This Is Africa's Most Travel-Friendly City

The World Travel Awards brand has been recognizing excellence in tourism across a range of categories since 1993. It also holds events around the globe as part of its Grand Tour ceremonies. As stated on its website, these galas are now considered "milestone events in the travel calendar, attended by the industry's key decision-makers, figureheads, influencers and media."

One coveted prize each year is the "Leading City Destination." In the Africa category, Cape Town, South Africa, has won "Leading City Destination" a whopping five years in a row — from 2021 through 2025. In the 2025 awards, it beat out competition from other vibrant South African cities like Durban and Johannesburg, known tourism hotspots like Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, and emerging destinations like Kigali in Rwanda. 

Cape Town also earned a spot on Time Out's Best Cities in the World list for 2026. In this survey of more than 24,000 urban residents from all around the world, it came in sixth place. It was the only African city to make the top 10 and one of only four African cities to make the list at all. As these accolades keep accruing, we wanted to explore Cape Town's secret sauce more fully. What is it about this town at the southern tip of Africa that makes it such a travel-friendly place?

Maybe Cape Town's most distinctive quality as a travel destination is its position on the southern coast of Africa, surrounded by pristine ocean on one side and craggy mountains on the other. The city also has an agreeable Mediterranean climate — with around 300 sunny days per year and mild winters — making it easy for visitors to take it all in, no matter when they choose to visit.

Visitors to Cape Town will want to check out Table Mountain National Park, mostly located within city limits. At the 85-square-mile park, you can ride a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visit the Cape of Good Hope (Africa's southwestern-most point), and explore stretches of coastline like Boulders Beach, the world's only beach where you can get up close and personal with African penguins.

Afterwards, you can explore Cape Town's cosmopolitan food and wine scene. This urban melting pot was an underrated food destination for some time, and now it is recognized as one of the world's culinary capitals. It also boasts proximity to the tourism-friendly wine region of the Cape Winelands, with cities like Paarl and Stellenbosch both under an hour away.

Another aspect of Cape Town that makes it popular with tourists is its exceptional airport, which helps to make travel more efficient and less stressful. Cape Town International Airport earned the top spot in the world in a 2025 global airports study conducted by air passenger-rights service AirHelp. One Google reviewer wrote of the airport, "An absolutely flawless welcome to Cape Town. The airport is incredibly clean, modern, and brilliantly efficient. I was through immigration and had my bags in record time."

Finally, Cape Town gets high marks from the travel industry when it comes to affordability. A study conducted by cruise operator Sail Croatia, and shared by Travel and Leisure, named Cape Town the world's most affordable luxury destination in 2026. According to the study, prices in Cape Town were lower for accommodation, food, and travel-related experiences compared to other luxury destinations. This is backed up by reviews on Tripadvisor, where luxury hotels in Cape Town are often praised for their affordability. Given everything else it has going for it, we won't be surprised if Cape Town continues its reign as Africa's most travel-friendly city.