the Rocks. It’s perched right on the edge of the bay and offers beautiful views of Chapman’s Peak across the water. Plus, with its bright yellow paint and newspaper wrappings, it feels nostalgic and slightly tatty – just like a good fish and chip shop should! 

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, the fish and chips here is delicious. Definitely the best I’ve had in Cape Town! I got hake and chips for R105, which I felt was really reasonable. I was stuffed afterwards. 

25. Snorkel with seals

While we’re on the subject of Hout Bay, did you know that you can also go snorkelling with seals here? In fact, this would be a great way to work up your appetite before enjoying the aforementioned fish and chips! 

It’s estimated that around 70,000 seals live in Hout Bay, mostly around Seal Island. In fact, around 7,000 of them can fit on the rock at once, which is impressive considering how small it is. I went on this seal snorkelling tour, which took me around seal island to safely view these beautiful creatures swimming around in their natural habitat. 

One thing I really liked about the tour was that it was very respectful to the seals. You don’t bait or interact with them, you’re simply there to observe. And if you stay calm and still, they do swim right up to you! You can read my full review of the experience here.

I would provide you with photos, but I hired a GoPro and bought the SD card on the day for an additonal R950… AND THEN LOST IT. I’m still furious with myself.

There were only three people on my tour, so I got a lot of 1:1 time with my guide, Clemon, who told me a lot about seal behaviour. He was so good at spotting seals from a distance and so I got to see a ton of them. I couldn’t believe how graceful they looked beneath the water. 

The tour costs R950 per person and it’s a self-drive experience, but I think that that’s perfect because you can hang out in Hout Bay afterwards and make a day of it. You can find the tour office at the Harbour, right next to Ground Up Cafe!

Click here to book your seal snorkelling tour!

For more on the best things to do in Cape Town, check out:

• Best Sunday lunch specials in Cape Town
• The coolest areas to stay in Cape Town
• Waterfront boat cruise review – is it worth it?