Why Travellers Can't Stop Talking About Cape Town Right Now (March 2026)
Cape Town is having a moment that refuses to be quiet. Just weeks after Time Out's 2026 World's Best Cities list shuffled the rankings and knocked the Mother City from its coveted top spot, travellers everywhere are doing something unexpected — they're booking flights anyway. In fact, the mild controversy seems to have done the opposite of dampening enthusiasm, sparking a global conversation about what makes this extraordinary destination tick and reminding wanderers exactly why Cape Town earned that number-one throne in the first place.
March is arguably the single best month to be in Cape Town. The brutal summer heat has softened into warm, golden afternoons. The tourist peak has thinned out. The wine valleys are mid-harvest, the wildflowers are pushing through on the Cape Peninsula, and the city's famously vibrant food and arts scene is firing on all cylinders. Whether you're a first-timer or a returning devotee, right now is the moment. Here's everything you need to know before you go.
What's New in Cape Town
The Waterfront's Bold Reinvention
The V&A Waterfront has unveiled a sweeping new precinct along its eastern basin, with a cluster of independent restaurants, a craft spirits bar from local distiller Inverroche, and a redesigned boardwalk that makes sunset strolls genuinely unmissable. The development leans hard into local talent — expect Afro-fusion menus, live jazz spilling onto cobblestones, and none of the generic mall energy that once defined parts of the strip.
Zeitz MOCAA's New Exhibition Season
The world-class Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa has opened its 2026 exhibition calendar with a headline showcase celebrating twenty years of South African street art, featuring large-scale installations from artists including Mikhael Subotzky and emerging Cape Flats muralists. Entry is around R200 and worth every cent — the building alone, carved from a converted grain silo, is one of the most architecturally stunning spaces on the continent.
Harvest Season in Franschhoek
Drive forty-five minutes from the city and the Franschhoek Wine Valley is in full harvest mode throughout March. Estates including Boekenhoutskloof and La Motte are hosting cellar-door tastings with freshly pressed juice and behind-the-scenes harvest tours. The annual Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival falls in late March, drawing serious wine lovers from across the globe for a long weekend of bubbles under the mountains.
Neighbourgoods Market Returns to Full Swing
The legendary Neighbourgoods Market in the Biscuit Mill, Woodstock, has expanded its Saturday footprint for 2026, adding a new outdoor stage and a dedicated section for young Cape Malay food producers. Arrive by 9am for the best bobotie bunny chows, fresh koeksisters, and single-origin coffee before the crowds descend.
Getting There
Cape Town is served by Cape Town International Airport (CPT), located just 20 kilometres from the city centre — roughly a 30-minute drive outside peak traffic. South African Airways and Qatar Airways remain the most popular long-haul carriers, with Qatar offering excellent connections through Doha from Europe, Asia, and Australia. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is consistently competitive on price from East Africa and beyond.
For travellers flying from within southern Africa, FlySafair and Cemair offer sharp domestic fares from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) with flight times under two hours. Book at least six to eight weeks in advance to catch return fares from London below £650, and set fare alerts on Google Flights — March midweek departures regularly undercut weekend prices by 15 to 20 percent. At the airport, the MyCiTi Bus Route 100A runs directly to the city centre for under R100, making it one of Africa's best airport transit bargains.
Where to Stay
Budget: The Backpack, De Waterkant
The Backpack is a Cape Town institution — a Fair Trade-accredited guesthouse beloved for its rooftop bar, genuine community atmosphere, and dorm beds from around R350 per night. Private rooms are available from R900. It's central, safe, and staffed by people who genuinely love helping guests navigate the city.
Mid-Range: Gorgeous George, City Bowl
Tucked into a beautifully restored heritage building on St George's Mall, Gorgeous George offers boutique style without the boutique price tag. Rooms from approximately R2,200 per night include rooftop pool access, a seriously good breakfast, and design-forward interiors that photograph embarrassingly well. The location puts you steps from Long Street's nightlife and the Company's Garden.
Luxury: Ellerman House, Bantry Bay
For unabashed indulgence, Ellerman House in Bantry Bay is consistently rated among the top ten hotels in Africa. Clifton's beaches are a short walk away, the wine cellar holds over 7,000 bottles, and the Atlantic Ocean views from the infinity pool are the kind that make you forget what day it is. Rooms from R18,000 per night — worth every rand for a special occasion.
Must-Do This Month
- Hike Lion's Head at sunrise — the chain-and-ladder trail takes about 90 minutes and the panoramic views over the city at dawn are genuinely life-changing. Free entry; go midweek to avoid queues.
- Take the cable car up Table Mountain — March's clear skies make visibility exceptional. Book online in advance to skip the notorious walk-up lines at the lower station.
- Spend a morning in the Bo-Kaap — the cobblestoned, colour-washed Cape Malay neighbourhood is best explored before 10am with a guide from Bo-Kaap Guided Tours for historical context that transforms a photogenic stroll into something genuinely moving.
- Day trip to Cape Point and Boulders Beach — watch the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, then drive to the dramatic sea cliffs of Cape Point before the afternoon winds pick up.
- Dine at The Test Kitchen — Luke Dale-Roberts' legendary restaurant in Woodstock remains one of Africa's most exciting dining experiences. Book weeks ahead — but cancellation spots do appear on their direct website.
Budget Guide
Cape Town delivers exceptional value in March 2026. Budget travellers can live well on R800–R1,200 per day, covering hostel accommodation, street food and market meals, and free or low-cost attractions like beach days and neighbourhood walks. Mid-range travellers should plan for R2,500–R4,000 per day, including a boutique hotel, sit-down restaurant meals, museum entries, and a wine-tasting excursion. Luxury travellers spending R8,000–R15,000 per day unlock private guides, fine dining, spa treatments, and helicopter tours over the Peninsula — an experience that has no real equivalent anywhere in the world.
Book Now
Cape Town doesn't need a number-one ranking to prove its worth — every sunset over the Atlantic, every bite of freshly smoked snoek, and every view from the mountain summit does that job effortlessly. Search flights to Cape Town (CPT) on AirConnect today and secure your March fare before the secret gets any louder.