5 Best Things to do in Cape Town in Winter
The Mother City may be best known for her golden sunshine, summer beaches and outdoor activities, but there’s a lot more to this beautiful gal than six months of summer. If you haven’t gone Cape Town-exploring in the winter months, we guarantee you’re missing out on some of the most memorable experiences the city has to offer. We’ve scoured the city and surrounds for 5 best things to do in Cape Town in winter. So grab an umbrella and let’s head out.
Surfers do it in winter
Cape Town is famous the world over for her surfing spots. From Blouberg to Long Beach and all the way to Muizenberg, there’s always a wave to catch. In the winter months of June, July and August, the Cape of Storms puts on an impressive display of heart-pounding swells for the more accomplished surfers out there. On the other hand, if you’re more comfortable with smaller, manageable swells, you’ll find those too throughout the Cape Town winter months.
There’s no better way to end a day in the surf than to head for Muizenberg’s legendary Empire Café. It’s here you’ll get some of the best views over the wild wintery sea with a delicious chunk of freshly-baked chocolate cake in front of you and your fingers wrapped around a cup of steaming coffee.
- Check out Wavescape Facebook Page @WavescapeSA
- Check out Empire Café Muizenberg Facebook Page @empirecafemuizenberg
Cozy theatre in a Cape Town winter
Still one of the best ways to pass a winter afternoon or evening – Cape Town’s lively theatre culture offers a smorgasbord of acting talent, dance, comedy, opera and musicals. You can head for well-known venues like Artscape, the Baxter Theatre, The Fugard or Masque Theatre or the oldest cinema in South Africa – the Labia Theatre for regular screenings of independent art films and festivals.
You could also take the road less travelled and try out some of the mini-theatres and bars that can be discovered all over the Mother City. The Alexander Bar Upstairs Theatre is worth a visit, or stop by the Rosebank Theatre or Little Theatre attached to the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performing Studies.
Waterkloof
Take a drive outside Cape Town, to the Waterkloof winery on the Sir Lowry’s Pass Road outside Somerset West for a feast of the finest in wine, cuisine, biodiversity and architecture. This is a wine estate with a few surprises thrown in. Like spectacular views over carefully preserved natural vegetation and animal life that won the vineyard Champion Status by the World Wildlife Fund’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative. Spend a winter afternoon beside the designer open fireplace in the tasting room or settle in the restaurant to indulge in chef, Gregory Czarnecki’s incredible cuisine. Need to burn off those calories? Take a guided walk or horseback ride through this spectacular wine estate.
HintHunt Escape Game
On those cold, rainy days when you absolutely have to stay indoors, one of the best things to do in winter in Cape Town is lose yourself in an escape game. Located at the quaint Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, HintHunt gives you an hour and plenty of clues, puzzles and mysteries to help you escape from one of the locked room – all theme-designed for maximum authenticity and ambience. You can take up the challenge in groups of three to six players as long as you’re older than 15 years of age. You can catch your breath afterwards at any of the restaurants in the vicinity, or allow yourself to be drawn in by at least a few of the artisanal retail experiences the Old Biscuit Mill has to offer.
A divine winter pairing of art and wine
Of course we know that wine and art are the perfect pairing. But instead of strolling around a gallery, glass in hand, at a Wine Jamming Event at the Rockwell Hotel in Greenpoint, it’s all about a love of wine and your personal creativity. You’ll spend a magical evening – the last Wednesday of every month – in the hotel garden that’s been decked out in sparkling fairy-lights.
Now for a glass of wine, an A3 canvas, paint brushes, an easel and non-toxic acrylic paint. You can be guided by an expert instructor or express yourself from the heart – it’s all about fun and exploring your inner Picasso!
Check Out Rockwell Hotel Cape Town Facebook Page @RockwellHotelCT
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