At the end of January last year (there’s a lot to catch up on here!) I spent a super fun and relaxing week in Cape Town. It was my second visit to the Mother City and I cannot wait to go back soon. While many people spend three to five days in the city before heading to other cities in South Africa, going on a safari or traveling along the Garden Route, I think one week is the right amout of time to see everything Cape Town has to offer. Here’s what I got up to:
The beaches: Being on a relaxing summer holiday I spent a lot of time at the beaches. The beach in Hout Bay (see above) is my favourite, but the Clifton beaches are always worth a visit too. I also like Camps Bay in the morning when everybody takes the dogs to beach for a walk.
The pools in Sea Point:
I never go swimming at the Cape Town beaches. Not only because I’m afraid of sharks but because the water is freezing, even in the height of summer. The public pools in Sea Point are a great alternative and admission is only 23 Rand (about 1,50 €). I prefer to go during the week because it gets super busy on weekends.
City Center: While living on Long Street I explored some of the surrounding areas: the Central Buisness District, Vredehoek, Tamboerskloof and Bo Kaap. The colourful houses in Bo Kaap are a must-see when in Cape Town! One of my favourite places in the city is the crossing of Kloof Nek Road and Burnside Road: there are several great resaturants and cafés (The Power and the Glory, El Burro, Beleza) that attract a young and international crowd.
Woodstock: I also made it to Woodstock two times. Last time I visited I only saw the Old Biscuit Mill and the Neighborgoods Market but this time I took the time to wander along Albert Road, browse the many shops and see some street art. My favorite spot in Woodstock was the Woodstock Exchange with its shops, cafès and restaurants. I had lunch at Superette twice: their salad platter is what salad dreams are made of! Woodstock and the Exchange feel like Williamsburg, Brooklyn about 10 years ago, which is really cool.
Sea Point and Greenpoint: Sea Point is a great place to visit (or even to live at) because it kinda has it all: the afore mentioned pools, close proximity to the beaches and the city center, lots of shopping, all kinds of eateries, a small beach and a long promenade that leads you along the water to Mouille Point and Green Point. Unfortunately most of the park along the promenade was dried out due to the ongoing draught.
Art & Culture: I was super excited to visit the new museum on the Waterfront: MOCAA – Museum for Contemporary African Art. The building itself is an artwork: it used to be old silos and is an architectural masterpiece now. The view from the sculpture garden on the roof is stunning! The exhibits were also amazing, I loved seeing artist I already knew and loved like Kehinde Wiley and El Anatsui and discovering many new (to me) african artists. Admission is 1300 Rand – quite expensive for Cape Town in my opinion but definitely worth ist.
On Thursday evening I attended First Thursday in the CBD: galleries and shops stay open until late, there are special events and live music everywhere, a vintage market is set up and there are things to to do all over town. I loved how busy it was! It seemed like all of Cape Town was out & about and enjoying themselves. My favourite new discovery on this evening was the Young Blood Arts & Culture Center on Bree Street. Definitely a place to check out – even if it’s not First Thursday.
The food: I got to revisit many of my favourite spots from my last visit (Sidewalk Cafe, Royal Eatery, Bay Harbout Market -> see the full list here) but also discoverd some new gems: the café Tamboerswinkel, Dunes Beach bar & Restaurant in Hout Bay and the aforementioned Superette at the Wooodstock Exchange and Mojo Market in Sea Point. The food alone is reason enough to visit Cape Town – I could hop from one restaurant to another all day long!
How I got around: I never took a Taxi or Uber during my week in Cape Town. Wherever I wanted to go I either walked or took the MyCiti Bus. Bus rides cost about 70 Rand (0,50 €) for short rides in the city, the buses are clean and safe and mostly on time. They will get you anywhere in town: to and from the Airport, to Camps Bay (107), to Gardens and Vredehoek (101), to Hout Bay (108 +109), to Sea Point or to Woodstock. I can highly reccommend using these buses! But you can’t buy tickets on the bus, you have to get a MYCity card beforehand and load some money on it! All information about it is here.
Where I stayed: Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel on Long Street in the city center.
How much I spent: On average I spent abou 35 € per day, that includes all food & drinks, bus rides and admission. Super cheap even now thet the exchange rate is not as good as it used to be for us.
Big Cities. Bright Lights. 