cape town
Best of the rest…
The Book Lounge The Book Lounge is a wonderful independent bookstore for African fiction and non-fiction. The staff also make great recommendations. If time’s too tight for a visit, it’s possible to order online for free local delivery — have a book or two sent ahead to your hotel.
The Labia Theatre The Labia is Cape Town’s best independent cinema, and screens interesting films and documentaries as well as Hollywood hits. There are often midweek specials for discounted dinners at nearby restaurants and occasional local film festival screenings with crew Q&As.
Then of course there are the trails.
Table Mountain sits right in the middle of the city, with routes and climbs for all levels of fitness and experience. Most people hike up Platteklip Gorge to
reach the top of Table Mountain, as it’s a relatively simple (albeit steep) and clear trail. But India Venster is a much more interesting and scenic route for those comfortable using their hands to get up a few small scrambles. This one requires a guide, but it’s a Capetonian favorite. Both Platteklip and India Venster end near the cable car station, so you can catch a ride back down to the road — and, of course, people who don’t want to hike can take the cable car up and down. On the eastern side of Table Mountain,
Skeleton Gorge is a leafy route that’s ideal for a hot day. Following a stream all the way up to the dams on top of Table Mountain, the shady hike has some ladders and rocks to clamber over, but is mostly straightforward and ends at a white-sand beach by Hely-Hutchinson dam — who knew Table Mountain had beaches? It’s best to
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avoid this route in rain when the waterfalls are in full flow, as it can be very slippery.
FOOD AND WINE As the undisputed foodie capital of South Africa, Cape Town has no shortage of excellent places to eat and drink — the struggle is keeping up with new openings. For travelers from places such as North America and Europe, fine dining is an incredibly good value, with the most expensive tasting menus priced around $100 per person. La Colombe is consistently voted one of the best restaurants in town (and the world), with creative dishes that are just as pleasing on the eye as the palate. But the real treats are all the relatively
inexpensive small-plate restaurants that are probably best described as ‘casual fine dining.’ Chef Liam Tomlin does this very well. His restaurants have set menus of tapas-like small plates. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia – in the Constantia winelands – is very popular, but sitting at Tintswalo Atlantic and dining on inventive seafood dishes is pretty special.
Oranjezicht City Farm Market Vendors of fresh produce and food gather at the waterfront site each weekend, selling veggies, fruit, coffee and hot breakfasts. It’s a popular place to finish a Saturday morning run in Green Point Park or to just mill around the stalls sampling food.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts Each year, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden runs a series of concerts. Ticketholders can bring a picnic and enjoy the warm evenings with live music. Kirstenbosch also hosts the Galileo Open Air Cinema during the summer.
Above: A market for local farmers and artisanal food producers in Cape Town
image: get ty
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