More on South Africa!
The world cup is almost coming to a close, and though the Americans are out, great soccer is still being played! South Africa isn’t usually the first place people think is a great place to travel to but Petro Kotze shows us that Cape Town can be an amazing experience without breaking the bank!
South Africa: Top Ten Free (or Cheap) Things to Do in Cape Town
By Petro Kotzé
From colorful suburbs and sunsets over the Atlantic, spending time in one of Africa’s most popular tourist destination does not necessarily mean spending money.
On the stormy southern tip of Africa lies a city wrapped around the rugged edge of Table Mountain, her toes seductively dipped in the icy Atlantic.
Cape Town or, the Mother City, lives up to almost all expectations: From soft, white beaches to all-night parties and world-class art exhibitions.
However, resembling many famous women, this lady wears a hefty price tag. With guests like Victoria and David Beckham calling the city home during 2010 FIFA World Cup, a red card for spending, or splurging, seems unlikely. Nonetheless, some of the best things in life, and even in Cape Town, are still free…
1. Full moon on Lion’s Head
Once a month, hundreds of Capetonians tackle the steep hour’s walk up Lion’s Head, a sandstone-capped crag, covered in fynbos vegetation, between Table Mountain and the ocean.
Armed with torches and tinkling glasses, they ascend to watch the sun set over the Atlantic shoreline. A toast then goes to the full moon that rises over the City Bowl on the other side. The stiff walk from Signal Hill Road is not for the faint hearted, and includes two chains to pull yourself up two vertical rock-faces.
2. Slowing down on the seashore
Life in this city is, indeed, a beach. This game caters to every player’s needs; a dip in the ocean or a mere glimpse of the sand with cocktail in hand. The bold and the beautiful congregate at Clifton’s four beaches, while Camp’s Bay’s bar-lined strip next door is a favorite spot for sundowners.
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A more relaxed atmosphere prevails at the southern suburbs’ sandy strips of Muizenberg and Fishhoek, where you’ll find ample opportunity for that embarrassing first surfing lesson. Pros at this sport should head to Noordhoek to compare skills on the waves.
3. The fans go wild for the city’s wines
The vineyard-lined freeway towards the southern suburb of Constantia from the City Bowl clearly marks this as wine country. The first Governor of the Cape Colony, Simon van der Stel, claimed his territory here and is regarded by some as the granddaddy of South African wines.
Today a sip of Chardonnay or sultry Shiraz does not need to cost you an arm at a leg. Groot Constantia, the country’s oldest wine estate is a national monument and the finest surviving example of Cape Dutch architecture, dating back to 1685.
To taste five of their world-renowned wines will cost you R25, including a souvenir tasting glass. A listing of all the Constantia Wine Farms can be found at constantiavalley.com.
Read the rest of her top ten here on gonomad!
