New Years Eve in Cape Town, South Africa – Priceless!

Top Cape Town Destinations for a New Years Eve Celebration

New Year’s Eve is without a doubt the most anticipated day of the year in Cape Town with the Mother City offering locals and visitors alike a plethora of tantalizing choices on how to ring in the New Year.

Olga Ernst [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Whether you are looking to party in South Africa’s most-visited destination or prefer a quieter dining experience at one of the local wine farms, it is best you start planning now to avoid heart-wrenching disappointment later in the year.  Every year more than 2.4 million international tourists arrive in Cape Town during December. While this is great news for the tourism industry, it does mean that hotels, restaurants, and popular tourist activities may be fully-booked well in advance.  Here are some of the top places to celebrate New Years Eve in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dine at a Vineyard

While wine tasting is one of the best ways to spend a day in Cape Town, the various wine farms in the area also make for splendid New Year’s Eve destinations. The exquisite Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl is a mere 40-minute drive from the city center and the venue of choice for individuals seeking a relaxed New Year’s celebration.  If you are looking for an equally as magnificent celebration closer to home, book a table at the beautiful Waterkloof Wine Estate just outside Somerset West.  Here you can expect to dine at beautifully-laid tables sporting rows of flickering tea lights and majestic lanterns that lend a romantic air to the venue. Apart from delectable food and a wide variety of top-quality wine you can also expect to enjoy world-class entertainment that will ensure that you start 2020 in style. If you want to spend New Year’s Eve at a wine farm you better secure your spot soon as most venues are fully booked months in advance already.

Head to the V&A Waterfront

If you are looking to end 2019 in spectacular fashion head on over to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront for a New Year’s celebration unlike any you have ever experienced.  Every year the entire waterfront is transformed into a wonderland complete with pop-up opera, rock, pop & jazz performances, magicians, belly and fire dancers, and even comedians. Even the youngest members of your family will be catered for with the Kids Ahoy playground serving as the hub for kids’ entertainment.

Eat (and drink) your heart out

There are plenty of astounding eateries at the Waterfront where you can indulge in exquisite food and drink from more than 80 restaurants and food trucks while waiting to ring in the New Year. Some of the most popular establishments among locals and tourists alike include Cause/Effect Cocktail Kitchen & Cape Brandy Bar, MAReSoL (which has a reputation for dishing up the best Portuguese food in all of Cape Town), Melancino, and the Kapstadt Brauhaus.  Whether you spend your entire evening reveling in the magic of your surrounds or simply pop in for the mind-blowing midnight fireworks display, the V&A Waterfront is without a doubt the place to be on New Year’s Eve!

Make your way to Table Mountain

Table Mountain is undoubtedly one of the most well-known tourist attractions in the world.  Reflect on the year that was while watching the sunset from the top of Cape Town’s pride and joy. Although you will no longer be able to ring in the New Year from atop the mountain, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the celebrations down below up until 9:30 pm when the last cable car departs the mountain. If you are looking to kick off 2020 from one of the higher vantage points around the city, you can easily take a drive up to Signal Hill where you can enjoy a picnic from the comfort of your car and watch the fireworks display at the V&A Waterfront as well as other celebration spots in the city. If this sounds like your dream New Year’s celebration you better secure your spot on the mountain early as it has become extremely popular over recent years among people who want to escape the madness of Cape Town’s typical party scene.

Cape Town is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in the entire world. Regardless of where you choose to spend your New Year’s you are bound to make memories that will last a lifetime.