10 Things to Do in Cape Town at Night

Cape Town offers a wide variety of options to enjoy, from cultural, natural and tourist attractions to a lively nightlife with bars, clubs, restaurants and shows. In fact, one of the best ways to start the evening is to admire the sunset from one of the city's viewpoints, such as Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope or Camps Bay Beach.

At night, the sky is tinged with spectacular colours and the city is illuminated with thousands of lights, an ideal setting to enjoy the other side of the city. The plan could be to dine and enjoy live music and dancing. Or sample the international food festival on the V&A waterfront. You can browse the bars, pubs and clubs on Long Street, go to the Fugart Theatre and more. Explore and be amazed by the best things to do in Cape Town.

For a magical and romantic experience on your trip to Cape Town, don't miss the opportunity to take a sunset cruise from the V&A Waterfront, the city's most famous and lively harbour. Aboard a sailboat or catamaran, you can admire spectacular views of the coastline, ocean and Table Mountain as the sun sets over the horizon.

Sunset cruises are one of the best ways to enjoy Cape Town' s natural beauty from a different perspective. You will see the colours of the sky change from blues to oranges, pinks and reds, creating a stunning contrast with the sea and the city skyline. You'll also feel the sea breeze on your face and the sound of the waves in your ears, allowing you to relax and unwind.

The tour will take you through Table Bay, where you'll see Cape Town Stadium, home of the 2010 World Cup, and the Milnerton Lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in the country. You'll also sail through Granger Bay, where you can spot dolphins, seals and other marine life that inhabit the area. Of course, you won't miss the city's iconic Table Mountain, which towers majestically over the landscape.

The cruise is suitable for families, couples and groups of friends and promises a unique and memorable experience. The best thing is that the tour has a guide who will give you information about the sites and tell you interesting facts and anecdotes about the city.

One of the best ways to see the city is from the Table Mountain Cable Car. To make the experience even more incredible, many choose to take the ride at sunset, when the sky darkens and the city is illuminated by thousands of lights.

Waving goodbye to the day from Table Mountain Cable Car at sunset has several advantages. For one thing, you'll avoid the long lines that form during the day, as there are fewer people wanting to go up at that time. You also get to see a unique natural spectacle, with the sun setting over the horizon and creating a stunning contrast to the sea and the city.

The cable car has a rotating base, giving you a 360-degree view. From the cabin, you can see Cape Town Stadium, Milnerton Lighthouse, Table Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island.

At the top, at almost 1,100 metres above sea level, you can walk around the various viewing platforms and enjoy a panoramic view of the city, the sea, the Cape Peninsula and the Cape of Good Hope. You can also see the flora and fauna that inhabit Table Mountain National Park , such as fynboss and dassies.

After an exciting day of sightseeing from Cape Town, one way to end the day is to discover African flavours on a tour of the city's restaurants. And when you do it at night, you'll be able to appreciate the ambience and lighting, which is often decorated with African motifs and colours.

Cape Town is multicultural and cosmopolitan, offering a wide variety of dining options after dark. You can enjoy your meal to the rhythm of live music and dance and feel the energy of the continent. Here are some of the restaurants you can visit:

• Gold Restaurant; located in the Green Point neighbourhood, offers a unique sensory experience, combining the tasting of 14 dishes from different African countries, such as Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya and Mozambique, with a traditional music and dance show.
• Mama Africa; located on Long Street, offers the opportunity to sample local South African food such as bobotie (meat pie with spices and eggs), potjiekos (meat and vegetable stew cooked in an iron pot).
• Addis in Cape, located in the city centre, specialises in Ethiopian cuisine. It also offers a 10-course tasting menu.

If your trip is at least 3 days in Cape Town and you want to discover its culture through music, you should take advantage of a night of jazz in the nooks and crannies of the city. This metropolis vibrates with this genre, which has a long and rich history in South Africa. You can enjoy the best live music in a cosy atmosphere.

Cape Town has a wide range of jazz venues to suit the tastes and preferences of every visitor, so you can make the journey on foot and get to know more of the city by night. Some of the most important venues are as follows:

• The Crypt Jazz Restaurant: located in the basement of St George's Cathedral in the city centre. It offers a unique jazz and dining experience, with a variety of live musicians.
• The Piano Bar; located in the De Waterkant neighbourhood, near the V&A waterfront, offers a cosy and elegant atmosphere with jazz-inspired décor. It also features a selection of local and international musicians, playing everything from classic jazz to soul and blues.

Cape Town is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in South Africa, especially when it comes to nightlife. With a special blend of Afro-European culture, excellent wines and a wide variety of entertainment options. It's a party place all year round, especially in the summer. If you want to have a fun time in Cape Town's bars and nightclubs, here are some recommendations:

• The Beerhouse; located on Long Street, you can sample over 100 beers from all over the world.
• Village Idiot; a relaxed bar with South African food and a terrace overlooking the street.
• Shimmy Beach Club; located on the V&A waterfront where you can also watch music, theatre and comedy shows in the open-air amphitheatre.
• Grand Africa Café & Beach; also on the V&A promenade, you can enjoy a sunset cocktail.
• Café Caprice; one of the city's most exclusive clubs, where you can enjoy a romantic dinner or a night of dancing.
• Camps Bay: For something quieter and more sophisticated, this area is full of upscale bars and restaurants. You can admire the sunset from the terrace of one of the bars on the Sunset Strip, such as The Bungalow or Zenzero.

The Cape Town sunset invites you to a unique experience in a vineyard, specifically at the oldest winery in South Africa and one of the most prestigious in the world. This is Groot Constantia, a historic estate where you will taste exquisite wines and aperitifs while enjoying the natural surroundings. Admire panoramic views of the mountains and ocean, while sipping sparkling wine or champagne.

A tour of this estate will allow you to discover its oenological and gastronomic offer. You can opt for a guided wine tasting to sample five of its best wines, chosen by you. You can also visit the winemaking facilities to learn about the production process and the history of the winery.

You can also tour the manor house, which houses a museum with rotating exhibitions, and the beautiful gardens, which will surprise you with their vegetation and fauna. It is an experience to be enjoyed with all the senses and even more so at sunset with all its nuances.

For many, this experience is an opportunity to appreciate the aromas and flavours of the wines, which reflect the terroir and tradition of the region. It also involves learning about the culture and history of South Africa through the exhibits and anecdotes told by the guides.

There's plenty to see and do in Cape Town and a good plan for the evening is to attend one of the scheduled shows or performances at the Fugard Theatre. The Fugard Theatre is named after the famous South African playwright Athol Fugard. It is also one of the most popular and prestigious in the city, with a varied programme of plays, musicals, dance, cinema and literary events.

The Fugard Theatre is in the heart of District 6, a historic area that was a victim of racial segregation during apartheid. One of the best ways to enjoy it is to attend an evening performance, as you can appreciate the charm and atmosphere of the place, as well as the quality and talent of the performers. You can also enjoy a drink or a snack in one of the theatre's two bars.

Attending a performance at the Fugard Theatre will not only allow you to enjoy a first-class show, but also to learn more about the history and culture of Cape Town and South Africa.

Useful information

• Price: depends on the show and the location you choose. Admission is between €6 and €21 per person.
• Time: Shows usually start between 19:00 and 20:00 and last between one and two hours.

If you're travelling to South Africa, you can't miss the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, one of the most unique and colourful. To do so, you can join one of the best guided tours of Cape Town. With its houses and buildings painted in bright pastel colours, Bo-Kaap is ideal for walking around after dark, as it's one of the best places to watch the sun set over the Atlantic.

Bo-Kaap means 'above the Cape' and is located on the slopes of Signal Hill, above the city centre. Its origins date back to the 17th century, when Dutch settlers brought slaves from Southeast Asia and allowed them to settle in the area.

One of the best ways to get to know Bo-Kaap is to stroll through its cobblestone streets. You can also sample typical Malay cuisine, but if you want to learn more about the history and culture of the neighbourhood, you can visit the Bo-Kaap Museum, which is housed in one of the oldest houses in the area.

If you're short on time and want to see the best of Cape Town in 5 days or less, you can see the city and its surroundings from The Cape Wheel, a giant 50-metre observation wheel located at the V&A Harbour. Climbing when night falls has several advantages that make it a unique and unforgettable experience.

On the one hand, you can see how the city is illuminated by thousands of lights, creating a spectacular contrast with the sea and the sky. On the other hand, you can enjoy a quieter and more romantic atmosphere, as there are fewer people wanting to go up at that time. The Cape Wheel-Kaap also provides a panoramic view of Cape Town and the surrounding area.

From the heights you can admire some of the city's most iconic and interesting sights, with natural and urban beauty from Table Mountain to Robben Island, the stadium, the lighthouse and the bay. The wheel offers a sensory and cultural experience, combining sight with sound and information.

If you like a birding experience from above, you can also opt for a helicopter flight in Cape Town, which will allow you to see the city and its surroundings from the air for a different perspective and in more detail.

Useful information

• Price: The ticket price is about €9 per adult and approximately €5 per child. However, there is a 50% discount if you go up after 18:00.
• Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm.
• Address: Dock Rd, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.

Cape Town is framed by three iconic peaks and one way to see the cityscape at night is to take a sunset hike up Lion's Head Mountain, one of the three peaks. From its summit, at 669 metres, you can admire 360-degree panoramic views of the city, the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain.

The most spectacular moment of the route is when you reach the top and contemplate the sunset over the horizon. The colours of the sky and the landscape become more vivid and create a breathtaking spectacle. Also, if you are lucky, you will be able to see the moon rise in the east, which adds to the magic of the moment. Don't forget to bring a camera to capture these unforgettable images.

This is a hike you can do on your own, but you can also join group options by hiring the services of a professional guide, who will provide you with safety, information and advice during the ascent. Keep in mind that the trail starts on a gravel track and then turns into a path that spir als around the mountain.

Also, in some sections, you will have to overcome some rock steps with the help of chains and ladders, which adds to the fun and challenge of the adventure. If you don't feel comfortable with these obstacles, you can opt for an alternative route that avoids them.