ONE PERFECT DAY CAPE TOWN
One Perfect Day Cape Town - Luxury Travel Magazine
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One Perfect Day Cape Town | |||||
| By: Beatrice Spence, Issue 45 – Summer 11 | |||||
| (Cape Town, South Africa) | |||||
| THERE ARE PERFECT DAYS AND NOT SO PERFECT DAYS WHEN TRAVELLING. A PERFECT SIGHT-SEEING DAY IN CAPE TOWN, THE CHIC LEGISLATIVE CAPITAL OF SOUTH AFRICA, MIGHT GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, ACCORDING TO BEATRICE SPENCE. | |||||
| Cape Town is a city best negotiated by car so we hired one on arrival at the airport with a GPS and headed in to the city. With a population of over three million it’s a multi-cultural city with immigrants flooding in from across Africa. Australian gum trees line the route into the city and the famous Table Mountain is a stunning backdrop. We are heading straight to Camps Bay and follow the signage for an easy half-hour drive with dramatic coast views to arrive at the chic beach suburb. The main road along this beautiful white sand beach is lined with lively restaurants and cafes. | |||||
| THE BAY HOTEL | |||||
| With an unbeatable location on Victoria Road directly opposite Camps Bay Beach this hotel evokes a nostalgia for summer holidays with long, relaxed, activity-filled days. The hotel has pools with views over the beach, a day spa and hairdresser, bars and restaurants, access to tennis and squash courts, bicycles to ride along the beach promenade and a DVD library. Built at the end of the 80s the spread out low-rise white buildings are pleasant and suit the chic beachside ambience. There are a variety of different suites available for all budgets. We had a sea view suite, which was spacious and comfortable with cream and wood furnishings. The suite had a small lounge leading on to a private balcony where we enjoyed a glass of wine watching the activity slowing down on the beach at sunset. Rooms start from ZAR1,710 (about A$250) per night, Premier rooms start from ZAR5,605 (about A$821) per night. Note that in peak seasons, especially summer, rooms can book out months in advance. thebay.co.za. | |||||
| VICTORIA & ALFRED WATERFRONT AND ROBBEN ISLAND | |||||
| The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a quick 15-minute drive with ample parking provided. Still a working port, the waterfront is an historical area which has been revitalised as a dining, shopping and residential district. There’s a large craft and arts market selling items from all over Africa, including some stores with quirky, hand made jewellery. The V & A area is popular with tourists and locals alike; the walkways are crowed and the many restaurants (over 80) are full. The world class Two Oceans Aquarium is also here. The Aquarium is extensive and even provides visitors with the opportunity to dive (no cages) with great white sharks, which are known to breed extensively in the waters around Cape Town (nonetheless there are less shark attacks annually than Australia). Next stop is Robben Island, with ferries departing from the Nelson Mandela Gateway, V & A four times daily. Robben Island is, of course, where South Africa’s first democratic prime minister, Nelson Mandela, was confined for many of his 27-year imprisonment. On the tour it’s possible to visit Mandela’s small cell. Primarily used since the 17th century as a prison, in 1997 it was declared a museum and world heritage site. The island is also a conservation area for its bird, marine and wildlife. The options for how to spend the rest of the afternoon are numerous; a drive along Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, with the hope of spotting some whales, a cable car trip or hike up Table Mountain (be warned – this is a two to three hour expert hike, which is a straight up rugged climb). In the end we opt to visit the historic vineyards in Constantia for a late lunch at the Constantia Uitsig Restaurant housed in an original Cape Dutch Homestead with spectacular views of the mountains and vineyards. The heavily awarded La Colombe restaurant is also housed in this vineyard and is worth a return visit for dinner. We stop at another vineyard en route back to the city and end up with a couple of cases of wine clanking in the boot. As we pass the city on the way to Camps Bay we decide to stop at Green Market Square. | |||||
| GREEN MARKET SQUARE | |||||
| Green Market Square is set on a cobblestone square in the centre of the city and is the oldest market of Cape Town. The square was built in 1696, when the first burgher watch house was built, and hence its original name Burgher Watch Square. Later it was used for trading by passing ships. On sale are clothes, jewellery and arts and crafts from throughout Africa. Expect to barter hard. Once you are shopped out retreat to one of the many cafes and bars that line the square for a refreshing drink. | |||||
| THE GODFATHER RESTAURANT CAPE TOWN | |||||
| The concierge at the hotel recommended a restaurant around the corner for dinner. The Godfather is a laid back restaurant specialising in fresh seafood and sushi. As it was a Tuesday night we were seated, however do make reservations on weekends. The atmosphere was cheerfully noisy with a large birthday party and a family with four children under 10: all tables were full. The Godfather specialises in seafood only and there are no alternatives available. After being seated your waiter will take you up to the counter and talk you through the day’s seafood deliveries. On offer were oysters, lobster, prawns, local fish and many of the better-known fish such as salmon, perch and tuna. All the fish is delivered fresh daily and our selection was perfectly cooked. Enjoyed with a local South African wine it was a delicious and casual dining experience. ($Mid-range). | |||||
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