GoTravelDaily Local Lucy Corne fell in love with Cape Town following an overland trip across the continent. She was captivated by its mountain-meets-beach beauty, its laid-back attitude to life, and its vibrant dining scene. She moved there in 2010, and every time she catches a glimpse of glorious Table Mountain, she considers herself one very lucky lady.
Stunning Views of Cape Town
For a great view of the city, you need only to open your eyes. There are few places as strikingly beautiful as Cape Town. Whether you’re stuck in traffic heading into town on the M3, scrambling to the top of Lion’s Head, or taking the train to Simon’s Town, the mountain is always visible. Consequently, when a glimpse of it stops making you smile, it is surely time to move on.
Favorite Places in Cape Town
My favorite places in the city tend to make the most of Cape Town’s best asset – Table Mountain. I adore the Twelve Apostles Hotel, whether it’s for high tea, sundowners, or a massage in the hotel’s spa. I also love the V&A Waterfront, despite most locals tending to avoid it. I enjoy the holiday atmosphere, and when you sit down for a Belgian beer at Den Anker, you get the postcard view of Table Mountain.
Fun Family Activities
I have a young son who loves visiting Clay Café in Hout Bay. Families sit alongside artsy 20-somethings to paint their chosen piece of pottery while sipping tea or munching on fresh salads and slabs of carrot cake. Moreover, I’m never sure what’s more exciting for the kids: painting the porcelain, scrambling around the outdoor jungle gym, or returning three weeks later to pick up their finished product.
Finding Your Perfect Beach
On a sunny day, I like to head to Muizenberg. It tends to be fairly windy, but it’s my closest beach, and the seafront strip has undergone a major transformation in the past few years. Now, there is a selection of decent restaurants and cool places to grab a beer or a coffee. Moreover, surf schools are plentiful. Although every couple of years, I take a lesson, I prefer to watch the waves from the safety of the shore.
Budget-Friendly Dining
For cheap eats, I head to the Eastern Food Bazaar in the city center. Hidden away in a covered corridor between Longmarket and Darling Streets, it features a row of Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern takeaways. Join the locals for lunch and grab a curry or a kebab for around R50, then indulge in some people-watching and enjoy an ice cream as you get back to your business on the streets of Cape Town.
Discovering Cape Town’s Diversity
What I love most about Cape Town is that however long I live here, I feel like I haven’t scratched the surface of what there is to see, do, and eat. There are beaches I still haven’t visited, hikes I probably haven’t even heard of, and the city center dining scene is so dynamic that it’s tough to keep track of the latest restaurants and foodie trends. Consequently, I cannot remember the last time I sat at home on the weekend complaining of boredom.
Relaxation in Nature
When I need to relax, I go for a solo stroll through the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden – or at least, I should. Every time I go there, I marvel at how lucky we are to have this stunning garden on our doorstep. You can often find a quiet corner in which to relax, and there are gentle hikes through the forest. Plus, there’s an excellent tearoom serving the fluffiest scones topped with jam and cream!
Fine Dining Options
To splash out, I never hesitate to book a table at La Colombe, one of the top restaurants in the country. The food is outstanding, the experience is unpretentious, and I’ve never had so much as a bad course there, let alone a bad meal. It’s fairly pricey by local standards, but for visitors to Cape Town, it’s actually a very affordable fine dining experience.
A Frustration with Transportation
One thing I dislike about Cape Town is the minibus taxis, with their incessant honking, constant calling to potential passengers, and their, let’s say, alternative approach to the basic rules of the road. They are a cheap and colorful way to get around; nonetheless, as a pedestrian or driver on Cape Town’s roads, they soon become tiresome.
Escaping the City
When I want to get out of the city, I head to the Winelands for a leisurely lunch. One of my favorite spots is Warwick Estate, where you can spend hours enjoying one of their picnics while lounging on the lawns. For a sumptuous sit-down meal with exceptional views, try Glen Carlou, situated between Paarl and Franschhoek. Moreover, when I feel like something a bit less fancy, I swap wine for beer and grab a biltong and cheese platter at the Barley and Biltong at Spice Route, just outside Paarl. Their microbrewery is one of the best in the country.
Understanding Cape Town’s Culture
You know you’ve been in Cape Town too long when you understand – and use – the concept of ‘now-now’. Capetonians are not best known for their punctuality, and when someone promises to do something ‘now-now’, this could mean anything from ‘within the next five minutes’ to ‘at some point throughout the course of the day’. It frustrates some new arrivals; however, Cape Town’s relaxed attitude to time is one of the reasons I adore the place. I’ve been chronically late for everything my entire life, and in Cape Town, I feel I’ve finally found where I was meant to be.
