Cape Town is home to some of South Africa’s most spectacular scenery and iconic locations. Whether you’re a tourist or local, there’s a multitude of hot spots to inspire a lifetime of photography. In no particular order, here’s our ten favourite photo opportunities in the Cape Town area…


READ MORE: A Guide to Golden Hour in Cape Town


Table Mountain from Blouberg Beach

Table Mountain

A no-brainer, Table Mountain and it’s unmistakeable silhouette is deservedly one of the world’s new natural wonders. Trekking to the top is a feat unto itself (or you can always take the easy way with a quick trip on the cable car), and offers photographers panoramic views of the city bowl below and horizons beyond. However, if you’re looking for that iconic shot of the mountain itself, we recommend heading north to Bloubergstrand.


The Penguins of Boulder's Beach

The Penguins at Boulder’s Beach

No trip to Cape Town is complete without visiting Boulder’s Beach in Simonstown. With it’s white sand, big grey rocks and clear blue sea, this tightly cropped beach is rich with photo opportunities – and teeming with hundreds of African Penguins. Take note, this has become a popular tourist destination, so time your trip to try avoid the crowds.


READ MORE: Shooting in Cape Town? A Quick Guide to Permits & Locations


Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter

Bo-Kaap

Cape Town’s historic Malay Quarter is also the city’s most colorful, with it’s rainbow hued houses forming an iconic part of the city’s visual identity. Nestled under Signal Hill in the City Bowl, this is a favorite spot for tourists and photo hunters alike!


St. James Beach, Cape Town

St. James Beach Huts

For another flash of Cape Town colour, visit St. James Beach on the Cape Peninsula’s eastern coast. Unmistakeable for its multicolored Victorian beach huts, St. James is another iconic location and photographer’s dream.


Lion's Head & Signal Hill

Lion’s Head & Signal Hill

Whether taking the drive up to Signal Hill, or hiking further to the peak of Lion’s Head, this peak neighbouring Table Mountain might not rival its height, but may outclass it in sheer panorama. From this vantage point, the ocean, mountain, and both City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard is all presented before you. It’s really just a challenge of how wide your lens can go!


LEARN MORE: Discover the other side of Cape Town with the Township Photo Tour


The Company's Garden

The Company’s Garden

The centerpiece of Cape Town’s colonial past, the Company’s Garden is home to a number of museums and historical landmarks, with manicured lawns and botanical gardens providing a popular hangout for both locals and tourists. Besides these numerous features, it also offers an up-close and unhindered view of the imposing Table Mountain.


Chapman's Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive

The most scenic drive in the Cape – and possibly one of the most beautiful drives in the world – Chapman’s Peak Drive offers kilometers of narrow bends and curves along the mountainous Atlantic coastline, and countless photo opportunities.


The Old Lighthouse at Cape Point

Cape Point

Where two oceans meet, Cape Point or the Cape of Good Hope is the southernmost tip of the peninsula. With stunning coastal cliffs surrounded by water on nearly all sides, and a couple of lighthouses old and new, Cape Point is one of the region’s prime tourist destinations offering unmatched views.


West Coast Flower Route

West Coast Flower Route

If you’re lucky enough to be in the Cape during August and September, a must-see attraction is definitely the West Coast National Park with its endless fields of wildflowers coming into bloom. While 100km outside of Cape Town, this is definitely worth the trek for photographers and nature-lovers alike.


READ MORE: Tips for Photographing Cape Wildflowers


Cape Winelands

Cape Winelands

Regarded as one of the best wine routes in the world, the Cape Winelands of Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and beyond offers more than just a drink, with idyllic vineyards set against the magnificent backdrop of the Cape Fold Mountains. Just arrange a designated driver, and don’t forget your camera bag behind!


If you’d like to develop your photography in some of the Cape Town’s most scenic locations, sign up for DLPHOTO’s Outdoor Photography Workshop or Township Photo Tour.