113 things to say: CT - my favourite things to do in & around Cape Town

As some of you might know I spent the last six months in Cape Town and enjoyed it a lot. Writing this post actually makes me miss it even more. I decided to do a post about my favourite things to do in and around Cape Town - I'm in no way an expert when it comes to Cape Town but I've had half a year to explore the city and the surroundings so you might find this post helpful if you're thinking about visiting Cape Town. In my post I'll try to focus on less popular things - Table Mountain, the Waterfront etc are definitely things I would recommend but I guess that's what every guide book would say anyway. :) So here are some less popular places / attractions I really enjoyed. x

Kalk Bay is one of my favourite places around Cape Town. It is located between Muizenberg & Simon's Town (and it's also on the way from town to Cape Point) and it is full of cute little shops, cafés & restaurants. I really enjoyed strolling through the little vintage shops and having a hot chocolate and a crêpe in one of the cafés afterwards. Kalk Bay also has the coolest cocktail bar called Cape to Cuba - if you want to enjoy a cocktail in a great atmosphere then give it a try - they even have a swing and plenty of palm trees. Kalk Bay is also the place to be if you're into handcraft products or vintage furniture - the only thing you need to keep in mind is that the shops and cafés close quite early (around 5) - but even if they are closed you can still go for a walk near the harbour or visit one of the restaurants.

Woodstock is one of the coolest places around Cape Town and it's only five minutes from the CBD. It is another great place for getting vintage furniture or clothes. One of my favourite shops is the 'World of Rustic Frames' where you could basically find a vintage frame in whatever size or colour you like. I picked up a light blue one which was actually quite cheap (around 5 Euros). Woodstock also has a range of cute little restaurants and cafés and of course the popular Neighbourgoods Market which is every Saturday Morning - they got the most amazing food! I usually went to Woodstock during the week, though, because it could very crowded on Saturdays. Woodstock is home to a lot of art galleries - I visited the Goodman Gallery and I have to say I was impressed! It was really thought-provoking and it made you realise the power of language. So if you're interested in art and don't want to go to a huge gallery this might be your thing.

The perfect place to visit if you want to take a break from the busy city. Oudekraal is tiny little beach located near Clifton (it is also on the way to Cape Point if you take the route from Clifton via Chapman's Peak which is absolutely stunning btw). Oudekraal is a great place for spending a relaxed afternoon near the sea and for a having a picnic in the green, there even are some picnic tables you can use. So if you're looking for a quiet place and for a bit of peace, I highly recommend going there.

A market held on the weekends that has a lot of clothes, souvenirs and exquisite food. My friends and me often went on Fridays and enjoyed it every single time. If you don't like crowded places I would advise you to come shortly after opening time as it gets more crowded later in the evening. Hout Bay Market is located near Hout Bay Harbour, about 30 minutes from town. You can basically find everything there - from really cute souvenirs, vintage dresses and posters to makeup and feathers that you can put in your hair (or let a hairdresser do it for you at the market). I feel like most people go for the food, though, which is amazing. I always went a bit overboard when visiting Hout Bay Market haha - last time I went for some Dolmadakias and Samosas (the latter are traditional South African food), some Turkish sweets, a basil & tomato soup (I'm not even the biggest fan of tomato soups but this one was delicious ) and a chocolate tart for dessert. Whatever cuisine you like most, you can be sure you'll find it at the market and you can spend a relaxed evening enjoying your food with a glass of wine.

Stellenbosch is great place for studying, eating and going out - it is home to one of Cape Towns universities which is why it's usually full of students. When I went to Stellenbosch I actually had difficulties deciding where to eat ( I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to food haha). In the end we ended up going to an Italian restaurant where they had wood fired pizza (it was amazing!) and organic drinks. Afterwards we went to a bakery where they sold stone-oven baked bread - if you're into bread as much as I am (which probably means you're European haha) this is the place for you to go! Stellenbosch also has a lot of green areas (and a huge swing!). Another thing you shouldn't miss is doing the Spice Route which includes a chocolate tasting, beer tasting and wine tasting! (Do I need to say more?!) If you want to do the Spice Route you have to travel a bit further up as it takes place in Paarl. Just google it if you want to find out more!