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Cape Town is no stranger to the headlines, but usually it’s the gorgeous scenery, diverse food culture and winelands that take centre stage. But this time around it’s the city’s cultural landscape that’s grabbing the spotlight.
Time Out’s latest global culture ranking has placed Cape Town fifth in the world, recognising a city where creativity is not only waiting to be discovered in intimate galleries or bijou independent theatres, but woven through the city’s colourful neighbourhoods and public spaces.
Let’s start with the art.
From the landmark Zeitz MOCAA at the V&A Waterfront to the Norval Foundation and sculpture garden in Steenberg, Cape Town’s contemporary art scene is the strongest on the continent. The city’s cultural calendar is anchored by the Investec Cape Town Art Fair each February, which draws collectors, galleries and curators from across the globe.
Music? There’s plenty of that too, whether you want to get suited and booted for a night at the Opera, soak up the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at City Hall, or dive into arthouse cinema at The Labia. Throw in independent creative spaces, music festivals, design-led events and immersive art experiences, and the only surprise is that Cape Town didn’t rank higher!
"Cape Town's culture scene is deeply layered and always evolving, and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting. You’ve got staples like First Thursdays that draws locals out on a free, citywide art crawl at the start of each month, alongside standout moments in immersive and contemporary culture. From LUMENOCITY’s recent takeover of the Company’s Garden to Veuve Clicquot’s Emotions of the Sun's Magnum Photos collaboration, it’s clear why Cape Town is firmly on the global cultural map right now,” says Selene Brophy, Time Out Cape Town City Editor.
And there's plenty more on the horizon! Don't miss the powerful Spring Is Rebellious: The Art & Life of Albie Sachs at Zeitz MOCAA (until August); Brett Murray's Wild Life at Norval (until October), Cape Town Opera's Carmen at Artscape (19–31 May) and the South African premiere of Prima Facie at the Baxter (4–29 August).
So, how did Cape Town land the #5 spot?
According to Time Out’s survey, Capetonians were overwhelmingly positive about their city’s arts and culture scene, giving it an 84 percent approval rating. The city also scored 60 percent for affordability, an increasingly important marker in a world where culture can too often feel out of reach.
And when locals were asked what Cape Town does best, festivals and live music came out strongly too.
For a city already named Time Out’s Best City in the World in 2025 and ranked among the global top 10 again in 2026, this latest accolade confirms what many locals already know: Cape Town’s magnetic energy extends beyond the mountains and beaches into the Mother City’s myriad creative spaces.
Who else made the cut?
And while we’d love to see Cape Town at the top, the Mother City was up against some serious competition. The global top 10 is a roll call of cultural heavyweights. London took the top spot, ahead of Paris at #2, New York City at #3 and Berlin at #4. Cape Town followed at #5, ahead of Melbourne, São Paulo, Madrid, Florence and Kraków, which rounded out the top 10. Cape Town was also the highest-ranked African city on the list, with Marrakech in Morocco at #12 and Cairo in Egypt, where the Grand Egyptian Museum recently opened, at #16.
📍 Discover the best galleries and museums in Cape Town
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