Cape Town, South Africa, December 2018
It was my 7th trip to South Africa and I am completely spellbound by this incredible country of colours and contrasts, safari adventure and culture.
On our first full day in Cape Town we decided to take part in a cooking class. Why not give it a go!
Full of colour we enjoyed a walking tour of the Bo-Kaap region in Cape Town before taking part in Zannie Misbach’s Bo-Kaap cookery school experience.
Walking the streets dotted with brightly painted coloured houses, I learned about Cape-Malay incredible 400-year history.
After entering Zannie’s home and cookery school we took part in preparing a sumptuous lunch which we then shared with 11 fellow travellers. A real taste of Malay curries and condiments, the flavours packed a punch without being overly spicy.
With so many bars, restaurants and excellent cafes in the heart of the city we thoroughly enjoyed every evening including a night of Southern African entertainment. I can highly recommend ‘Gold’ Restaurant in Cape Town where you’ll experience authentic South African food, live entertainment, dancers and drummers with the atmosphere ‘pumping’. It can be somewhat touristy, but for an all-consuming evening of fun entertainment I feel this is a great option for the traveller.
If coffee is an essential part of your day, you can be assured Cape Town serves up coffee to appeal to all caffeine lovers. Personally, I can recommend ‘Truth Coffee Roasting’ and the ‘Bootlegger Coffee Company’. Capetonians take their coffee fix very seriously so there is coffee and also teas too, for all tastes.
Not-withstanding you are in one of the worlds’ best wine growing regions a visit to some of the oldest wineries in the world is a ‘must see’. If coffee isn’t your ‘poison’ of choice you might like to try something of the grape variety instead.
Head to Nova Constantia and visit Klein Constantia Wine Farm and Estate which dates back to 1685. It’s an easy 30 minute drive on the M3 from Cape Town city. Not only has it incredible wine history; sampling is a must.
The best sweet wine in 2018 in the world came from this estate; the stunning ‘Vin de Constance’ 2014. Having sampled the Vin de Constance 2015 myself I can say the softness to the palate of this golden nectar will have you wanting to buy a bottle. Whilst it doesn’t come cheap at circa $100 a bottle it’s one to save for that very special occasion. I for one have not opened mine just yet, but looking forward to the time I do.
If you are short on time in this city and want a snap shot of its history I can highly recommend the open-top bus tours ‘City Sightseeing’ Red top bus. With several routes to take you through the city it’s a very safe and enjoyable ride, learn about the history whilst sitting back enjoying the sights.
Why not take it to the base of Table Mountain before taking the cable car right to the top. No matter whether it’s first light or at dusk take a jacket as the top Table Mountain can surely become cold very quickly.
You’ll see a whole new perspective of this glorious city at the top of the mountain so add it to your list for sure when considering this fantastic city as part of your next holiday to South Africa.