A 3-Day Romantic Weekend in Cape Town

Bo-Kaap, the city's oldest surviving residential quarter, packs brightly painted Cape Dutch and Georgian houses onto cobbled lanes climbing the lower slopes of Signal Hill. Wander the rows together, then join a Cape Malay food-and-storytelling walk; local hosts like Bo-Kaap Roots run them from Wale Street. Go in the morning, when it is cooler, quieter and the light is better.

Walk the Company's Garden, South Africa's oldest public garden, a tree-lined green spine through the city centre, free and open daily. An easy hour later you are on Bree Street, a mile of independent restaurants and bars made for browsing and grazing.

Green and ringed by mountains, the Constantia valley is South Africa's oldest wine region, made for a slow afternoon for two. Begin at Groot Constantia, the country's oldest wine estate, founded in 1685, with a tasting in its historic cellars and a wander through the manor grounds. Unhurried, scenic, romantic without the fuss.

The valley rewards depth over speed: a single tasting and an unhurried meal on a terrace make a complete afternoon.

Stand under the cathedral-like atrium carved out of an old grain silo, then climb to a rooftop with 270-degree views: Zeitz MOCAA, the Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, is the highlight of a last day drifting around the mostly pedestrian harbour. Pair it with the Waterfront's wine: Belthazar pours an enormous by-the-glass list, and Time Out Market Cape Town has the Culture Wine Bar and dozens of food stalls. All of it is indoors, ideal for a hot or unsettled day.

If the Waterfront feels too busy, walk De Waterkant instead: pastel terraced houses, cobbled lanes, cafés spilling onto the pavement and Table Mountain framing the streets. It is calmer and more intimate than the harbour, and an easy walk from Bo-Kaap and the Waterfront.