In most tourist cities, I see the double decker red bus driving by, with the yellow bubble letters encouraging Hop On! Hop Off!  I’m not sure I can count how many of these I have been on – always on the upper level whether it is sunny (Milan!) or drizzling (Dublin?!)  At least looking at the route(s) of the bus, and the various stops, helps me get oriented in a new city and gives me ideas for exploring.  Usually simply staying on for the whole loop is a fun ride with some interesting facts, trivia, and musical interludes.  But sometimes, you get a whole lot more – like in Cape Town.  I highly, highly recommend riding the Hop On Hop Off bus in Cape Town, and here are my Top Ten reasons why!

10.       It takes you to the base of a very impressive, actual mountain! – which is of course Table Mountain.

9.         It takes you around the mountain (which I couldn’t imagine doing by foot) to a gorgeous garden! – the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

8.         It takes you to so many beaches – including Clifton which has not just one or two, but four (4!) beaches!

7.         It has a companion boat tour of the canal system – yes, Cape Town has a canal!

6.         It has a walking tour of Bo-Kaap – the area with the very colourful houses with a powerful history beyond its natural Instagram inspirations.

5.         It takes you to a beautiful spot specifically to see the sunset – which I believe is usually Signal Hill, but because of the time of year, we got a special treat of having sundowners in Blouberg watching kite surfers at twilight.

4.         The audio guide includes music by a wide range of South African artists – enough to fill a whole CD which is for sale in the ticket office.

3.         It takes you to a winery! – the Beau Constantia wine estate with grand vistas to False Bay.

2.         It takes you to a second winery!! – the Eagles’ Nest, with amazing charcuterie platters and potentially the company of fun German tourists.

And the #1 reason to take the Hop On Hop Off bus in Cape Town is:

1.         It takes you to a THIRD winery!!! – the Groot Constantia, the oldest wine estate in South Africa, where they offer a tour of the facility as well as tastings, including their Pinotage, with just a short walk to meet up with your designated (bus) driver!

Happy hopping!