by EvanSundays in Cape Town have a rhythm all their own. The pace slows down, the mountain looks a little softer in the morning light, and the day belongs to whoever is willing to get outside and use it. If you have been searching for what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town, you are in good company: locals and visitors alike treat it as the one day worth planning properly, whether that means a forest walk, a market breakfast, or an afternoon that ends with good food and better company.
This guide pulls together verified, current activities to do around the city, organised so you can build a full day without the guesswork. Whether you want fun places to go with the family, date ideas Cape Town couples keep coming back to, or a few ‘cool things to do near me’ before the week starts again there is something below for every kind of Sunday.
Start The Morning On The Mountain
Cape Town’s mornings are cool and clear more often than not, ideal for getting outdoors before the day warms up. If you are typing ‘activities to do near me’ into your phone before you have even had coffee, Newlands Forest is one of the first answers locals give when asked what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town, and it sits right at the foot of Table Mountain. The forest forms part of Table Mountain National Park, so the trail network extends well beyond the forest boundary if you want to push further. no matter your fitness level or how much time you have before lunch.
It is a dependable starting point for anyone still deciding what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town, and we have covered the trail options in more depth in our own Newlands Forest Hiking Trail guide if you want to plan the route in advance.
Spend Time Among The Vines
If a walk in the forest is not quite your pace, Cape Town’s wine country is close enough to fold into the same Sunday. Groot Constantia, established in 1685, is South Africa’s first wine farm and one of the oldest wine-producing estates in the world. The estate is open daily, including Sundays, from 10:00 to 17:00, with tasting and retail services running from 09:00 to 18:00, and last tasting tickets issued at 17:00. For anyone treating this as one of their date ideas Cape Town has to offer, the centuries-old architecture, vineyard views, and unhurried tasting make for a memorable few hours and another solid answer to what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town.
Browse A Sunday Market
Not every Cape Town market runs on a Sunday, so it helps to know which ones do before you plan your route. Two options, one in Hout Bay and one at the V&A Waterfront, are worth the drive if you are browsing places to visit this weekend with atmosphere.
Bay Harbour Market
Open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday year-round in an old fish factory on Hout Bay harbour, the market has stalls selling art, craft and fashion alongside food vendors and weekend live music.
Oranjezicht City Farm Market
The market is open Saturdays and Sundays from 09:00 to 14:00 at Granger Bay Boulevard in the V&A Waterfront, with produce from more than 40 local farmers and 80 artisanal food traders.
Both markets are easy to combine with a scenic coastal drive if you have the morning free. If you are searching for ‘places to see near me’ with local character, a Sunday market remains one of the simplest answers to what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town when you would rather browse than hike.
Catch A Concert Or A Match
Cape Town’s Sunday afternoons offer two very different kinds of entertainment, and both are regularly recommended by locals asked what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
The Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert season usually runs from November to March, with several performances scheduled on Sundays, with past acts such as Mi Casa, Prime Circle, Karen Zoid and Francois van Coke, and Goldfish. Gates typically open at 16:00, with the concert running from 17:15 to 19:00. Guests can bring picnic blankets and hampers and settle on the lawns with Table Mountain as a backdrop. If your Sunday falls within the season, keep an eye on their Instagram for this year’s dates once they are announced.
Cricket at Newlands
Newlands Cricket Ground has hosted matches since 1888 and remains a major venue for domestic and international cricket, sitting at the foot of Table Mountain with Devil’s Peak as a backdrop. Fixture dates change through the year, so check the current schedule before planning around a specific match. When there is a game on, it draws a strong local crowd and remains a genuinely local answer to what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town.
Either option gives the afternoon a clear focal point, whether that is live music at Kirstenbosch or a day of cricket at Newlands.
Drive The Coast If The Road Is Open
Chapman’s Peak Drive, the 9km coastal road between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, is one of the most scenic routes in the country and a popular Sunday drive. The standard toll for a light motor vehicle is currently R68.00 per once-off crossing, with reduced rates for frequent users. It is worth noting that the road is prone to periodic closures due to rockfalls, so checking the current road status before setting out is essential, not optional. When open, the drive offers some of the best ocean views in Cape Town and pairs naturally with a stop in Hout Bay for one of the Sunday markets above, making it one of the more scenic answers to what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town.
Putting Your Sunday Together
Cape Town offers enough variety that a loose plan works better than trying to fit everything into one day. Here is a simple way to structure your Sunday, and it doubles as a quick-reference list of activities to do whenever you are short on planning time.
- Morning: A walk or hike, such as Newlands Forest, to make the most of the cooler air.
- Midday: A market visit or a stop at a Constantia wine estate.
- Afternoon: A scenic drive along Chapman’s Peak, road status permitting, or a cricket fixture at Newlands if there is one on.
- Evening: A sunset concert at Kirstenbosch during the summer season, or simply somewhere comfortable like Forries to unwind.
This structure works whether you are planning solo, as a couple, or as a family. The point is not to rush from one activity to the next but to pick two or three that suit your energy levels for the day.
A Comfortable Way To End The Day
After a morning on the trails or an afternoon in the vineyards, what most people want by the end of a Cape Town Sunday is somewhere relaxed to sit down. That is where Forries comes in. We are based in Newlands, close to Newlands Cricket Ground, and our Sunday Carvery has become a fixture for locals finishing the day properly, with succulent joints of meat and fresh seasonal vegetables served through the afternoon. Our garden is dog-friendly, and the kids’ play area, with its swings, slides and jungle gyms, means the family can stay a while longer. If there is a sports game on, our screens make it easy to catch the score without missing a moment with the people you came with. You can book your table using our convenient Dineplan page.
Whatever your Sunday looks like, from a forest trail to a market stroll to a cricket match at Newlands, there is no shortage of ways to fill it. The activities above are a starting point, not a fixed itinerary, and the best Cape Town Sundays tend to be built around whatever the weather, the season, and your own energy allow.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is open on a Sunday in Cape Town?
Most major attractions, including Newlands Forest, Groot Constantia, Bay Harbour Market, and the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, operate on Sundays and are great to options for things to do to keep busy. It is still worth checking specific opening hours in advance as part of planning what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town, since smaller venues can change their schedules.
2. Is Chapman’s Peak Drive always open on a Sunday?
Not necessarily. The road is scenic but prone to periodic closures due to rockfalls, so check the current road status before setting out rather than assuming it will be open.
3. What are good things to do in Cape Town for a family on a Sunday?
Newlands Forest is a reliable choice thanks to its free entry and flexible trail lengths, and it is dog-friendly outside the picnic area. Markets such as Bay Harbour Market also cater well to families, with food stalls and live music alongside the shopping.
Whether you are ticking off a specific plan or simply working out what to do on a Sunday in Cape Town as the day unfolds, the city rarely runs short of good options, and there is usually a comfortable spot nearby to end the day once you are ready to sit down.
