Easter Weekend was a perfect time to go to Cape Town because we had full 5 days off of work. Or we thought it would be perfect…ticket prices from Johannesburg skyrocketed and it was almost impossible to find accommodation. People from across South Africa and the rest of the world flooded CT because of holidays and Two Oceans Marathon, a popular running event taking place once a year around this time. The moody weather didn’t help either cancelling out trip to Robben Island the first day, not mentioning the rain which spoiled a few other plans along the way.
I compiled a list of must see & do things that I recommend for those who are traveling to Cape Town:
- Beaches: Camps Bay & Clifton 2nd (the last one is perfect for when it’s windy)
- Cape Point – most Southern Tip of Africa
- Cape of Good Hope – where two Oceans meet
- Boulder’s Beach – swim with the penguins
- Robben Island – where Mandela was held (ex prisoners guide you through the Island)
- Hike the Lion’s Head!! Or if you’re lazy take the cable car to Table Mountain
- Winelands: Franschhoek & Stellenbosch – for wine lovers
- V&A Waterfront – stunning and lively harbour (read “touristy”) with shopping, restaurants and bars
- Sea Point – take a walk along the ocean
- Biscuit Mill – really fun, fresh food market where you can buy homemade and handmade products (only Sundays)
South Africa has, hands down, some of the best food I’ve ever tried. And it’s not about their traditional cuisine but literally everything from salads, sandwiches, steaks (duh!), duck and even pizza! Here are some places I highly recommend:
- The Potluck & The Test Kitchen (book way in advance)
- Charango – Peruvian
- HQ, Hussar Grill – Steak
- Chef’s Warehouse, Savoy Cabbage – Contemporary
- Willoughby & Co – Sushi
- La Boheme – Wine Bar & Bistro
Fun bars:
- Union Bar
- Aces & Spades
- Village Idiot
- La Perla
- Caprice (on Sunday)
Being in South Africa wouldn’t be complete without going on a safari. SA has a few parks where you can spot the “big five” in wilderness. The major one, Kruger Park, was more or less 5 hour drive from Johannesburg, a bit too much of a drive for a weekend only, so we settled on Pilanesberg, only 2 hours away. When we got to our safari loge, the friendly staff warmly greeted us and announced that we arrived just in time for the first game drive. All our group got a designated ranger for the whole time of our stay, so we were able to negotiate 6am drives instead of 5am :D.
Wayfarer & Luggage 