Things To Do
High Constantia Wine Cellar
There are so many wonderful wine farms in the Constantia (Cape Town suburbia) region, but first and foremost we'd have to recommend Gabriella's godfather's estate - a beautiful boutique vineyard, home to award-winning cabernet franc, and exceptional bubbles that are a must! Other nearby wine farms that we recommend and frequent within the Constantia wine route listed below. This is a great route to do some or all within the Cape Town limits if you're short on time and are unable to spend a day out in the Franshoek or Stellenbosch wine regions, or, as we do, pop in for a tasting and a bite if you've got an hour or so to spare: Constantia Glen: www.constantiaglen.com Eagle's Nest: www.eaglesnestwines.com Beau Constantia: www.beauconstantia.com Constantia Uitsig: hwww.uitsig.co.za
Cape Malay Cooking class in Bo-Kaap
The Bo-Kaap area is a culturally and aesthetically vibrant, rich with history, colour, and Cape Malay flavors. A rich heritage area which is a must visit, even if time permits only a walk through and snapping some pictures beside the eclectic rainbow of residences that line the streets. It is partly in an effort to preserve such rich heritage that, today, a handful of local ladies living in the Bo-Kaap – an animated ethnic neighbourhood that sits on the slopes of Signal Hill – have taken it upon themselves to provide members of the public with lessons in traditional Cape Malay cooking. We highly recommend a cooking class (~2-4 hours), where you'll learn these traditional methods and delicious dishes - it's a really fun & fulfilling experience!
Boulders Beach Penguins
Penguins on the beach that you can get up close & personal with... need we say more!? March-May is peak breeding season, so this is a great time of the year to visit. Less tourists, more penguinos! The best time of the day to visit is either earlier morning (before tourists!), or late afternoon, after they have returned from a day of fishing. For lunch or some wine in the area, we recommend the Brass Bell -- it's unpretentious and right on the water by the Kalk Bay Harbour (https://www.brassbell.co.za)
Lion's Head & Hiking
There are so many hiking routes that we could recommend, but the standout one that we love to do (read: Gabi drags James up every time) is non other than Lion's Head! You'll fall in love with the 360 degree views of Cape Town, Camps Bay, Twelve Apostles, Robben Island, and the entire bay area. If you've only got time for one hike, this is it! 10/10 recommend a sunrise hike - it's about a 45 minute hike to the top, so start before the sun comes up and plan to watch the sun peak over the horizon over Cape Town. Other notable walks and hikes we recommend: Platteklip Gorge (2.5miles / ~3hrs) Cecilia Waterfall Kasteelspoort Trail to the 'Diving Board' Pipe Track Constantia Nek Hiking safety is always important, so as a reminder, never hike alone!
Oranjezicht City Farm Market (& more!)
A big part of local culture and weekend activities includes some of the best farmer's markets you'll go to, in the most beautiful locations, complete with authentically beautiful gifts, unique & delicious food stalls, local gins & more. Markets & Days: Oranjezicht City Farm Market -- Saturdays & Sundays 9am-2pm, Wednesdays 5pm-9pm -- Haul Road, Granger Bay Blvd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town Bay Harbour Market -- Fridays 5pm-9pm, Saturdays & Sundays 9:30am-4pm -- Very close to a local favorite "Fish on the Rocks" for fish & chips, and Hout Bay Harbour Gin Distillery. -- 31 Harbour Road, Hout Bay, Cape Town Mojo Market -- Monday-Friday, 8AM-midnight -- Indoor food & drinks market -- 30 Regent Road, Sea Point, Cape Town Old Biscuit Mill Neighbourgoods Market -- Saturdays 9am-3pm, Sundays 9am-4pm -- Food, drinks, coffees, trinkets, shopping. Close to: Woodstock Brewery, Woodstock Gin Co, Hope Gin -- 375 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
Franschhoek Wine Valley
Franschhoek is about 1 hr outside of Cape Town, so to fully enjoy this beautiful wine region, we recommend booking a night so that you can experience two days and make the most of the MANY wine farms. One of the best ways to experience Franschhoek's valley of wine farms is to book the Wine Tram. A 'hop-on-hop-off' experience, there are several different routes, each stopping off at a different selection of vineyards. On Saturdays and Sundays, there's a lovely food and craft market (Franschhoek Village Market) located in the town center, at 29 Huguenot Road.
Chapman's Peak Drive Lookout Point
This is one of our favourite drives in the city, especially around sunset, and with great reason! Grab a bottle of wine, pick up a pizza or sushi, and picnic at an outlook spot during sunset along the Chapman's Peak drive!