The Western Cape has become one of the most filmed regions in the world, with Cape Town and its surrounds regularly appearing in international films and TV series, writes Miriam Kimvangu.
Night view of Cape Town/YUXUAN WANG/Unsplash
Over the past few years, streaming platforms, studios and other local filmmakers have continued to choose the province for its visual range and production infrastructure. This growing screen presence offers a fresh way for adventurers to explore the region, using film and television as a guide to landscapes, neighbourhoods and lesser known corners of the province.
Cape Town City Bowl and CBD
In recent years, the Cape Town CBD has featured prominently in series such as The Umbrella Academy, Black Bird and a range of international thrillers and dramas. Streets in the City Bowl and Foreshore are frequently transformed into fictional cities through set dressing, signage and digital effects. What appears on screen as a European capital or an American downtown is often a familiar Cape Town street viewed from a slightly different angle.
Things to do:
Explore Loop Street, Bree Street and the Foreshore on foot, paying attention to the mix of historic and modern architecture. Visit the Company’s Garden, browse independent galleries, and stop at locally owned cafes. Film fans may recognise corners that briefly appear on screen, even when they were heavily disguised.
Cape Town Film Studios and Atlantis
Atlantis Dunes/AntonieJ/Wikimedia Commons
Cape Town Film Studios has played a central role in the city’s recent rise as a global filming destination. Large scale productions such as Netflix’s One Piece were filmed here, with entire fantasy worlds built inside the studios. The series showcased the technical skill of local crews and reinforced the Western Cape’s reputation for handling complex international productions.
Things to do:
While the studios themselves are not open to the public, the surrounding area offers access to the Atlantis dunes and nearby beaches. Sandboarding, guided dune walks and coastal drives provide a sense of the wide open landscapes that often support studio based productions.
Atlantic Seaboard and iconic coastal roads
Clifton 4th/Finding Dan | Dan Grinwis/Unsplash
The Atlantic Seaboard continues to be one of the most recognisable filming areas in the province. Camps Bay, Sea Point and Chapman’s Peak have appeared in action films, romantic dramas and high profile series, often representing luxury destinations or dramatic turning points in a storyline.
Things to do:
Walk or cycle along the Sea Point Promenade, relax on Camps Bay beach, or drive Chapman’s Peak for panoramic ocean views. These locations are frequently used for exterior shots, making them some of the easiest filming sites to recognise while travelling.
Southern Suburbs and everyday Cape Town
Newlands Forest/Tim Johnson/Unsplash
Series such as Blood and Water have placed the Southern Suburbs firmly on the screen map by portraying Cape Town as itself rather than as a stand in for another city. Schools, homes and neighbourhood streets play a central role, offering a grounded and contemporary view of life in the city.
Things to do:
Visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, explore Constantia’s green belts, and spend time in neighbourhood cafes and local markets. These areas highlight a quieter side of Cape Town that contrasts with its blockbuster image.
Winelands and historic estates
Cape Winelands/Roland Lüthi/Unsplash
The Western Cape Winelands have long attracted filmmakers, and in recent years they have continued to feature as European inspired settings and grand rural estates. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek have appeared in international productions where historic architecture and manicured landscapes are essential to the story.
Things to do:
Plan a wine tasting route, explore Stellenbosch’s oak lined streets, and visit heritage buildings and art galleries. The Winelands offer an easy blend of film inspired sightseeing, food and cultural experiences.
Cederberg
Wolfberg Arch/dconvertini/Wikimedia Commons
The Cederberg has become increasingly popular with filmmakers seeking ancient, dramatic landscapes. Most notably, Outlander used areas of the Cederberg to stand in for parts of the Scottish Highlands in later seasons. The region’s rugged mountains, rock formations and wide open spaces translated convincingly on screen, despite being thousands of kilometres from Scotland.
Things to do:
Go hiking among sandstone formations, visit San rock art sites, and stay overnight for stargazing in areas with minimal light pollution. For fans of Outlander, the landscape offers a rare chance to experience a familiar world in an entirely different context.
Ongoing conversations
While film and television have brought investment and international attention to the Western Cape, the industry is also shaped by ongoing conversations about labour conditions, transformation and sustainability. In recent years, protests and public discussions within South Africa’s film sector have highlighted concerns around fair pay, job security and the long term wellbeing of crews and creatives.
Behind every production are thousands of workers whose skills make these stories possible. Supporting local businesses, engaging with South African productions and being mindful of how tourism intersects with creative industries all contribute to a more responsible way of exploring filming locations.
Exploring the Western Cape through film and television is a great way to explore how landscapes are reimagined and how global productions intersect with local realities. As more series and films continue to choose the province, the Western Cape remains both a cinematic backdrop and an active participant in shaping the stories the world sees.
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