3 stunning Cape Town day trips

Time and again, Cape Town has come up trumps in global travel surveys, and you simply have to look at any gorgeous panorama of the Mother City to know exactly why. With its pristine beaches, mountains, Winelands, and unmistakable Cape vibe, all in one beautiful package, Cape Town continues to attract both international and domestic tourists in their droves.

With a myriad of activities and attractions on offer in and around the city, it’s a good thing that The Table Bay’s experienced concierge team know how best to tailor suggestions for The Table Bay’s mix of foreign and domestic guests. For instance, they could have stores close their doors to give Middle Eastern guests an exclusive shopping experience and are always ready to welcome American tourists for the safari season.

Here are three-day trips that will give you a taste of the inimical magic of the Mother City:

Head to Cape Point in the Table Mountain National Park for rugged, unspoilt views, taking the stairs or the Flying Dutchman tram to the top. This is the South-Western-most point of Africa, with nothing between you and Antarctica 6 000km away and the scenery to match.

While there, be sure to visit the Cape Point Vineyards, where wines mature in clay amphorae that lend the vintages an oceanic minerality that is excellent with seafood along the way. Visitors should also stop at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town to witness the thousands of African penguins waddling along the sands.

Everyone knows the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind up north, but not too many have heard of the West Coast Fossil Park near Langebaan. It’s filled with fantastic exhibits showcasing the fossils of long-extinct creatures such as sabre-toothed cats, short-necked giraffes, and African bears.

With its sparkling, windswept beaches, quaint hamlets and rich flora and fauna, the West Coast is an unmissable destination. Book a table at one of the many fine restaurants in pretty Paternoster, try your hand at wind- or kite-surfing in watersports capital Langebaan, and, if you happen to be in the area in February, take in the annual Jazz on the Rocks festival in Tietiesbaai.

It’s difficult to find a region of the Cape Winelands not worth visiting. A perennial favourite is the gorgeous Hemel en Aarde Valley near Hermanus. The Table Bay serves excellent wines from the Creation Wines and Newton Johnson estates in the valley. It’s an eye-opening experience for guests to enjoy the wines and then go to the estates to see how they are made. And in the spring, you can watch the whales from the cliffs.

These three trips are a great starter course to the wonders of Cape Town. You need a minimum of 10 days to explore Cape Town properly. These trips don’t cover the city itself, with its intriguing history, including the Company Gardens and Bo-Kaap, or hip areas like Hout Bay.

However you choose to spend your time in Cape Town, you’ll want to do it from the best address in the city. Located on the iconic V&A Waterfront and with every conceivable amenity available to you, the luxurious storied The Table Bay is the ideal base from which to explore the Mother City.