CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
- lau0976
- May 3, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 4, 2022
Description: Mountains meet beach. Starry skies shine brightly through the black sky. Buildings are painted all the colors of the rainbow. While South Africa has a long, and deeply complicated history — today’s Cape Town is a blend of cultural and natural beauty, and three days will give you the perfect taste of it. Be warned, you may not want to leave.
Destinations:
Day 1 - City bowl & V&A waterfront
Day 2 - Mountains & beach
Day 3 - The Winelands
Where to stay: Cloud 9 Boutique Hotel & Spa is an exceptional hotel, with comfortable beds, a spectacular rooftop terrace, a restaurant and pool.
When to go: We visited in early April.
THE ITINERARY:
THE DETAILS:
DAY 1
City bowl & V&A waterfront
If you’re flying into Cape Town, it’s a good idea to purchase a South African SIM card at the airport. Vodacom has a stand in the baggage claim area. Uber is widely available in SA, and we recommend using it for transportation, as Cape Town is a sprawling city. Before you leave, make sure your payment info is up-to-date in the app, so you don’t have issues when you land (we found the wifi unreliable in the Cape Town airport at the time of writing this).
Wake up to sunshine and super fruits in a bowl at the Conscious Kitchen
Walk northeast on Bree street to admire an assemblage of mosques, shops, restaurants and bars. When you reach Dorp Street, hang a left and walk towards the colorful buildings of the Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Visit the Bo-Kaap museum to soak up some of the local culture. This neighborhood housed many islamic families after the abolition of slavery and the museum illustrates what life was like.
After your visit, detour to the Bokaap deli for a Red Flat White (essentially a Rooibos tea latte) and a traditional koeksister (a delish soft donut, covered in coconut flakes, cinnamon & sugar) — these are traditionally eaten every Sunday in Muslim households. If hungry for lunch, the green goddess shakshuka is delicious.
From Bo-Kaap, head to the V&A Waterfront — it’s a touristy area from where the boat tours depart, with a mall, restaurants and bars. It has a unique feel to it though, and it’s location on the water is a nice place to relax with a beer and people-watch. Shop, listen to street performers, watch the seals, & grab a beer out on the deck at Kapstadt Brauhaus.
Later, return to City Bowl for some dinner at Between Us. The pappardelle with oxtail ragu is heaven.
DAY 2
Mountains & beach
For a more intense hike, swap out Lion’s Head for the kasteelspoort trail to the diving board. It’s a popular route as well as selfie destination, but it’s actually a very enjoyable journey upwards, albeit, intense. Be prepared to be winded and make sure to bring snacks, water and sunscreen.
Start off your morning with a delicious breakfast from the chefs at Cloud9 — you will need your strength for today’s outdoorsy agenda.
You can take the bus, an Uber or walk to the parking lot closest to Lion's Head, (keep in mind, though, you’ll be doing a lot of walking today) to start your afternoon hike.
There are multiple routes up Lion's head, but if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck (and the safest route) opt for the lower-level hike around the base.
Workout completed, grab an Uber or the bus to Camps Bay Beach.
Have a luxurious lunch (or the Daily Cream Tea after 3PM) at Bella's, the restaurant at Camps Bay Resort. The grilled cauliflower is fantastic. If arriving later (after 5PM) truffle fries and a nice cold beer overlooking the Atlantic is the perfect happy hour.
If you're looking for a more casual beach afternoon, grab picnic supplies from the nearby Woolworths.
Spend a relaxing afternoon either on the beach, or strolling south along the coast, a nice walk is to Bakoven Beach, which has a great view of the Twelve Apostles mountains.
For a nice happy hour activity, indulge in a relaxing massage (go on, you’ve earned it) at Cloud9, or a nice swim in their petite outdoor pool.
Later, enjoy some delicious tacos from El Burro Taqueria.
DAY 3
The Winelands
Our itinerary below suggests renting a car, but know that there are endless options for experiencing the Cape Winelands. One tour we can highly recommend is this airbnb experience hosted by Richard, who will pick you up at your accommodation in Cape Town and drive you around to multiple wineries in an air-conditioned van. If you want to venture out on your own, but are worried about drinking and driving, we recommend spending the night in Franschhoek at La Cotte Farm, and simply walking to the many wineries nearby, or commuting there via the Franschhoek wine tram.
It's smart to make reservations in advance for your wine tastings.
Opt again for Cloud9’s breakfast spread, so you can get an early start on your day trip to the beautiful Winelands east of the city.
Pick up your rental car in Cape Town.
Head out to your first stop at Paserene Wine Farm & Wine Tasting in Franschhoek. Sitting outside is lovely and there are lots of small perfectly paired bites available to munch while you try the wines. If you are a fan of white wines, make sure to try the chardonnay.
Continue on to lunch at La Cotte Farm. Light fare is seasonal, fresh (straight from the ground) and delicious — try the Franschhoek Trout and the garden salad. If you are looking to stay somewhere for the evening, this has lovely cottages equipped with kitchens - so you can bring supplies and have a lovely long weekend in the country.
Next stop is Stellenbosch Hills Winery Try the 1707 range (symbolizes the year of which the first grape vines were grown on the property) which are just two excellent wines, the Reserve Red & Reserve White.
Finally, head to the last stop on your wine tasting journey at Vergelegen Wine Estate. For lover's of Bordeaux and complex, heavy reds, try the Flagship Range Tasting. It's also lovely after your tasting, to tour the spectacular gardens — you can wonder through the themed gardens self-guided, or if you prefer to do this with a guide, reverse today's itinerary and make this your first stop, as tours run only in the morning.
Head back to Cape Town, and return your rental car.
Celebrate your last night in Cape Town with an evening meal on gorgeous the rooftop terrace of Cloud9 (the Salmon Trout Ceviche, Beef filet tapas & fried chicken tacos are all outstanding). Start planning your trip back...
Feel good by giving back:
Tip your Uber drivers, waiters and hotel staff — with fares and prices being a fraction of the cost you might see anywhere else, give back by thanking your drivers and hotel staff generously.
Buy some unique art from the Original T-bag Designs shop — the founder trains locals to create these unique pieces from dried tea bags, and has struggled to get her operation back up-and-running post-pandemic. Find them online, or at both store locations at the V&A Waterfront, or in Hout Bay.
Drink Polkadraai wine — Stellenbosch Hills aims to help it's community by contributing a portion of proceeds from Polkadraai wine to fund the Vlottenburg Primary School.
Leave positive reviews — local businesses benefit from your feedback. Especially when you've had an exceptionally good experience, write a Google or Tripadvisor review.
For your daily dose of
travel inspiration
Comments