Richard Holmes

There was a time when all we wanted from a weekend cottage was a decent place to make a braai. Today? It’s the wood-fired hot tub that’s the must-have accessory when booking a place to escape for a few nights. And happily, close to Cape Town, we are spoiled for choice. From vineyard hideaways in the Winelands to beach houses on the West Coast, mountain cabins in the Overberg and riverside boltholes on the Southern Cape, we’ve rounded up some of the most unforgettable escapes that bring a strong hot tub game. Some are properly romantic, built for couples, while others are large enough for you to bring friends and family along. Some are rustic and off-grid, while others are design-forward and luxurious (with prices to match). What they all have in common is that sought-after sense of escape: fresh air, open views, and a steamy hot tub to look forward to.  Whether you’re in the mood for a boutique tent at Boschendal, a beachfront soak in St Helena Bay, or a quiet pod above Theewaterskloof, these are some of our favourite hot-tub cabins near Cape Town right now. Pack the firelighters, bring a book, and plan on staying in. RECOMMENDED:☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town📍 The best things to do in Cape Town🥣 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town Born and raised in the city, Richard Holmes is a travel writer based in Cape Town. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out.

Cape Town’s food scene is next-level. Officially ranked the 4th best food city in the world, the Mother City blends global flavours with local flair, dishing up everything from award-winning fine dining to hole-in-the-wall gems you’ll want to keep secret (but we won’t). With its rich mix of cultures, the city’s dining scene is a constant state of delicious evolution - think boundary-pushing chefs, bold new concepts and collaborations with plenty of option that’ll have you booking a table immediately. Hungry and ready to explore? We’ve rounded up the hottest new restaurants in and around Cape Town - because we are dedicated to keeping our finger on the pulse of Cape Town’s dining scene, uncovering the hottest new restaurants for you to enjoy!   

With the Atlantic Ocean on its doorstep, it’s no surprise that Cape Town is awash with wonderful seafood restaurants. And while there are plenty of high-end eateries creating edible art with local seafood, sometimes all you want is a good ol' portion of fish and chips. And not just any old fish and chips – a plate where the fish is fresh, the batter is crispy and the chips come swimming in vinegar. And if it’s eaten with a sea view? So much the better. Luckily, there’s no shortage of places supplying just that in the city dubbed the ‘Tavern of the Seas’.  RECOMMENDED: 🍽 The best restaurants in the Cape Winelands🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town🍷 The best wine farms in and around Cape Town🍕 The best pizza in Cape Town This article was written by Richard Holmes, a travel writer based in Cape Town. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

This list is from 2024. Our latest ranking for 2025 is live here. In 2024, what exactly makes a neighbourhood cool? Craft breweries, natty wine bars and street art are well and good, but the world’s best, most exciting and downright fun neighbourhoods are much more than identikit ‘hipster hubs’. They’re places that reflect the very best of their cities – its culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink – all condensed in one vibey, walkable district. To create our annual ranking, we went straight to the experts – our global team of on-the-ground writers and editors – and asked them what the coolest neighbourhood in their city is right now, and why. Then we narrowed down the selection and ranked the list using the insight and expertise of Time Out’s global editors, who vetted each neighbourhood against criteria including food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community and one-of-a-kind local flavour. The result? A list that celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities – and all their quirks. Yes, you’ll find some of those international hallmarks of ‘cool’. But in every neighbourhood on this list there’s something you won’t find anywhere else. Ever been to a photography museum that moonlights as a jazz club? Or a brewery with a library of Russian literature? How about a festival dedicated to fluff? When communities fiercely support and rally around their local businesses, even the most eccentric ideas can become a reality. And that, in our eyes, is

The Mother City has always been a great place for surprise wildlife encounters. It could be a caracal on the mountain, a few dolphins with your Tobago’s brunch at the Radisson, or a horny Tahr on the paths of Table Mountain. Sunfish in the Robinson dry dock, or orcas in Kalk Bay harbour? We’ve had those too. But right now, all eyes – and aaaaawws – in the city are on the Cape clawless otters that you’ll find living in and around Cape Town. There are otters in Glencairn and Simon’s Town that you might be lucky enough to see at sunset, and this family became Instagram stars recently:   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Belinda Joubert (@bj.inspire) But for many tourists and locals, some of the city’s most charismatic “did you just see that?” sightings are happening in the canals of the V&A Waterfront and near Green Point Park, where Cape clawless otters are living their best semi-aquatic lives alongside joggers, shoppers and kayakers. “Cape clawless otters are native to the Cape Peninsula coastline and have always occurred in the broader region,” explains Martine Viljoen, who runs the Two Oceans Aquarium’s Marine Wildlife Management Programme. “Their presence in highly urban spaces like the Waterfront became more noticeable during the COVID-19 lockdown period, when reduced human activity allowed wildlife to explore areas they had not usually been observed to frequent.”   Photograph: Steve Benjamin   Lockdowns meant playtime for

Want to know where the locals love to go? In this exclusive series on Time Out Cape Town, ‘Local Intel’ taps into some of the city’s best-connected characters to unearth the corners you simply can’t miss in the Mother City. Matthew Sterne swopped a career as a journalist in the travel media to start his own tour guiding company in Cape Town. But instead of simply doing the same-old same-old tours that follow a well-worn path around the peninsula, Sterne took the road less travelled by. Under the brand ‘Natural Wanders’, the self-proclaimed ‘Chief Wanderer’ set about creating a series of walking tours that got visitors and locals under the skin of the Mother City.   Sterne began with the Lion Trail, a half-day walking tour that offers the perfect introduction to Cape Town, bundling the biodiversity, food, culture and scenery of the Mother City into an immersive local-led experience. Building on the success of this city wander, he developed the Constantia Wine Walk, which offers guests a taste of the valley’s fine wines, while delving deep into the ways its history is indelibly linked to the development of the Cape’s winelands. Realising tourists (and curious locals) had a taste for vineyard adventures, he stepped out with the Franschhoek Wine Wander. The latest addition to his portfolio of unique walking tours is the Cocktail & Speakeasy Tour, which introduces wanderers to hidden bars and mixology hotspots in the East City of Cape Town. While Sterne’s tours distil the very be

There are so many good reasons to love ‘The Nellie’. For 125 years, it’s epitomised luxury in the Mother City, whether you stop in for Afternoon Tea, admire the art that fills the corridors, or check in for the night. And with its latest collaboration, the Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, is proving that it has a finger pressed more tightly than ever to Africa’s creative pulse. In the month that the Mother City welcomes the Investec Cape Town International Art Fair, the Mount Nelson has thrown open the doors to the Thebe Magugu Suite. Who is Thebe Magugu? If you’re not au fait with the world of African fashion, Thebe Magugu is one of South Africa’s most celebrated fashion designers. Born in Kimberley and known for his considered exploration of African identity and contemporary elegance, for the past decade Magugu has taken his unique take on African fashion from Mzansi to the world. And now he brings that nuanced lens to one of Mount Nelson’s historic wings, with the two-storey Thebe Magugu Suite along the historic Palm Avenue.   Photograph: Mount Nelson It’s Magugu’s debut in luxury hospitality design, and – let me tell you – it’s a knockout. Billed as an ‘Afro-modernist sanctuary’, it is indeed the kind of suite where you might check in and never leave. Melding African heritage and British sensibility, it’s a space alive with texture and organic tones, a true cocoon where you’ll want to sit quietly and let your eyes soak in the detail. Created in collaboration with Studi

Cape Town’s green spaces aren’t simply places to picnic or walk the dog; they are living archives of the city’s layered history. Some began as private estates built around global plant-collecting ambitions. Others were shaped by civic works and defensive forts. One was simply a vegetable garden with grand ambition. Yet another has been revived by a community determined to reclaim neglected land. While it’s easy to take Cape Town’s parks for granted, when you scratch the surface, you’ll find that these much-loved green spaces are like miniature chapters of the city’s past. Shaped by entrepreneurs and colonists as much as communities, carving out a space to relax in the outdoors, in a city where land has always been a divisive factor public parks today serve as a glue that can bind communities together. Here’s the history behind some of Cape Town’s most popular parks, from the city to the suburbs. Next time you head out with the hound or hit the bench for a lunch-hour sarmie, take a wander back in time too.  ICYMI: The complete guide to Parkrun in Cape Town [With thanks to the City of Cape Town for sharing archival information and photographs.]

Want to know where the locals love to go? In this exclusive series on Time Out Cape Town, ‘Local Intel’ taps into some of the city’s best-connected characters to unearth the corners you simply can’t miss in the Mother City. Tristan du Plessis is a South African interior architect and designer best known for high-impact hospitality settings that combine theatrical glamour with meticulous detail. If you’ve eaten at Cape Town’s FYN, stayed at Gorgeous George, or stepped into the beautiful new Amura at the Mount Nelson, you’ll have enjoyed your dinner beneath Tristan’s work. Though Johannesburg-born he now calls Cape Town home, and his eponymous design studio has been setting the bar from the Mother City since 2015, specialising in hospitality and luxury residential work across local and international markets. Hello Miami! While his spaces are deeply conceptual, they are also human-centric, filled with du Plessis’s uncanny understanding of how people move, gather and inhabit a space. If there’s a thread tying his spaces together, it’s a sense of refined maximalism, with layers of texture, form and colour. That approach has earned him plenty of plaudits, including being named Decorex Africa’s Designer of the Year for 2024. In 2026, his body of work will be presented in Design Narratives, published by ACC Art Books, featuring ten projects from the first decade of his studio and placing his work within the global context of contemporary hospitality design. In short, what does that m

South Africa’s wine-making may fall into the ‘New World’ category but in fact its vinous heritage dates back more than 300 years! Many of the Cape’s greatest wine farms are less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, so it’s not hard to justify a day trip. But if you do need one more reason, here it is: scattered amid the vineyards you’ll find many of South Africa’s top restaurants, dishing up inspired bistro fare and elegant fine dining. Check your appetite (and the depth of your pockets) and tuck in.  RECOMMENDED: 😋 The best restaurants in Cape Town🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town📍 The best things to do in Cape TownPlanning your next trip? Check out our latest travel guides, written by local experts.

Welcome to Mother Sippy, where we shine a light on the talented winemakers, brewers, distillers and mixologists that make sure the Mother City never goes thirsty! From new wine releases to taprooms pouring perfect pints, Mother Sippy is your guide to all that’s good and great in Cape Town’s world of drinks. There’s little we don’t love about Chenin Blanc, and although its real home is in the Loire Valley in France, it’s happy news that South Africa is famous for producing some of the best Chenin in the world. It’s safe to say that the grape has become the flagship white varietal for South African wine.   In South Africa, Chenin Blanc has serious history: it was first planted here in the 17th century (locally it is also known as ‘Steen’), and today it’s not just the country’s most planted white grape; it’s the most planted grape of all, making up about 18 percent of the national vineyard. That’s why you’ll see it everywhere from crisp, stainless-steel ‘summer Chenin’ to barrel-fermented, age-worthy bottles from old vines. It’s also the base grape for the brandy industry!  South African Chenin’s premium reputation is partly thanks to Johan Jordaan, cellar master at Spier Wines, whose collection of Chenin Blancs from his Stellenbosch cellar has been pleasing palates across the globe. That diversity of flavour and deft touch in the cellar saw him named Master Chenin Blanc Winemaker for the second consecutive year at the Master Winemaker 100 announcement in Paris this week. Master

South Africa celebrates National Beer Day on the first Saturday in February, and to help locals and visitors find their way to the best pints in town we expanded and updated our guide to our favourite craft beer taprooms in Cape Town. Cheers! It wasn’t all that long ago that beer in Cape Town was thoroughly mainstream, with your options limited to little more than mass-produced lager. But in step with the rise in artisan coffee and a taste for Neopolitan pizza came the slow but unstoppable spread of craft beers, as local beer-lovers discovered you could do so much more with hops and malted barley. Today across Cape Town’s bars and restaurants you’ll find hundreds of delicious craft beers, from dozens of local breweries, on tap and in the bottle. But nothing beats sinking a pint at the source, pulling up a barstool in one of the city’s cosy taprooms. At many, the food is as good as what’s in the glass, and you’ll always find a buzzy atmosphere and a knowledgeable bartender happy to talk you through the taps on offer. Thirsty yet? Take a seat and have a look through Time Out's expanded and updated guide to the best craft beer taprooms to visit in and around Cape Town. RECOMMENDED: 🍷 The best rooftop bars in Cape Town😋 The best restaurants in Cape Town🛏 The best Airbnbs in Cape Town🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town Born and raised in the city, Richard Holmes is a travel writer based in Cape Town. At Time Out, a

Opening a restaurant days before the peak summer season in Cape Town requires a certain kind of confidence. Opening a restaurant catering for up to 300 diners, right on the tourist-packed pavements of Kalk Bay, days before the peak summer season? Well, that’s just a little bit crazy. But since opening in December 2025, The Reef has survived and thrived in the first three months of summer, so Time Out Cape Town pulled in for a taste of what’s on offer. Ocean views, succulent seafood, and a laid-back beach vibe make this a welcome new addition to the Kalk Bay strip. The Backstory The False Bay coastline is home to what is surely one of the most scenic commuter railway routes in the world. Once the line from Cape Town reaches Muizenberg, the tracks run so close to the coast that you’re liable to get spray on the windows when there’s a big swell running. Alongside the railway, you’ll find signal gear, stations (of course), and a collection of railway houses and buildings, many of which are shuttered and in various states of disrepair.  And it was one of these railway buildings, just on the outskirts of ever-popular Kalk Bay, that today houses The Reef. Renovated, reimagined, and boasting superb sea views, it’s a great example of old buildings being given a new lease of life, adding to the myriad attractions of the city. Kalk Bay has a few seaside restaurants (hello Brass Bell), and The Reef is a welcome new addition to the suburb.  The Vibe Low-key, straight from the beach, as la

Arum is a modern Winelands restaurant with a clear brief: cook from the farm and add flavour with flame. “Farm to fire” is how they frame it here, and whether you’re gazing out at the vegetable gardens from your table or admiring the dry-ageing fridge near the kitchens, there’s a very real sense of being close to your food. It’s elevated cooking, but without pretence or fuss. It’s the smartest table on Boschendal Farm, but also low-key in its approach to polished service and authentic hospitality, which is always on point. Though it’s only been open a few months, it’s sure to become a dining destination in the region. The Backstory Arum is the latest outing from chef Peter Tempelhoff — he of FYN fame — and his team, with chef Travis Finch guiding the menu and handling the day-to-day running of the kitchen. It’s a kitchen that works closely with the estate’s farmers, with much of what you see on the menu coming from the farm. The Vibe Arum sits in Boschendal’s original werf building, and the design leans into contemporary aesthetics rather than historic farm vibes. That’s thanks to a crack design team: Rotem Shachar and Megan Bond of MR. Design Studio, working alongside architect Jacques Mouton, and under the guidance of acclaimed designer Tristan du Plessis. There’s a comfortable flow through different spaces, from the heritage room (a delight in winter) through to the garden-facing section. The views here across the Food Garden are superb, with a large terrace if the weather

At DUSK, in the heart of Stellenbosch, executive chef Callan Austin has made a name for himself with a bold menu of refined cuisine, conceptual plates, and adventurous tasting menus. But Plenitude is not that. Instead, although it is located inside Majeka House boutique hotel, Plenitude leans firmly into the realm of a neighbourhood restaurant. The kind of place where you’ll return every other week, and the staff will know exactly how you like your martini. It’s still early days, but Plenitude is starting to find its feet out on the floor and in the kitchen. The Backstory Plenitude – which means ‘abundance’ – is part of a broader refresh at Majeka House, which was recently taken over by The Living Journey Collection, a group that runs hotels across the Cape. Austin oversees creative direction, but it’s chef Orlando Reid who leads the kitchen day-to-day and is most likely cooking your dinner.  His goal is straightforward: a restaurant with the style of a small hotel but the welcoming feel of your local eatery. And on the menu? A choice of approachable plates, elevated just enough to make it feel like a treat. The Vibe There are two spaces at Plenitude, and where you dine will depend on your mood and perhaps the weather. The small terrace is a delight, especially at lunchtime when you’ll want to be out in the warm Winelands air looking over the small gardens. Come evening, head indoors for a more refined dinner setting, with white tablecloths, fine stemware, and a rather-grand

There’s plenty of new energy on the streets of Sea Point, and where there aren’t new stores and eateries opening up, there are cranes laying the foundations for them. Sea Point’s hotel scene has been quietly levelling up over the past few years, with The Cole easily the most exciting new addition to this corner of the Atlantic Seaboard. This five-star boutique hotel is part of the Kove Collection, which also runs The Marly in Camps Bay and The Alphen in Constantia, and brings their signature sense of understated style across both the rooms and public areas.  Set just off Beach Road, it’s close enough to the Promenade to slip out for a morning jog, or to join the swimmers doing laps at the Sea Point Pavilion swimming pool. Location aside, the building itself – by acclaimed local architect Robert Silke –  is also a looker. With its ocean-facing aspect, sinuous curves and a muted palette, the design narrative is a nod to mid-century Tropical Modernism. Why stay at The Cole? Let’s start with the location. Half a block down? The Sea Point Promenade. One kilometre stroll along? The Saunders Rock tidal pool and some of the best sunsets in town. Half-a-block uphill? Sea Point Main Road buzzes with restaurants, bars and boutiques. Beach day? Hop an Uber or the MyCiti public bus service to Clifton or Camps Bay. Want urban vibes? Do the same in the other direction to the city centre and V&A Waterfront.   What are the rooms like? The Cole offers four categories of rooms, across Class

Cape Town is widely recognised as the culinary capital of Africa; a city full of restaurants – here's the Time Out pick of the best restaurants in Cape Town – serving up refined dining, stylish décor, and menus that draw on both local and international culinary influences. But there are not many places in Cape Town where the lunchtime crowd includes a couple of curious locals (myself included), a handful of prison warders grabbing a quick bite, and kitchen staff dressed in bright orange overalls stamped with “Corrections”.  Then again, few places aim to offer convicted criminals a way back into the workforce while providing hungry diners with an affordable meal. But that’s what you’ll find at Idlanathi – isiZulu for "eat with us" – the staff canteen at Cape Town’s notorious Pollsmoor Prison.  The watchtowers of Pollsmoor brood above the leafy streets of Tokai, an upmarket corner of the city’s southern suburbs. It is a place of expensive homes, private golf clubs, and – strangely – one of South Africa’s most notorious prisons. A maximum security facility packed to the rafters with gangsters, murderers, and those convicted of myriad heinous crimes.  Happily, you won’t meet a single one of them at Idlanathi. Working here is a privilege offered only to low-risk prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes who have shown good behaviour. For them, it’s both a chance to escape the monotony of prison life and learn a few skills that will help them integrate back into the outside world. 

Ah, Franschhoek, that bastion of fine living in the Cape Winelands, where the tricolore flutters in the summer breeze and the main street is bustling with wealthy, well-dressed folk sipping rosé in the South African sunshine. Little wonder that Franschhoek – or ‘French Corner’ – valley is one of the most popular destinations in the Cape Winelands.  From the Wine Tram to wine tasting to a menu of fine restaurants to discover, you’ll need a few days here to see it all. There’s no shortage of luxurious hotels and guesthouses offering the last word in Winelands luxury, but what if you’re looking for a taste of this champagne lifestyle on a box-wine budget? Finding an affordable bed isn’t easy, but it’s also not impossible, thanks to spots like Neighbourgood Gables. While the Neighbourgood brand started out offering co-working space in and around Cape Town (check out our comprehensive co-working guide over here), they have since expanded to offer a fantastic range of accommodation in the city and Winelands. Why stay at Neighbourgood Gables? If you want the character of a homestay with the ease of a guesthouse, Neighbourgood Gables is a winner. There’s a laid-back charm to the space, which is filled with like-minded travellers that you might bump into at the pool or in the breakfast room. It’s also just a few blocks up from the main road, which is lined with excellent restaurants and shops, meaning you can park your car and explore town on foot. Last, but definitely not least, is p

If you made me choose, I’d have to say it was the duck liver parfait. No, no, it was the chocolate cream. Or perhaps the lamb scrumpet.  Truth is, it was always hard to pin down my favourite dish at Farro when it was the destination restaurant on Gabrielskloof wine estate. But, as much as I love Alex Windebank’s cooking, 90 minutes was always a bit of a trek for lunch. So, sing hallelujah, foodies were delighted to hear that in October 2025, Farro packed up its country home to set up shop in a charming Victorian building in Gardens.  The Backstory Windebank – and his wife, Eloise, who runs Farro front-of-house – honed their skills at Polpo in London, turning out upscale Venetian plates amid the buzz of Soho. When they relocated to Johannesburg and opened Farro, it became a cult destination in Illovo, as loved for its cocktails as its cuisine. And, the space was a vibe! Covid forced the restaurant to close, and a brief period in corporate life wasn’t to their taste, leading them to relaunch Farro at Gabriëlskloof wine estate in 2022. There, it developed into a popular destination restaurant, drawing regulars willing to travel to the Overberg. But in October 2025, the couple returned Farro to its urban roots by opening in a cosy Victorian terrace in Gardens. And my, oh my, you should book.  The Vibe In a word, sophisticated. Unlike the country-casual vibe of Gabrielskloof, their new city address is a place where you’ll want to dress up just a little. It’s an elegant space – art

Perched on the dunes of Kommetjie’s famed Long Beach in Cape Town’s southern peninsula, Last Word Long Beach feels like it might be Cape Town’s best-kept secret. Once the seaside home of the founder of the Last Word hotel collection – which includes boutique properties in Franschhoek, Constantia and upcountry – Last Word Long Beach brings all the laid-back charm of a private beach house, with the service and facilities of a boutique hotel. And with every suite gazing straight onto rolling Atlantic swells and the white sands of Long Beach right on the doorstep, this intimate hideaway offers an effortless seaside escape in the ‘Deep South’. Why stay at The Last Word Long Beach? In a word? Location. If you’ve been to Cape Town before and want to discover a different side of the city, or are looking to bookend your Cape exploring with a few days of R&R, look no further. And for locals looking for a staycation close to the city, it’s perfect. Although the hotel was just 35 minutes from my own front door in the suburbs, it felt like a complete escape. The setting is certainly what will first hit home, with the sands of Long Beach stretching out right in front of the hotel. The view is framed by superb vistas of Table Mountain National Park, and if you look closely, you can see clear across to the Upper Cableway station. If you’re active, the (chilly) waters here are home to some of the city’s best surf breaks, so you can fit in a sesh before breakfast. Step indoors, and that homely

A sixth-generation family estate just outside Cape Town, Diemersdal produces cool-climate wines in the heart of the Durbanville winelands. Its charming tasting room offers curated flights and flexible options. Tasting options Standard and premium flights, plus build-your-own options. What else can I do? Visit during seasonal farm events or enjoy a casual meal at the Diemersdal Eatery.

Renowned for world-class Pinotage and Bordeaux-style blends, Kanonkop offers tastings in a modern facility enriched with heritage. Established by the Sauer family, this estate blends tradition with artistry. Tasting options Standard and premium flights featuring flagship wines; platters available. Private tastings on arrangement. What else can I do? Browse art and historical displays in the tasting space. Collect rare releases from their cellar shop.

This Simonsberg estate is celebrated for its hospitality, sustainability, and creative wine-and food experiences. Tasting options Reserve (R95), Premium, and Wine & Fynbos Cupcake pairing (daily). What else can I do? Enjoy cheese platters or seasonal culinary events. Browse the garden restaurant menu for lunch or casual meals. Stay overnight in charming vineyard cottages available on-site.

One of South Africa’s oldest wine estates, dating back to 1685, Groot Constantia blends rich history with wine tasting, heritage attractions, and a choice of dining experiences. Tasting options Standard tasting (5 wines + glass), Chocolate & Wine pairing; premium tastings occasionally available. What else can I do? Follow the Visitor’s Route through historic Manor, cellars, and museum. Lunch at Jonkershuis or Simon’s.

Eliud Kipchoge has announced that the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be the first stop on Eliud’s Running World, his new seven-continent marathon tour. The 2026 race takes place on Sunday 24 May. It’s great news for marathon organisers, after the 2025 edition was blown out by gale-force winds and had to be cancelled at the last minute. With the star power of Kipchoge at the start, it also bodes well for the Cape Town Marathon’s bid for World Major status.  But for Kipchoge - who in 2019  became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 in Vienna in an unofficial exhibition event – the Cape Town start is more than just another race day. The Kenyan superstar says he wants the tour to help “make this world a running world”, with the two-year project designed to take him to all seven continents while raising funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation’s work in education and environmental awareness. Cape Town, he says, is a particularly meaningful place to begin. “Africa is where my journey as a runner began and where the foundation of my success is deeply rooted,” said Kipchoge. “To start this World Tour in Cape Town is very special. It is about celebrating the strength of African running and inspiring the next generation. To race my first ever marathon on the African continent holds deep meaning for me. I cannot wait!” Wait, what? Yes, that little factoid almost sneaked past me too, but it’s true! Kipchoge’s appearance adds a neat piece of sporting his

Fifteen years after the World Cup triggered a significant upgrade of Cape Town International Airport (does anyone even remember that tiny old domestic terminal?) the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has confirmed that R10 billion will be invested in expanding the airport to accommodate future demand.  The largest portion of that – over R6-billion – will be allocated to something every passenger will utilise but may not really notice: a new, realigned main runway.  The new runway will measure 3500 metres by 60 metres and will be classified as ‘Code F’ by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. This means the runway is designed to safely accommodate the largest passenger aircraft in the world, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8, as well as the next generation of wide-body aircraft. The runway will also rotate 11.5 degrees eastward. While that may not sound like much, the realignment will free up space within the airport precinct and will include rapid-exit taxiways and a partial parallel taxiway. This means aircraft can clear the runway more quickly, getting passengers to the terminal faster, and helping the next aircraft land or take off sooner. In theory, it should lead to improved on-time performance for passengers.  But passengers will likely be more interested in what’s available at the airport itself, and in line with the runway works, Cape Town International plans a substantial expansion of the domestic terminal. Photograph: SuppliedArtist impression of

Cape Town is getting ready to do the Time Warp, with The Rocky Horror Show set to open at Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay from 7 April to 31 May 2026. Presented by Pieter Toerien Productions in association with the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA), this new staging of Richard O’Brien’s cult musical is directed by Steven Stead and promises all the wild energy, wicked humour and rock ’n’ roll rebellion that have made the show a global phenomenon for more than 50 years. Leading the cast is Craig Urbani, reprising his role as Frank-N-Furter, alongside Léa Blerk as Janet and Robert Everson as Brad. They’re joined by Schoemann Smit as Riff, Jasmine Minter as Magenta, Anna Olivier as Columbia, Natasha Sutherland as the Narrator, Micah Stokajovic as Rocky and Zak Hendrikz as Eddie and Dr Scott. First staged in Durban in 2025, Stead’s production brings a fresh take to the beloved musical while staying true to its gloriously offbeat heart. Don’t know the story? The tale follows sweethearts Brad and Janet, whose stormy night and unfortunate flat tyre lead them to a mysterious castle where nothing is quite what it seems. Inside, they encounter the charismatic, corset-clad Frank-N-Furter, his eccentric household and Rocky, all in a riot of glitter, glam and guitar riffs. What unfolds is a gleefully subversive ride through temptation, transformation and self-discovery, powered by iconic songs including “Time Warp”, “Sweet Transvestite” and “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul”.

Multi-platinum US singer-songwriter Kip Moore has announced his return to South Africa in October 2026, and if his last run of local shows were anything to go by, fans will be scrambling for tickets. And the good news is that Cape Town is set to host two back-to-back shows at GrandWest Arena on 23 and 24 October 2026. The dates form part of Moore’s new Reason To Believe World Tour, which kicks off in South Africa with an opening stop in Pretoria on 17 October. Expect the kind of big, full-throttle live show Moore has become famous for: gritty vocals, high energy and a setlist built around the blend of country-rock anthems and heartfelt ballads that have earned him a loyal following worldwide. After previously selling out on past visits to South Africa, this latest run looks likely to be another hot ticket. Moore’s best-known tracks include “Somethin’ ’Bout a Truck”, “Hey Pretty Girl”, “More Girls Like You”, “Damn Love”, “Wild World”, “Flowers In December” and “Last Shot”. With more than a billion streams and 2.5 million monthly listeners, he has built a reputation as a road-hardened live act with a seriously devoted fan base. In other words: if you’ve been waiting for a Reason To Believe, this is probably it. The announcement follows the release of the deluxe edition of his latest project, Solitary Tracks, which arrived late last year. The expanded release features 26 songs, including the new track “American Heartbreak”, written by Moore and Jaren Johnston, along with strippe

Get ready to roll in the aisles, when the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival returns this year for its 27th edition, taking over the Baxter Theatre from 28 May - 21 June 2026 with a cast of South African comics, international variety performers and – for the first time – a live band spotlighting the music of the Cape. Launched in 1997 as a celebration of free expression and the city’s nascent stand-up scene, the festival has grown into what’s been billed as South Africa’s largest and oldest comedy project, with a track record of helping emerging acts hit the big time.   One of its key pipelines is the Jive Funny Championships, hosted at Canal Walk Auditorium from April to mid-May. The overall winner earns a slot on the Funny Festival bill, with four additional up-and-coming comics from the Championships also set to appear – one per week across the festival run. This year’s programme also reflects how the festival has evolved beyond pure stand-up. Internationally, festival founder and director Eddy Cassar has sourced three variety performers from Europe and the UK. They include Michael Woodhams, a Britain’s Got Talent finalist known for singing impersonations; Dani Regano from Spain, whose act involves large-scale balloon artistry using giant weather balloons; and Italian shadow artist Matteo Fraziano, who creates finger-shadow ‘portraits’ of music legends on backing tracks. On the local comedy front, the line-up includes Robby Collins, Jason Goliath, and Cape Town favourite Emo A

The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office announced this week that (from February 25 2026) South Africans applying for a UK visa will now receive an eVisa instead of the familiar vignette pasted into their passport. But while the word ‘eVisa’ usually suggests a seamless online application, perhaps a quick credit card payment, and a few simple clicks to arrange entry to another country, sadly, the truth remains very much mired in red tape and paperwork. Though the UK government is positioning the eVisa as a modernisation of the system, for most travellers not much has changed, except the absence of a sticker. The easiest part of this shift is for the British border authorities. They no longer need to print, process and physically affix a paper visa into your passport. Instead – presuming your application is successful – an eVisa is issued on the system, which will reflect when you arrive. The UK government is hailing the system as more secure, and highlighting that an eVisa cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with. It does mean applicants no longer need to wait for or collect a physical document after a visa decision is made. So, in fairness, that means one less trip to the application office (currently run by VFS Global). For applicants, though, the same onerous process still applies. If you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must still apply online before travelling and attend an appointment at a visa application centre. Applicants also still need to provide travel dates, accomm

For the next two weeks, the Baxter Theatre Centre’s intimate Flipside theatre space will be transformed into a stark, war-scarred arena for a landmark local staging of ‘An Iliad’, a one-man stage show that has thrilled theatre-goers worldwide. Since ‘An Iliad’ first premiered in New York, the play has been hailed as an important but unsettling piece of theatre, and it’s a gear shift for multi-award-winning actor Alan Committie. Written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, ‘An Iliad’ is a lean 95-minute solo performance that pulls Homer’s Iliad firmly into the present. The narrative tracks the final, brutal weeks of the Trojan War – off you go to Wikipedia for more on that – but blends the poetry of Homer with blunt modern language to make the ancient violence feel uncomfortably close. "It’s a really interesting script because it tells the story of The Iliad in 90 minutes, with The Poet playing all the parts," says Committie. "That in itself is an intriguing theatrical device. But it also speaks to a greater issue, of the ongoing need of humans to engage in war, so the piece has a wider resonance."  The role is a significant departure from the stand-up comedy and flipchart routines for which Committie is best known. Under the direction of Geoffrey Hyland, Committie takes on the monumental task of ‘The Poet’: an immortal, exhausted storyteller condemned to retell the horrors of Troy again and again, until humanity finally kicks its addiction to war. For Committie, it’s a marath

It’s a city scene as colourful as it is commonplace, but the judges of the Sony World Photography Awards were obviously dazzled by the Cape Town street scene that’s enjoyed by thousands of (perhaps oblivious) locals and camera-toting tourists each day. This week, the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 named photographer Robby Ogilvie’s image of the Bo-Kaap – dubbed ‘Colour Divides’ – as the winner of the Open Competition ‘Object’ category. And, chances are, you’ve seen that image long before Ogilvie’s image bagged the win. This classic street scene is a ‘greatest hit’ of snaps you should take in Cape Town: a bright blue vintage car parked neatly in front of a sharply divided, candy-coloured façade in the Bo-Kaap. And it’s that juxtaposition that seems to have clinched it for the judges: the blue car pops against vivid green and pink buildings, turning everyday architecture into something iconic and intentional. Ogilvie’s win is part of the SWPA’s ’Open’ Competition, which recognises single images (not a series) and this year drew over 430 000 entries from more than 200 countries and territories! Ogilvie is a Scotland-born photographer whose work explores travel, place and perception, and on his website he describes being drawn to "the surrealism of the everyday" and "ordinary scenes that feel slightly out of place. A wall lit too perfectly. A landscape that seems both natural and staged."  Our Bo-Kaap car certainly ticks those boxes. The overall Open Photographer of the Year

Vergelegen Wine Estate’s famous sunflower season is back, and after a long wait, the Somerset West estate’s one-hectare sunflower field is now in full, golden bloom. But those colours won’t last forever. The sea of yellow should hold until the end of February – as long as the weather plays ball – giving visitors just one more week to catch the spectacle at its peak. Visitors can wander in for photos – and yes, sunflower selfies are very much encouraged! – and buy freshly-cut stems at the Potting Shed Gift Shop. You’ll pay R75 for five stems, with a portion of the proceeds going to the PATCH Helderberg Child Abuse Centre. Over at the Rose Terrace Tea Room they’ll be selling sunflower-inspired cakes, but the sunflower field itself is close to the Stables Restaurant, with a family-friendly menu of bistro-style cooking. Time Out Tip: Early mornings are your best bet. The light is softer, there will be fewer crowds, and the flowers can sell out quickly. Photograph: Vergelegen Beyond the sunflower fields, Vergelegen Wine Estate rewards a slow wander. Start at the tasting room, which looks onto the estate’s distinctive octagonal garden, then head into the historic homestead to explore the manicured lawns and the older, formal garden sections that frame the original buildings. The camphor forests – home to the estate’s popular picnics – are a delight, but you’ll also want to explore the award-winning camellia gardens and wilder sections along the Lourensford River. Need To Know V

FlySafair has resumed its scheduled flights to and from Hoedspruit Airport, restoring air services between Cape Town and one of the main gateways to the Greater Kruger National Park. Flights resumed this week following repairs to the airport’s main runway, which was badly damaged during the severe floods that hit Limpopo in January. During the disruption, Hoedspruit remained partially operational, and smaller aircraft – such as the Bombardier CRJ jets used by Cemair – could use a shorter secondary runway. The main runway – required for larger commercial jets like the FlySafair 737s – was deemed unsafe until repairs were completed. “We are thrilled to be back at Hoedspruit and reconnecting our passengers with this beloved destination,” said FlySafair Marketing Manager Kirby Gordon. “The damage to the main runway was extensive, and while we know the suspension of services was frustrating, it was not something we could safely work around. Smaller aircraft were able to continue using the shorter runway during this time, but our fleet required the full length and integrity of the main runway. We are grateful to the airport authorities for completing the necessary repairs and are proud to be back in the air on this route.” FlySafair operates Cape Town–Hoedspruit three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Which airline is cheapest for Cape Town to Kruger, direct? But is the return of South Africa’s largest low-cost carrier really going to help your pocket when bookin

Cape Town’s arts community were up in arms in October 2025, when the Irma Stern Museum abruptly announced that it was closing its doors. The artworks and artefacts held by the Museum are owned by the Irma Stern Trust, while the actual building – the former home and studio of the acclaimed South African artist – belonged to the University of Cape Town.  At the time of the sudden closure, the Trust and the University said they had agreed to part ways because the house, The Firs, was no longer ‘museum-grade’ and unable to preserve the works and artefacts held by the Trust. “For 56 years, the museum has been a cherished cultural landmark, welcoming generations of members of the UCT community as well as local and international visitors from around the world to experience the vibrant artistry of one of South Africa’s most celebrated painters,” said an official statement. “Now, in the spirit of Irma Stern’s own adventurous nature, the collection will be embarking on a new journey.” That journey, it turns out, is just a short way down the M3 highway. Last week, the Norval Foundation unveiled ‘Irma Stern: A Life of Displacement’, a new exhibition of her works, which will run until 17 August 2026. “Drawing exclusively on material from her extensive archive and Collection, this opening exhibition of the series forms part of a new unique multiyear collaboration between the Norval Foundation, the Irma Stern Trust and Nedbank,” says the Norval Foundation website. "The partnership betwe

In the world of luxury travel, the Forbes name carries plenty of weight. So when the Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Awards are announced, those with a nose for the good life and pockets deep enough to indulge it tend to sit up and take notice. And in the 2026 edition, Cape Town (and the Winelands) has once again landed a constellation of star-rated properties on the list. Globally, the guide’s latest awards cover 2400 hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises across more than 100 countries. This year’s guide includes new destinations like Bhutan, Croatia, Georgia, Grenada, Laos, Poland, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Uzbekistan.  It’s all judged and vetted by a team of anonymous inspectors, and if you’re wondering where the three-star properties are… well, there aren’t any. The Forbes Travel Guide star ratings are shorthand for considered luxury.   “While the quality and condition of the facilities remain vital, exceptional service accounts for 70% of a property’s rating, reflecting the human element at the heart of luxury,” says Forbes. Five-Star is the top tier, reserved for properties delivering the most exceptional overall experience. Four-Star signals a high-end stay with consistently strong service and facilities. Recommended is the Guide’s quality stamp for places that still meet the standards but don’t fall into the two ‘star’ bands. Below that? Perhaps don’t bother is what they’re trying to say. So, who made the cut in Cape Town?   Five-Star hotels Mount Nelson, A Belmond H