Search results for

The Bo-Kaap was one of the few Cape Town neighborhoods to escape apartheid’s bulldozers—the cluster of bright buildings, once known as the Malay Quarter, housed many of the slaves who worked for the 17th-century Dutch colonialists. In this colorful area, you can also see some of the oldest, most beautiful mosques in the country, including the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street. Upscale shops have been moving in lately, but don’t miss one of the originals, the spice merchant Atlas Trading Company. To go back in time, explore the Bo-Kaap Museum, furnished like the house of a typical 19th-century Muslim family.

Fearing a British takeover of its ill-gotten trading post, the Dutch East India Company built this star-shaped castle (known as Kasteel de Goede Hoop) between 1666 and 1679 to defend its territory. Now the oldest building in South Africa, the castle served as the center of Cape Town‘s civilian, political, and military life. The austere facade opens up to a striking central lawn and commanding buildings that, in their restored form, represent Dutch, English, and French architectural styles. History buffs will go nuts here: Check out the William Fehr Collection, the African pottery exhibit, and the Castle Military Museum.

Probably the most visited attraction in the city, the V&A combines many elements of the greatest commercial waterfront projects around the world. There are plenty of draws for tourists (the Cape Wheel, helicopter rides, boat trips to Robben Island) and locals (450 retail outlets, from H&M to a major supermarket), but it remains a working harbor, with small seagoing vessels sailing between the main harbor and the dry dock that lies adjacent to the excellent Two Oceans Aquarium and Watershed craft and design hall. There’s even a fast-growing residential section, connected by canals that stretch toward the city. The latest addition, however, is the Silo District, which became one of Cape Town’s must-visit attractions soon after opening in late 2017. Here, a number of restaurants and boutiques, anchored by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, are located amid old grain silos.

This modern French restaurant is located down a hutong (narrow street or alley) and inside a 600-year-old Buddhist temple complex. The dining room was once Beijing‘s first black-and-white television factory. TRB’s space is a handsome study in contrasts: a centuries-old temple in Beijing lovingly renovated to include a bright, clean-lined restaurant serving contemporary European fare. Lunch and dinner are three-, four-, or five-course affairs, available with wine pairings. Dishes on the summer menu include slow-cooked cod with potato fondant and broccoli and, for dessert, chocolate pie with poached pear, pear sorbet, and chocolate sauce. TRB has a second, equally superb restaurant adjacent to the Forbidden City.

Woodstock is the creative heart of Cape Town, filled with galleries, studios, street art, and artsy types galore. The Woodstock Exchange is a hub for the design set, home to a rotating legion of furniture shops, coffee shops, and furniture shops combined with coffee shops. Because, why not? Right when you enter the space, you’ll be greeted by this mammoth sculpture of a sleeping dog. Proceed with caution: this doesn’t look like the kind of guy you’d want to wake up.

“Karin Rae Matthee’s jewelry line Dear Rae is often a simple play on basic geometric shapes. Her delicate rings and necklaces went on display at local markets like the weekly Neighbourgoods Market and drew attention. She next exhibited at Design Indaba, one of South Africa’s premier trade shows for creatives. Her business has grown into a showroom/studio in Woodstock at The Foundry. For timeless charming pieces or a bespoke design, you’ll want to seek out her stand at the market or visit her showroom while you’re in Cape Town.

The multi-tiered wooden decks and cozy thatch-roof rooms, combined with the lush green hillside setting, makes Monkey Valley feel like an island treehouse escape. At the foothills of Chapman’s Peak and rising above Noordhoek Beach, this hotel and restaurant is a secluded spot to have a sundowner among locals. The rustic charm of the hotel combined with the hearty meals served at Thorfynns will make you feel like you’ve escaped to a fairytale world - yet you’re still a mere 40 minutes from Cape Town.

One of Cape Town’s most picturesque corners, this small fishing harbor sees boats sail in daily with their catches (often trailed by hungry seals waiting for tidbits). Recently, however, the area has also become known for its antique stores, restaurants, and shops—one of the best collections of African curios, materials, and artwork for sale can be found at Artvark, on the edge of town. Expect to see everyone from hipsters to surfers to an old couple who’s lived here for 50 years. A seaside promenade connects Kalk Bay to the colorful beach cottages of St. James and to Surfers Corner in Muizenberg, another gem of an old-world suburb that is becoming a second Kalk Bay. Don’t miss Cucina Labia, a restaurant housed in a mansion built by an Italian who wanted to create a little Venice here.

Lose yourself in the fantasy of living life on a small estate in the foothills of Table Mountain at Stellenberg Estate. This private garden is exclusively open to the public one weekend each year (usually the first weekend in November) and is worth the visit if you’re traveling to Cape Town during this time. One of the oldest properties in Cape Town, has been called home by several prominent families over the years. Fortunately, despite changes of ownership, the property managed to escape the ‘Victorianization’ many other homes in the region underwent and retains its classic 18th century Cape Dutch feel. The house is off-limits to visitors and that’s okay because the main appeal are the gardens. The estate is divided into different gardens, each with their own unique characteristics: a white garden, a walled garden, a formal medieval garden, an herb garden, and more. After wandering through each of the areas of the storybook home, there is a small corner of the property where they serve refreshments. Both savory finger sandwiches and sweet cakes are offered, along with coffee and hot or cold tea. There is a small entrance fee, but expect no more than R50-R60 ($6). After all the wonderful inspiration the garden provides, you will be tempted to purchase a plant or two as you walk through their nursery before exiting. The Stellenberg Nursery is open to visitors Monday - Friday, 8:30-16:30.

On a short road trip around the tip of the Cape, I’d been fortunate to be shown a lighthouse from the hillside road which runs along the coast. Working my way down to the beach, I eventually found the Kommetjie lighthouse and Slangkop Nature reserve, which form part of the Table Mountain National Park. A short walk along the boardwalk, with the slow setting sun and great weather made for some amazing views with the lighthouse in the background!

Located on the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, this rugged nature park is the perfect place to set off with a backpack and be active for the day. You can follow in the fossilized footprints of the dinosaurs at Cape Grakolovac, visit an Istrian ox farm and have lunch at a family-owned agritourism operation, lounge at the funky seafront Safari Bar overlooking the Mala Kolombarica cove, ride a bicycle along the orchid trail, kayak or windsurf along the coast, or swim in coves with crystal-clear water. To learn more about the park, head to the House of Nature Kamenjak in the nearby town of Premantura.

Located in the 160-year-old Leinster Hall, The Stack has to be seen to be believed. Its recently refurbished interiors are both outrageous and sublime, with emerald and sapphire walls, a leopard-print couch, and a rainbow of velvet chairs. There’s a beautiful garden out front, a brasserie and bar downstairs, and a private club on the top floor. Dining here feels like you’ve gained entry to a private, Old Cape Town world, but with a modern menu. Standout dishes include the duck rillette and the onion tart with king oyster, shiitake, and shimeji mushrooms.

This little market is full of treasures (and a few tourist souvenirs). What you get to experience here is everyone’s trade and how these crafts help support their family and village. Lots of things to buy...and they’re willing to bargain.

Chapitô is a circus school but also a restaurant and a bar. It’s very close to the castle and has fabulous views over the river. It’s ideal for a romantic dinner.


The cuisine is inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine with a mix of international influences. I had dinner there this week and tried the codfish and I recommend it—but you have to eat it on the terrace, since this menu is different from the one inside the restaurant. You will be stunned with the views from the restaurant. Enjoy this beautiful city over a pleasant dinner. If you want to have a drink afterward, there is a bar on the lower floor, sometimes featuring live music or theater.

If you’re planning on being downtown, or in Lapa, give yourself an hour or two before or after for a recharge at this winning, circa-1923 restaurant. The Nova Capela is right in the middle of the city’s nightlife district, but at that, this Portuguese-influenced locale is the last to lock its doors, just before daybreak. Liveried waiters toil day and night, serving up the joint’s classic dishes: goat in broccoli-rice, braised octopus, plus the most-requested appetizer—the codfish bolinho de bacalhau croquettes, especially yummy here. From there, it’s time for a cold beer or a Portuguese vintage.