Day Off: One Day in Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the greatest cities on earth.  It is blessed with mountains and oceans, art and culture, great weather and great wine.  For the business traveler there are timeless five star resorts, trendy boutique hotels and enough fine restaurants to leave even the most discerning foodie satiated. In a nutshell, Cape Town is located in a very special part of South Africa where you can surf, see wildlife, and catch a symphony all in the same day. Are you ready to enjoy?

Here we go…

  • Morning

Start your day off with a large breakfast as it is going to be busy. The best breakfast in town is the sprawling buffet at The Conservatory in the Table Bay Hotel on Victoria Wharf. This is a meal of class and distinction with a healthy helping of Eggs Benedict thrown in for good measure.

  • Mid-Morning

Head out of the hotel towards the wharf and enjoy the scenic walk along the promenade that connects the property to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. This development surrounding a working harbor offers breathtaking views and an abundance of shopping and entertainment venues nestled around over 80 restaurants.

You can take a harbor boat tour, sip wine by the docks or shop in a small boutique or international chain store before settling in for a traditional South African meal.

  • Lunch

Karibu at the V&A Waterfront serves Cape Malay cuisine, an indigenous South African treat that blends the spices and cooking techniques from migrant Malaysian workers with the fresh ingredients and zest for living of the Africans. Cape Malay is spicy, intricate but not stuffy. Eat on the balcony and soak up the African sun while dinning.

  • Afternoon

After lunch, you’ll head over to Green Market Square, Cape Town’s thriving open air temple to African art. Here vendors from all across the continent come to sell their wares, to haggle with tourists, and to gossip with fellow shopkeepers. The square was built in 1696 and makes a fitting backdrop for a market that is touristy but also authentic. Like South Africa itself, it’s a happy mish mash and can’t be missed.

  • Late-Afternoon

After shopping and eating it is time for some exercise. Travel to Table Mountain and take the cable car to the top. The ride up provides an unreal view of Cape Town, the mountain and the gorgeous ocean below. Once at the top you can hike trails or grab a glass of wine and watch the sunset. One piece of advice, do not leave your camera at home, the vistas from this iconic lookout are life changing.

  • Night

Finally it’s time to have dinner and call it a day. A good choice is Aqua, a trendy restaurant situated in the popular Cape Quarter. The décor is based around a 20,000 liter salt water fish tank with exotic creatures from the ocean.

The cuisine is as you’d expect mainly seafood and sushi but the chef brings his own flair. To complement the experience the restaurant offers some of the best South African wines that have been hand-picked to pair with the menu. All in all it is a delicious and tranquil way to end a busy but enjoyable day of sightseeing.