| Go> Layover: Cape Town |
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Page 1 of 2 Tracking the sights in Cape Town, the sophisticated capital of the new continent  Sundown is two hours away, but you wouldn’t know it by the scene at Cape Town’s Planet Champagne Bar. Waiters scramble to serve Veuve Clicquot and G&Ts, the cocktail of choice during sundowners, that most African of evening pastimes. It would be just another happy hour were it not for the rich sunset that floods the sky each evening.Capetonian Patrick Farrell sucks it all in, along with a kir royale. As editor of the monthly guide to Cape Town, Cape-i, he keeps track of the city’s goings-on for his job. The need for his guide, in its fifth year, has never been stronger. For years, apartheid dissuaded visitors from traveling to the Republic of South Africa. But international arrivals have tripled since the end of apartheid in 1994, and tourism now earns more foreign exchange than gold exports. The once-shunned nation is the darling of the continent. And in 2010 it will confirm its stature, becoming the first African country to host soccer’s World Cup. Sophisticated Cape Town epitomizes South Africa’s turnaround. As in all smart urban areas, there’s stylish dining, stellar hotels, a burgeoning art scene, and a populace gathered from far and wide. But with its shock of vivid mountains pressed up against the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean, the city seduces on a visceral level as well. “I doubt there’s a more beautiful city,” says Farrell, 43. “The landscape doesn’t just provide a nice view—it offers great biking, trail running, and watersports. And it’s all right on your doorstep.” Given that he’s paid to stay in the loop, Go asked Farrell for his top picks. 
1. Beginning at the trailhead just west of downtown, Farrell hikes 2,000 feet to the top of Lion’s Head (a mountain that resembles a reclining feline) two or three times a week before work. He does it in a brisk 50 minutes; visitors should allow an hour or more. “It’s the best way to start the day,” he says. “You have the city underneath you, views, and fresh air.” If he can’t get out until after the business day, he opts for the running and mountain-biking trails at Deer Park, just five minutes south of his downtown office.2. One of the most promising players in Cape Town’s thriving contemporary art scene is the three-year-old What if the World Gallery (whatiftheworld.com), in the industrial area of Woodstock, which showcases up-and-coming South African painters, sculptors, and conceptual artists. “Much of the African art scene is gimmicky West African art shipped down by the container load,” Farrell says. “What if the World has real local talent.” 3. Cape Town’s surfing rivals Australia’s Byron Bay’s and even Oahu’s—except the water is cold. Though Farrell confesses he’s a “warm-water boy,” he nonetheless recommends Llandudno, on the Atlantic coast, for its consistency. “You’ll need a good, thick wetsuit, and most guys use booties as well,” he says. 4. “I’ve tried everything and never been disappointed,” says Farrell of Jardine (jardineonbree.co.za), where diners can watch chef/owner George Jardine whip up seasonal, contemporary cuisine (like the signature whole west-coast crayfish with smokedtomato-and-basil risotto) in the display kitchen. His other favorite place to eat is 95 Keerom (011-27-21-422-0765), an authentic Italian eatery that flies in mozzarella di bufala fresh from Naples every other day. 5. The array of fine courses around Cape Town will spoil even the most discerning golfers. Well worth the drive (46 miles east of Cape Town’s City Bowl) is the Pearl Valley Golf Estates (pearlvalley.co.za), the only Jack Nicklaus course on the Western Cape. Surrounded by the Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountains and with the Berg River water hazard running through it, this 18-hole, par-72 course is ranked among South Africa’s finest by Golf Digest. 6. With local varietals like pinotage and steen, the country’s chenin blanc, South African wines are finding their way into cellars around the world. Viticulture seems an afterthought at some of the vineyards in the Cape Winelands, which offer open-air theater and wildlife viewing with their tastings. Farrell prefers to head 30 minutes northeast to the serene Constantia Valley, which calls itself the oldest winemaking region in the Southern Hemisphere. His favorite place to sip is the 212-year-old Buitenverwachting (buitenverwachting.co.za), where the tasting room is set on a working farm. |
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