I can’t remember how many times I’ve been to Cape Town, but I enjoy it every time I’m there.
On my most recent visit I tried a couple activities that I’ve never done before and it made for an especially enjoyable day.
I was picked up from the cozy and well-located Sea Five Boutique Hotel in Camps Bay by my private guide, Josh, and we drove about half an hour to Klein Constantia wine farm in Constantia, the oldest wine region in South Africa. After sampling some delicious sparkling wine (blanc de blancs Cap Classique), we found our biking guide, Lee, and he led us on a two-hour cruise through the vineyard.
One of the oldest in Cape Town, Klein Constantia was founded in 1685 and sits on the backside of the mountain range that includes Table Mountain. The terrain is hilly and beautiful, offering views of the mountains and False Bay in the distance. While some sections were challenging, when the riding slowed down too much we were able to turn up the power on our trusty e-bikes and cruised up the steeper sections with ease. Cheating? Yes. Fun? Yes!
We were rewarded for our hard (ish) work with a sampling of Klein Constantia’s sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, Estate Red and more. The next stop was lunch at a locals’ restaurant/bakery called Foxtrot, which did not disappoint.
Our next activity was a street art tour of Cape Town’s Woodstock neighborhood. Woodstock is one of those places that most Capetonians used to avoid due to the crime and danger there. Now, the area is experiencing transformation and is home to a unique art scene.
Numerous buildings have graffiti, murals and installations inside and out. Our tour was led by a local – in this case a university student who has lived in the area his whole life and whose brother and father also guide tours here. The street art was as varied as the buildings and houses in the neighborhood – some looked happy and playful, while others were dark and serious. And in an unexpected surprise, we visited our guide’s house for samosas at the end of the tour.
Most of the art is public facing, though we did stop in a couple of galleries that had art for sale. For fine art in Cape Town, I like the Waterfront’s Everard Read gallery for its changing exhibits, and for some arts, crafts and clothing, the Watershed has numerous stalls.
At the end of the tour, my guide dropped me at the newly refurbished Cape Grace Hotel, which remains a classic in Cape Town and continues to provide its guests with outstanding service and amenities.
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Photos courtesy AAC President Kent Redding and Cape Grace Hotel