From mountain views and wine estates to gardens, history and coastline, discover six unforgettable Cape Town experiences through an LGBTQI+ travel lens.
Six Iconic Experiences for LGBTQI+ Travellers
There is something liberating about arriving in a city and knowing you can experience it on your own terms.
For LGBTQI+ travellers, that can mean finding welcoming spaces and enjoying a destination without feeling that your identity has to sit on the sidelines.
In Cape Town, the experience can be much bigger than LGBTQI+ nightlife. From the Atlantic coastline to the mountains, gardens, vineyards, museums and working harbour, there are countless ways to experience the city.
The Cape Town Big 6 brings six of those experiences together: Cape Point, Groot Constantia, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, V&A Waterfront and Robben Island Museum.
Cape Town Tourism’s Go All Out Club is working with tourism businesses to strengthen LGBTQI+ inclusion across the destination, creating spaces where visitors can explore freely and authentically. In 2026, Cape Town was named Best LGBTQ+ City Destination at the SPARTACUS Travel Awards.
Start with the city at the V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is an easy place to begin exploring Cape Town, with restaurants, shopping, entertainment, art, harbour views and access to major attractions. It is also the starting point for the ferry to Robben Island Museum, making the two easy to combine.
Make space for reflection at Robben Island
From the V&A Waterfront, take the ferry across to Robben Island Museum. The island’s history is inseparable from South Africa’s struggle against oppression and its journey towards democracy and human rights.
For LGBTQI+ visitors, a place shaped by questions of freedom, dignity and equality can carry particular resonance, without reducing its much broader history to a single community’s experience.
Take the view from Table Mountain
Next, take your experience higher with the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. Whether travelling solo, with friends or as a couple, the summit gives you that classic Cape Town moment: the city, ocean and mountains stretching out below you.
It is also a reminder that LGBTQI+ travel does not need to be confined to specifically queer venues. The destination itself is yours to explore.
Slow down at Kirstenbosch
For something completely different, spend time at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Walk the gardens, explore indigenous flora, enjoy the mountain setting or simply find somewhere to sit and take it all in.
Whether it is a romantic morning, a relaxed afternoon with friends or quiet time travelling solo, Kirstenbosch provides space to experience another side of Cape Town.
Add wine and history at Groot Constantia
At Groot Constantia, the experience shifts towards heritage, wine, food and conversation. Explore the historic estate, enjoy a tasting, visit the museums or make time for lunch.
It is another example of how an inclusive Cape Town itinerary can combine the places everyone comes to see with experiences that make the destination feel personal.
End at the most south-western point of Africa at Cape Point
Finally, head south to Cape Point. Follow the roads through the Cape Peninsula, stop for the views, explore the landscape and make your way towards the lighthouse and dramatic coastline.
The journey itself is part of the experience, with the landscape changing from city to mountain, coastal villages, beaches and dramatic ocean scenery.
Take the scenic route home via Chapman’s Peak
If time, weather and road conditions allow, consider returning to Cape Town via Chapman’s Peak Drive. The spectacular coastal road winds between the mountains and Atlantic Ocean, with viewpoints overlooking Hout Bay and the rugged coastline.
It is particularly memorable towards late afternoon into golden hour. Check the current road status before travelling, as closures can occur.
Cape Town is yours to explore
LGBTQI+ travellers visiting during Pride Month can seek out the city’s queer community, events, nightlife and celebrations. But Pride does not have to define the entire trip.
Cape Town offers the opportunity to do both: celebrate who you are and experience everything the destination has to offer. You can spend the morning surrounded by indigenous gardens, stand on top of a mountain by lunchtime, learn about South Africa’s history in the afternoon, watch the sun move across the Atlantic from Chapman’s Peak and end the night surrounded by Cape Town’s LGBTQI+ community.
The Cape Town Big 6 gives you six starting points. The rest of the city is yours to discover.
Planning a Cape Town experience? Explore the six iconic attractions and start building your own itinerary at ctbig6.co.za, and follow @CapeTownBig6 for inspiration, updates and ideas for your next Cape Town adventure.
About the Author — Fuad Peters
Fuad Peters is a Cape Town–based tourism professional, digital media specialist and storyteller with nearly 20 years’ experience in destination marketing and tourism development. As Director of I AM CAPE TOWN and co-lead of Travel Massive Cape Town, he connects communities, brands and travellers through meaningful, authentic experiences. Passionate about culture, collaboration and sustainable tourism, Fuad’s work and writing invite audiences to discover Cape Town not just as a destination, but as a place to belong.
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ONE DESTINATION, SIX UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
There is no one way to explore all of the Cape Town Big 6, and much of what makes each of them so special is the variety of things to see and do at each. So if possible, take your time to explore each of the city’s most visited tourist attractions in as much depth as possible – as any local will tell you, you can spend a lifetime at each of the Big 6 and still not tire of them. Find the 3 and 4 day itineraries and tips here.