Wedged between the sea and the mountains, Cape Town’s stunning scenery means a lot of its biggest attractions are free – wander around the V&A Waterfront, check out Bo-Kaap’s colourful houses, spend the day on the beach at Camps Bay or hike in Table Mountain National Park. There’s a good selection of places to stay in Cape Town to suit all budgets. But like most big cities, when you add in a few sights, meals out and travel costs, prices can start to add up. There’s a lot you can see and do in Cape Town without spending big though, so here are my top tips for making the most of Cape Town on a budget. (NB. 100 Rand = £4.50/€5/US$5.75).
Read more: What does it cost? 10 days in South Africa budget breakdown

The V&A Waterfront
Things to do in Cape Town on a budget
Walking tours are one of my favourite ways to get my bearings in a new city and find out about its history, and there are a couple of companies in Cape Town which run daily 90-minute free tours where you just tip your guide. Cape Town Free Walking Tours have a Historic City Tour at 11am and 4.20pm, a Bo-Kaap Walking Tour at 2pm and 4.20pm, and an Apartheid to Freedom tour at 11am and 2pm, all starting from Motherland Coffee in Mandela Rhodes Place.
City Sightseeing also run a free Historic City Walk at 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4pm, and a Vibrant Bo-Kaap Walk at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 4pm, both of which depart from their Long Street ticket office. There’s also a V&A Waterfront tour at 10.30am and 3pm departing outside the aquarium or you can pick up a self-guided tour map from the waterfront info centre.

Nobel Square
Cape Town is full of parks and gardens. In the heart of the city is the Company’s Garden, planted by the Dutch East India Company in the 1650s, making it the city’s oldest garden. Entry’s free (as is the wifi) and there’s a rose garden, sculptures, an aviary and lots of very friendly squirrels.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is one of the world’s most beautiful botanic gardens, and well worth the R75 entry fee (R20 for 6–17 year olds and free for under 6s) It has over 7000 indigenous plants from around South Africa, with a walkway through the tree canopy and sunset concerts in summer. There are free guided garden tours at 10am, 11am and 2pm, Monday to Friday (10am only on Saturdays) – and you can bring your own picnic to eat in the grounds.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
There’s also the free Green Point Urban Park, next to the Cape Town Stadium, has with an outdoor labyrinth, children’s play area and 300 plant species. Or 20 minutes outside the city, the Rondevlei Nature Reserve is home to 230 bird species as well as a family of hippos. Entry costs R12 or R6 for children. And during the summer there’s a series of free Concerts in the Park in De Waal Park and Wynberg Park on Sunday afternoons from November to March.
The sea around Cape Town is pretty chilly, even in the summer, so if you fancy a dip head to one of the public swimming pools. Sea Point Pavilion pool has a gorgeous setting by the water and costs R21 for adults (R10.50 for children). Or for something a bit more glam, the Pool Deck at the Cape Royale Hotel is open to non-residents if you buy food or drinks at their bar.

Sunset at Sea Point
Money-saving museums and galleries
Iziko Museums – who run 11 museums including the South African Museum, National Gallery, Bo-Kaap Museum, Koopmans-De Wet House and Slave Lodge – give free entry on nine special commemorative days every year. There are also other museums which are always free to enter, or just ask for donations. These include the National Library’s Centre for the Book, Cape Town Holocaust Centre, Cape Medical Museum and Rhodes Cottage in Muizenberg.
You can also take a tour around Parliament and learn about South Africa’s political system. Tours run hourly from 9am–4pm on Monday to Friday and are free, but you need to book about a week in advance. And on the first Thursday of every month, there are late-night art gallery openings and free cultural events as part of the the First Thursdays event.
If you’re going to be visiting lots of paid attractions, it might be worth investing in a city pass. The Cape Town City Pass includes skip-the-line tickets for the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and entry to the Aquarium, Castle of Good Hope and 70 other attractions, plus a boat tour, sightseeing bus and a trip on the Cape Flyer wheel. They’re available for 2, 3 or 5 days and cost R1295 for 2 days, R1495 for 3 days or R1695 for 5 days, with discounts for children aged 4–17.

Colourful Bo-Kaap
Top Cape Town views
Table Mountain is the best view in town, but the cable car to the top doesn’t run if there are high winds or clouds – so if it’s a clear day get up there quick! Tickets for the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are slightly cheaper in the afternoon, costing R300 return or R150 one-way, with half-price fares for children aged 4–17 and discounts for students and seniors.
If you really want to save money, you can hike to the top of Table Mountain for free. There are several different routes but the most direct is the Plattekip Gorge route which runs from the lower cableway station. It takes around three hours but does get pretty steep.
A bit gentler is the Smuts Track which starts at the Kirstenbosch Gardens and takes around four hours to reach the upper cableway station. There are also spectacular views from the top of Lions Head (especially at Full Moon) and from Chapman’s Peak. Or if that sounds too energetic you can also drive up to the top of Signal Hill for a great sunset view.

On the beach at Clifton
Budget food and drink
Cape Town has some great neighbourhood markets where you can buy food from local producers. The Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock features 100 traders each Saturday from 9am–3pm, with vegan, gluten-free and organic options. The nearby Palms Market runs from 9am–2pm (currently suspended for building work) and the Century City Natural Goods Market has local crafts and music as well as food and runs 9am–2pm on the last Sunday of the month in summer and 4pm–9pm on the last Friday of the month in winter.
In the V&A Waterfront there are food stalls at the Waterfront Food Market (open daily) and a weekend farmer’s market Oranjezicht City Farm (open 8.15am–2pm on Saturdays and 9am–3pm on Sundays). If you’re self-catering and want to stock up on supplies then there are supermarkets all around the city. Woolworths is the more high-end option (think Marks & Spencer in the UK) then cheaper options are Pick ‘n’ Pay, Spar, Shoprite and Checkers.

The Market on the Wharf
Cape Town is surrounded by famous wine regions like Stellenbosch and Paarl, but you don’t have to go that far for a tasting. The Constantia wine route is just 15 minutes outside the city and is home to a mix of historic and new boutique wineries. Most are open for tastings costing R50–75. If you don’t want to drive, the Cape Town sightseeing bus makes three winery stops at Groot Constantia, Eagles’ Nest and Beau Constantia on its Constantia Wine Bus loop.
Or right in the city the Wine Concepts stores in Kloof and Newlands run free tastings from 4pm–7pm on weekdays and 12pm–3pm (11am–2pm in Newlands) on Saturdays. If you’re more a fan of beer then the Newlands Brewery runs several tours every day (except Sundays). Tours cost R100 per person (R60 seniors/R80 students) and include a beer tasting and two free drinks.

The Cape Winelands
Low-cost Cape Town transport
Cape Town’s international airport is 12 miles outside of the city, and the cheapest way to travel between them is on the MyCiTi buses. The A01 airport service runs every 30 minutes to and from the Civic Centre on the hour and half hour. Cash isn’t accepted on board so you need to buy a Myconnect card. You can get a single use card for R85, or buy a reusable card for R35 which you can top up or buy a travel pass (R75 for 1 day, R170 for 3 days of R250 for a week).
Uber is really popular in Cape Town and is good value, especially with a few of you travelling together. You just download the app and input your credit card details so you don’t need to carry cash. There are also Rikkis – budget shared taxis to various Cape Town locations.

Camps Bay
The city sprawls over a large area, so the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus is a good way to get around Cape Town on a budget. City Sightseeing bus tickets cost R235 for one day or R300 for two days (R130/R220 for children aged 5–17, and you can save on adult tickets by booking online). Buses run up to every 10 minutes and cover several different routes – there’s a city tour covering the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain and Camps Bay, a mini peninsula tour via Kirstenbosch, Imizamo Yethu Township and the beaches, and a Constantia wine tour.
And if you fancy a day out of the city, you can take a scenic coastal train. The Southern Line Rail Route runs from Cape Town through the seaside villages of Observatory, Newlands, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town. It costs R35 for a hop-on, hop-off day ticket, valid 10am–4pm.

Muizenberg beach huts
So those are my tips for seeing Cape Town on a budget – do you know of any more Cape Town bargains or have any money-saving tips?
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40 Comments
Carrie
March 16, 2017 at 11:08 pmLooks amazing! I’m headed to Cape Town for the first time in November 🙂
Lucy
March 17, 2017 at 10:20 amIt’s a great place – have an amazing time!
Bama
March 18, 2017 at 12:32 amLucy, I commend your consistency in capturing such high-quality photos. I’ve said this before, but you do seem to know the best time to go when the skies are nice and the weather is perfect. Thanks for this guide on Cape Town. I’m sure this will come handy for anyone visiting the city.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:35 amThanks so much, I do have some pretty good weather luck (though when it goes wrong I have had the odd trip when its done nothing but rain!).
MummyTravels
March 19, 2017 at 9:36 amI do love Cape Town especially the colours of Bo Kaap and the waterfront. I hadn’t realised there were so many free walking tours too, what a great choice. You’ve made me want to go back.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:35 amI really want to go back too – not least to get up to the top of Table Mountain, despite five days there it was too windy for the cable car to ever run!
Shankar Banjara
March 19, 2017 at 10:34 amWow! This is pretty awesome! Cape Town looks great an amazing tourist destination.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:34 amIt’s a really fascinating and beautiful city – well worth a visit!
beingbuttons
March 21, 2017 at 8:41 pmAh this guide has just made me want to go back! I loved Cape Town but as I was a child at the time I wasn’t really paying much attention to the prices. The Two Oceans Aquarium was a favourite, and I remember the South African Museum being pretty good – especially the planetarium. We went to eat at the waterfront quite a bit as there are stunning views over Table Bay and Mountain.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:30 amThose views are just stunning, it has to be one of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited!
Caitlin
March 22, 2017 at 4:15 pmThis a great post and you have some really great photos. The way you capture the colors and the light of your surroundings conveys the mood of the environment and your travels. Really cool stuff!
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:30 amThanks so much, so glad you liked it!
Anna Parker
March 23, 2017 at 5:16 pmThe free wine tastings are a great source of fluids, I was amazed the first time we went that so few vineyards charged anything for the tasting. But the exchange rate to sterling is still excellent for good value yet incredibly quality food and drink
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:31 amThe wine tastings are a real bargain, we spent a great day around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek (post coming soon!).
Ellenor Davis
March 23, 2017 at 5:35 pmLucy, you have made such high-quality amazing photos there. the weather is amazing there the skies are nice and beautiful. Thanks for this article for Cape Town.This will come handy for me and the others who plan visiting the city.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:32 amThanks so much, we did get some beautiful days while we were there – making it even more photogenic than usual!
Sara Dobak
March 23, 2017 at 6:46 pmI really appreciate how you put these guides together, Lucy. You manage to include a lot of useful detail and still make it read beautifully. I feel I could study just this one article and put together an ideal Cape Town itinerary and I’m also pleasantly surprised about the existence of those free walking tours.
Lucy
March 24, 2017 at 10:33 amThanks Sara! Free walking tours seem to have really taken off recently and are such a good idea to get an overview of the city. We’ve got some great tips on places to go back to and good bars and restaurants from the guides too.
Kathryn Burrington
March 24, 2017 at 10:46 amSuch a useful guide, Lucy. I had no idea Cape Town had so much to offer, especially when you are on a budget. Top of my list would be a visit to Bo Kaap.
Lucy
March 27, 2017 at 10:53 amBo-Kaap’s so colourful, especially on a sunny day when those colours just pop!
Suzanne Jones
March 26, 2017 at 10:40 pmCape Town has been on my wish list for a while now. It’s good to know that a trip there doesn’t have to blow the budget. A great guide to print off and refer to if you’re visiting the city.
Lucy
March 27, 2017 at 10:55 amThanks Suzanne, hope it comes in handy sometime!
sianatully
March 31, 2017 at 1:56 pmIm a student who just started my own blog about travelling so reading about how to do it on a budget is so handy! thanks!
Lucy
April 3, 2017 at 9:54 amThanks, great to hear you liked it – and good luck with your blog!
Tania M
April 3, 2017 at 2:16 pmHi Lucy, some excellent tips and advice on Cape Town. A useful column which I will include in the info book for future guests. Thanks for sharing.
Tania, Garfield Road, Cape Town
Lucy
April 4, 2017 at 10:31 amThanks Tania! Really enjoyed exploring Cape Town and hope to be back someday.
Agness of aTukTuk
June 8, 2017 at 6:09 pmI am so happy to learn that I can visit Cape Town on a budget, Lucy! This was a very inspiring post!
Lucy
June 12, 2017 at 3:15 amThanks Agness, hope it comes in useful!
Matt Davison
August 7, 2017 at 4:11 pmHey Lucy,
This is a great job on Cape Town, very detailed write. It’s not somewhere that I have been and it’s beyond a shadow of a doubt something I will have to check out, hope to make a trip sometime soon. This is now shot up in my list of things to do.
Simon Dodsworth
August 14, 2017 at 10:54 pmThanks for the tips, Lucy – a very helpful post. Just back from a short visit (I think we got lucky with the winter weather, and the lack of jet-lag from the UK made it do-able for just a few days). Anyway, stunning views from Table Mountain that almost make teh trip worthwhile just by themselves, but lots still to do if we get the chance to go back again!
I’d also echo what some others say – you have some great photos on the blog that really help sell the destinations 🙂
Lucy
August 14, 2017 at 11:10 pmThanks Simon – there’s no shortage of photogenic spots in Cape Town! Very jealous that you made it up Table Mountain as although we had lots of sunshine it was too windy for the cable car – though it does give me a good reason to get back there again sometime soon!
Greg
November 8, 2018 at 12:48 amI fell in love with Cape Town from the first sight and would like to come back to it. It was there that I discovered the South African wines and I ate ostrich meat dishes. The first time I did not have time to climb the Lion Head or swim in a cage surrounded by sharks.
Lucy
November 28, 2018 at 8:19 pmSo much to do! Hope you get back sometime to do the things you missed.
Harvey Dhash
December 10, 2018 at 4:02 pmCape Town is one place to visit on my Bucket list. Thank you for sharing the tips it is really helpful. I can’t wait to try to visit the places you been.
Lucy
December 17, 2018 at 11:26 amHope you get to make the trip sometime soon!
papilontravels
October 11, 2019 at 7:58 amGreat reading and extremely comprehensive post – pretty much covers everything…
Lucy
October 13, 2019 at 5:10 pmThanks, great to hear it was useful!
Georgia
June 4, 2020 at 4:08 pmI live about 20min outside of Cape Town and this has really opened up my eyes to how much there actually is to do. Another great thing to do is the red bus located at the V&A waterfront it’s R180 and you get a tour of the entire city, there is also a wine route and you can get off and get back on at any point. It’s a great way to spend a day travelling the entire city. It tends to be more crowded weekends so I suggest going in the week.
Lucy Dodsworth
June 17, 2020 at 5:39 pmThanks for the tip!
Tim Neeble
August 24, 2020 at 4:47 pmNice information about cape town places which are best places, a place that draws you in and doesn’t let go. I’d really love to visit Cape Town your photos make it looks amazing! Hiking to the top of lions head is definitely on my bucket list!