Cape Town: A Charming City

Having travelled all over the world, I have several favorite cities. Paris. Madrid. Istanbul. Budapest. But, I have found the one that surpasses them all. The one that has stolen my heart completely: Cape Town. This charming city has it all: Beach and mountains. Romance and adventure. Fine dining and cheap eats. Art, wine, culture, history. And most importantly, incredibly warm and friendly people. Here’s a recap, but the best advice I can offer: head to Cape Town ASAP!

Priya’s guide to Cape Town: 

Where to Stay: Derwent House. This charming boutique hotel is in Tamboerskloof, one of Cape Town’s trendiest neighborhood, which means it walking distance to lots of great places to eat, drink, and hang out. The staff is wonderful, which is another reason to stay there. Case in point: While we were there it was the owner’s birthday, so they served champagne and small bites to everyone! Rooms are spacious and clean, there is a pool, and breakfast was great.

What to Do: There is literally no end to the exciting sites to see and experiences to have in Cape Town. But here are a few that you absolutely must not miss:

Table Mountain: The most iconic sight in Cape Town, and one of the most famous mountain ranges of the world. Buy tickets for the cablecar in advance and then head to the entrance of the cableway. The ride up offers unbelievable views of Cape Town, and once you get to the top you can spend hours walking around and admiring the view. The top is flat—hence the name!

Robben Island: Visiting the prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for eighteen years is undoubtedly one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The tour of the prison is given by a gentleman who was jailed with Mandela, making the experience all the more impactful. I cannot recommend this enough. The prison represents not only an important part of South Africa’s history, but of the world’s history as well.

Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point & Boulders Beach: At the very end of the cape peninsula is Cape Point, a stunning natural reserve within the table mountain range where you can see impressive views of the ocean. Use the Flying Dutchman funicular to see the mind-blowing panoramic view. En route, try to take the Chapman Peak’s Drive, a scenic mountain route, and be sure to stop at Boulders Beach, where you can see cutest warm water penguin colony!

Where to Eat and Drink: There are so many places!! Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong anywhere in Cape Town. The food is diverse, the booze is plentiful, and the quality is impressive at most venues. But, I did get some awesome recommendations from friends and did some serious research, so the places I went to were really awesome, and I am happy share the details! Keep in mind no matter where you stay Uber and taxis are everywhere in Cape Town so it is very easy to get around.

Lunch/Brunch:

The Old Biscuit Mill: Literally the best food market I have ever been to. Bitterballen from the Netherlands, pizzas, dumplings, falafel, baked goods, beer stalls and wine tastings and so much more. There are also a few sit down restaurants, including The Test Kitchen, which is one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. After eating and drinking to your heart’s content, pursue the artworks and knicks and knacks at the many local shops. The Mill is located in Woodstock, one of Cape Town’s many suburbs.

Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room: This fun brunch spot has mimosas, eggs, avocado toast, burgers (which Cape Town is famous for) and a great atmosphere. It’s small, but full of locals so you know it’s good.

Happy Hour:

The Rumbullion: The terraces of The Roundhouse (which is also a great restaurant!) is the perfect place to grab a drink and a snack, largely because of the stunning views. The restaurant and terraces are a part of Table Mountain, offering some of the best views of famous mountain range you can ever imagine. Come in the evening so you can relax at a one of Rumbullion’s picnic bench with a cocktail while watching the sunset behind the mountains. It will be the most memorable happy hour of your life!

Dinner:

Bukhara: Being Indian, sometimes I just want a good Indian meal, even when I am travelling. Luckily my husband loves Indian food as well. Luckily, Cape Town has an impressive international food scene, and that extends to Indian food. Bukhara has lemon rice and garlic naan and mushrooms and peas cooked in a spicy gravy and paneer, which is cheese, served with spices and spinach, spicy potatoes, and more. The beautiful restaurant is located near the V&A Waterfront which is a beautiful area to walk around, with its lovely views of the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain.

The Greenhouse at the Cellars-Hohenort: One of the best fine dining options in all of South Africa. The stunning dining room has several tasting menu to choose from, all of which showcase the best of South Africa’s seasonal produce. Be sure to get the wine pairing and the cheese course: it features the same cheese served four times, at four different temperatures. It is epic.

Drinks:

Asoka: This trendy and charming cocktail lounge and restaurant is in the ever-popular Tamboerskloof neighborhood. It’s a great place to grab a drink before or after dinner.

The Verdict: This is the vacation of a lifetime. Experience it for yourself!