Celebrating the Cape's Finest
The Galileo Open Air Cinema has officially been crowned Best Place to be Seen in the 2026 Kfm 94.5 Best of the Cape Awards, powered by Yoco.
The winners were announced live on Friday, 21 August 2026, celebrating the people, places, businesses and experiences that make the Western Cape extraordinary.
The awards are one of the Cape’s biggest annual celebrations, bringing together more than a million Kfm listeners to vote for their favourites across 30 categories. From the best sights and tastes to the experiences that make people say, “You have to try this!”, the Kfm Best of the Cape Awards celebrate the very best our province has to offer.
This year, a brand-new experience category was introduced: Best Place to be Seen.
And Cape Town voted The Galileo Open Air Cinema into the top spot. 🏆
A Place That Creates More Than Just Movie Nights
The Best Place to be Seen category celebrates the places that capture the Cape’s imagination, dominate social feeds and get people talking.
From unique restaurants and trendy hangouts to memorable experiences worth sharing, these are the places that inspire the selfies, reels, stories and group chats that say: “Let’s go there!”
The Galileo was honoured to compete alongside some of Cape Town’s most iconic and exciting experiences.
The final positions, determined by more than 440,000 public votes, were:
🥇 Winner: The Galileo Open Air Cinema
🥈 Second Place: Café Caprice
🥉 Third Place: First Thursdays
The other finalists included BLONDIE, a trendy bar and eatery, and Zwidobo, the large-scale public cultural experience.
Each finalist represents something special about Cape Town: a city constantly creating, gathering, exploring and searching for its next memorable experience.
A Win That Means Even More
What makes this award particularly meaningful is that The Galileo Open Air Cinema is a seasonal experience with events taking place from October to May. In the colder Cape Town season, the outdoor cinema packs away its screens, picnic blankets and movie magic, waiting for the return of summer. When voting opened, many of our guests had experienced The Galileo months earlier, and yet they remembered.
They remembered the welcoming smiles of the cinema crew, the sunsets, the diverse scenery, the picnic vibes, the laughter, the yummy eats from the vendors, the stars above and the simple joy of watching a favourite movie outside with friends, family or someone special.
"We were competing against some of Cape Town's most popular and trendy places to be seen, so we were slightly doubtful that The Galileo would take the top spot, particularly because we close over winter," says Matthew Schulz, Managing Director of The Galileo Open Air Cinema. "This win just shows how much value we have created for our guests over the years, and that we are a fun, welcoming, and memorable evening to spend in Cape Town. Thanks to everyone who remembered The Galileo when it came time to vote."
For us, the support of the community is perhaps the biggest award of all. With The Galileo going into its 15th season of screenings, it really isn’t possible without the support of our guests.
Thank you, Cape Town ❤️
To everyone who voted for us, visited us, shared a photo, posted a reel, brought a date, gathered their friends, celebrated a birthday, introduced someone to The Galileo or simply spent an evening under the stars with us:
Thank you!
This award belongs to our guests, our venues, our partners, our vendors, our incredible staff and crew and everyone who has helped make The Galileo part of Cape Town summers for more than a decade.
Winning Best Place to be Seen is a wonderful reminder that, in a city filled with incredible things to do, people still value experiences that bring them together.
And Now, We Head Into Our 15th Season
As The Galileo prepares to celebrate its 15th season, this recognition gives our entire team an incredible boost as we get ready for another summer of movies, sunsets, picnics and unforgettable nights under the stars.
The 2026/2027 Summer Season opens on 15 October 2026, with ticket sales expected to go live on Webtickets before the end of September.
Whether you’re looking for a unique and casual date night, a multi-generational family outing, a catch-up with friends or ticking off one of the most memorable things to do in Cape Town this summer, we’re ready to welcome you back.
Cape Town has spoken, and apparently, when it comes to the best places to be seen, the best seat in the house is under the stars at The Galileo. ✨🎬🏆
