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Table Bay, Cape Town
Photo: Corbis

An African blend
Jeevan Vasagar
“The Mother City,” originally a waystation for Dutch sailors en route to the East Indies, it was the first European settlement in South Africa and the most important until the discovery of gold triggered the rise of Johannesburg.

Some say Cape Town is a European fantasy of Africa, scrubbed free of the cultural richness of the continent. But that ignores the extraordinary blend of cultures which make up the Mother City; Malay, African and European mingled here and had to be ripped apart violently by apartheid.

The savage legacy of that regime will not be wiped out in a generation, but the Rainbow Nation started here: Nelson Mandela, once a prisoner on Robben Island in Table Bay, was proclaimed the first president of free South Africa in Cape Town’s parliament building.

Table Mountain, with its white "tablecloth" of cloud unfurling over the city, creates an epic backdrop for the beautiful people playing frisbee on the beaches of Clifton Bay and Camps Bay. There are two oceans to choose from, the chilly Atlantic and the slightly warmer Indian. It is a laidback, tolerant place, lacking the edginess of Johannesburg.
Best view
The view from the top of Table Mountain
It takes about three hours to reach the top, but it’s worth it. Gaze north over the heart of Cape Town, to the Atlantic beyond and Robben Island in the distance. If you can’t face the climb all the way to the summit, there are plenty of fine views from lower down. Take a hat, and plenty of water.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | free
  3. | view

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Best thing to do for free
Play frisbee
Do as the locals do of a Sunday, and play frisbee on the beaches of Clifton Bay and Camps Bay. Better yet, take a picnic hamper and make a day of it.

www.campsbay.com

  1. Cape Town
  2. | free
  3. | beach
  4. | swim

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Where to watch the world go by
Lola’s cafe
The place to start your day. Pavement tables, charming staff and a hip clientele on a street packed with bookshops, galleries and curio shops. It’s vegetarian, but carnivores should not be put off, the food is excellent - try their delicious cupcakes.

228 Long Street; Tel: 27 21 423 0885

  1. Cape Town
  2. | cafe
  3. | watch the world go by

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Nighttime hangout
Tank
Blue-and-white decor with giant fishtanks set in the walls. Set in a busy complex of bars and restaurants, this is a good place to sip local wine, order sushi and people-watch.

72 Waterkant Street; Tel: 30 204 36 32; www.the-tank.co.za/

  1. Cape Town
  2. | bar
  3. | eating
  4. | watch the world go by

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Cultural highlight
District Six Museum
During apartheid, the multi-racial neighbourhood of District Six was bulldozed and its mixed-race population evicted to townships outside the city. This museum documents the joys of living in what was once one of the liveliest parts of Cape Town, as well as the injustice of white minority rule. Wonderful photographs of the city as it used to be.

25A Buitenkant Street; Tel: 27 21 461 8745; www.districtsix.co.za/

  1. Cape Town
  2. | museum
  3. | culture
  4. | historic site

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Bring back
A case of South African wine
You’ll have fun deciding which one in the tasting rooms of the winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl, a short drive from Cape Town.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | shopping
  3. | souvenir

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Leave there
Wooden African carvings
Such a cliche.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | tourist tat

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Time for love
Camps Bay
The cliffs of the Twelve Apostles, a mountain range jutting from the flanks of Table Mountain, provide a spectacular backdrop. Take a bottle of white wine, and settle down on the fine white sand to enjoy a blissful view.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | romance
  3. | beach
  4. | view

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Best-kept secret (till now)
Chapman’s Peak Drive
Chapman’s Peak Drive, cut into the sheer mountainside, offers spectacular views of the sandy bays below, as well as the city by night. It was closed due to rockfalls, but is now open again.

www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/

  1. Cape Town
  2. | view
  3. | secret

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The thing to eat
Cape Malay cuisine
A distinctive blend of local ingredients and Asian cooking techniques invented by Malays who were brought to South Africa as slaves, generations ago. One example is 'roties', flat bread filled with spiced meat and vegetables.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | food
  3. | local speciality

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Green space
Cape of Good Hope nature reserve
There are antelopes and plenty of birds, as well as ‘fynbos’, a fine-leaved plant kingdom unique to the southern tip of South Africa.

www.capepoint.co.za/

  1. Cape Town
  2. | park
  3. | nature
  4. | green

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Best ride
The Table Mountain cable car
Walk to the top, and buy a one-way ticket down (Adults: R60, children R30).

Tel: 27 21 424 8181; www.tablemountain.net

  1. Cape Town
  2. | view
  3. | ride
  4. | transport

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Keep the kids happy
African Penguins
They can be seen at Boulders Beach.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | free
  3. | nature
  4. | family
  5. | southern hemisphere beaches
  6. | wildlife

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The novel to read
Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela
Why South Africa is the way it is.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | books

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Where to eat (budget)
Ferryman’s Tavern
Good value pub grub on the waterfront. Around R45 per head.

Corner of East Pier Road and Dock Road, Victoria and Albert Waterfront; Tel: 27 21 419 7748

  1. Cape Town
  2. | eating
  3. | budget

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Where to eat (moderate)
Panama Jacks
An excellent seafood restaurant in the dock area. You have to book and even then you might have to wait, but it’s worth it. Around R120 per head.

Eastern Mole Road, Quay 500; Tel: 27 21 447 3992 or 27 21 448 1080

  1. Cape Town
  2. | eating

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Where to eat (posh)
The Savoy Cabbage
One of Cape Town’s best. Rustic food and good veggie options, which can be rare in South Africa. Have a drink afterwards at the Po-Na-Na bar upstairs.

101 Hout Street; Tel: 27 21 424 2626

  1. Cape Town
  2. | eating
  3. | posh

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Where to stay (budget)
Breakwater Lodge
Once a prison, now cheap accommodation in a great setting, within walking distance of a multitude of bars, restaurants and shops. Doubles start at R460.

Portswood Road, Victoria and Albert Waterfront; Tel: 27 21 406 1911; www.bwl.co.za/

  1. Cape Town
  2. | accommodation
  3. | budget

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Where to stay (moderate)
Victoria Junction
Stripped brickwork and wireless internet in the rooms. Elegant bars, a gym and a narrow open-air pool. Doubles start at R1,000.

Corner of Somerset Road and Ebenezer Road; Tel: 27 21 418 1234; www.proteahotels.com/findhotel.jsp?croid=vjunc

  1. Cape Town
  2. | accommodation

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Where to stay (posh)
Mount Nelson
Turn of the century building set in acres of greenery at the foot of Table Mountain. Their traditional afternoon teas are said to be formidable. Doubles are between R3,460 (low season) and R5,125 (high season). Luxury suites go from R8,030 (low season) up to R12,165 (high season).

76 Orange Street; Tel: 27 21 483 1000; www.mountnelson.co.za

  1. Cape Town
  2. | accommodation
  3. | posh

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Find out what's on
Mail & Guardian
Try the entertainment guide in the Mail & Guardian, a weekly paper.

  1. Cape Town
  2. | events

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Get there from the airport
Airport transfer: Taxis
The taxi journey to the city centre should last no more than 20 minutes, but only use Touch Down Taxis, the company officially authorised by the airport. Shuttle buses run from both the domestic and international arrivals buildings and are available on-demand or pre-booked. The first passenger costs R120, then each additional passenger from the same group costs an extra R30.

www.airports.co.za

  1. Cape Town
  2. | transport

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