Category / Blog

‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho

This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way but what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

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‘The Rings of Saturn’ by W.G. Sebald

"The book is like a dream you want to last forever" - Roberta Silman, The New York Times Book Review

The Rings of Saturn―with its curious archive of photographs―records a walking tour of the eastern coast of England. A few of the things which cross the path and mind of its narrator (who both is and is not Sebald) are lonely eccentrics, Sir Thomas Browne’s skull, a matchstick model of the Temple of Jerusalem, recession-hit seaside towns, wooded hills, Joseph Conrad, Rembrandt’s "Anatomy Lesson," the natural history of the herring, the massive bombings of WWII, the dowager Empress Tzu Hsi, and the silk industry in Norwich.

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‘Travels With a Donkey in the Cévennes and other Travel Writings’ by Robert Louis Stevenson

Temperament and poor health motivated Robert Louis Stevenson (Scottish novelist and travel writer, most noted for ‘Treasure Island,’ ‘Kidnapped,’ and ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’) to travel widely throughout his short life. This collection presents some of his finest travel writing, starting with ‘An Inland Voyage.’ This 1878 chronicle of a canoe journey through Belgium and France charmingly captures the European villages and townspeople of a bygone era. Other selections include ‘Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes,’ a humorous account of a mountain trek, and ‘Forest Notes,’ a meditation on nature based on visits to the Forest of Fontainebleau near Paris and adjacent artists' colonies. These early writings offer captivating insights into Stevenson's bohemian nature and the wanderlust that sent him from his native Scotland to journeys around the world.

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‘A Moveable Feast’ (Lonely Planet), edited by Don George

From bat on the island of Fais, chicken on a Russian train, and barbecue in the American heartland to mutton in Mongolia, couscous in Morocco, and tacos in Tijuana - on the road, food nourishes us not only physically, but intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually too. It can be a gift that enables a traveller to survive, a doorway into the heart of a tribe, or a thread that weaves an indelible tie; it can be awful or ambrosial - and sometimes both at the same time. Celebrate the riches and revelations of food with this 38-course feast of true tales set around the world. ‘A Moveable Feast’ features stories by Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, Mark Kurlansky, Matt Preston, Simon Winchester, Stefan Gates, David Lebovitz, Matthew Fort, Tim Cahill, Jan Morris and Pico Iyer, edited by Don George.

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‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts

"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."

So begins this epic, mesmerizing first novel set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. ‘Shantaram’ is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of a city where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay's hidden society to seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere. Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas, this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.

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‘The Art of Travel’ by Alain de Botton

Aside from love, few activities seem to promise us as much happiness as going traveling: taking off for somewhere else, somewhere far from home, a place with more interesting weather, customs, and landscapes. But although we are inundated with advice on where to travel, few people seem to talk about why we should go and how we can become more fulfilled by doing so. In ‘The Art of Travel,’ essayist Alain de Botton reflects on the philosophical dimensions of travel: he sees travel as a reflection of the human search for happiness and wonders how and why people should travel, not merely where.

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The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca’ by Tahir Shah

Inspired by the Moroccan vacations of his childhood, Tahir Shah dreamed of making a home in that astonishing country. At age thirty-six he got his chance. Investing what money he and his wife, Rachana, had, Tahir packed up his growing family and bought Dar Khalifa, a crumbling ruin of a mansion by the sea in Casablanca that once belonged to the city’s caliph, or spiritual leader. With its lush grounds, cool, secluded courtyards, and relaxed pace, life at Dar Khalifa seems sure to fulfill Tahir’s fantasy–until he discovers that in many ways he is farther from home than he imagined. For in Morocco an empty house is thought to attract jinns, invisible spirits unique to the Islamic world. Endlessly enthralling, ‘The Caliph’s House’ charts a year in the life of one family who takes a tremendous gamble.

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‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac

Sal Paradise, a young innocent, joins his hero Dean Moriarty, a traveller and mystic, the living epitome of beat, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs, and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream. A brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography, Jack Kerouac's exhilarating novel swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy, and autobiographical passion. One of the most influential and important novels of the 20th century, ‘On the Road’ is the book that launched the beat generation and remains the bible of that literary movement.

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‘In A Sunburned Country’ by Bill Bryson (or anything by Bill Bryson!)

Bill Bryson’s previous excursion along the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime national bestseller ‘A Walk in the Woods.’ ‘A Sunburned Country’ is his report on what he found in an entirely different place: Australia, the country that doubles as a continent, and a place with the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, and the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on the planet. The result is a deliciously funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance by a writer who combines humour, wonder, and unflagging curiosity. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bill Bryson its perfect guide.

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‘Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to The World of Food and the People Who Cook’ by Anthony Bourdain

Tracking his own strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-travelling professional eater and drinker, Anthony Bourdain compares and contrasts what he's seen and what he's seeing, pausing along the way for a series of confessions, rants, investigations, and interrogations of some of the most controversial figures in food. And always he returns to the question: 'Why cook?' Or the harder one to answer: 'Why cook well?' Beginning with a secret and highly illegal after-hours gathering of powerful chefs, which he compares to a mafia summit, Bourdain, in his distinctive, no holds barred style, cuts to the bone on every subject he tackles.

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‘Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road’ by Kate Harris

As a teenager, Kate Harris realized that the career she craved—to be an explorer, equal parts swashbuckler and metaphysician—had gone extinct. From what she could tell of the world from small-town Ontario, the likes of Marco Polo and Magellan had mapped the whole earth; there was nothing left to be discovered. Looking beyond this planet, she decided to become a scientist and go to Mars. In between studying at Oxford and MIT, Harris set off by bicycle down the fabled Silk Road with her childhood friend Mel. Pedalling mile upon mile in some of the remotest places on earth, she realized that an explorer, in any day and age, is the kind of person who refuses to live between the lines.

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‘The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon’ by David Grann

In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Over the years countless perished trying to find evidence of his party and the place he called “The Lost City of Z.” In this masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, journalist David Grann interweaves the spellbinding stories of Fawcett’s quest for “Z” and his own journey into the deadly jungle, as he unravels the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century.

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The history of the Constantia wine route is so intimately linked with that of the Cape that one cannot tell the story of the one without unintentionally accounting for the other. Constantia was the name of a vast property that carpeted much of the Constantia Valley as we know it today, extending all the way to Steenberg in Tokai. In 1685, this property was given to Simon van der Stel, the VOC (Dutch East India Company) Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Over the ensuing decades, the property was broken up into the smaller estates of Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, and Bergvliet, and grape farming took a firm foothold in the lush valley. All these centuries later, there are no less than 10 wine producing estates here, all of which contribute enormously to the rich fabric of the South African wine industry and that, when explored, offer an unforgettable food, wine, cultural, and historic experience. Here’s a peek at what there is to do – as well as a few wine farm recommendations - in the beautiful Constantia Wine Valley…

Wine tasting, naturally

Located on the cool ocean-facing slopes of the Constantiaberg in fecund, iron-rich soils of decomposed granite, Constantia’s vineyards are world-renowned for the quality of the wines they produce, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and other French varietals and blends. And so, any foray into the Constantia Wine Valley deserves a stop at a handful of estates for a wine tasting!

Try: Buitenverwachting (www.buitenverwachting.com) - a portion of the original Constantia Estate owned by Governor Simon van der Stel, this 150-hectare wine estate produces internationally acclaimed wines of great complexity with unique aromatic profiles.

Also: Eagle’s Nest (www.eaglesnestwines.com) - for 195 per person, you can take your wine tasting experience to a whole new level with a VIP wine tasting and guided walking tour in the vineyards (pre-booking is essential).

And definitely: Steenberg Vineyard (www.steenbergfarm.com) - located slightly further afield in Tokai, Steenberg routinely produces beautiful wines of an extraordinary calibre, with bottles so littered with shiny awards they look a little like Christmas trees!

Food, glorious food

What is wine without food? No visit to the Constantia Wine Route is complete without a fine dining (or casual fine dining) experience at one of its gorgeous wine estates. Most of the valley’s 10 estates have restaurants well worth a visit, but here are our favourites….

Try: Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (www.chefswarehouse.co.za) - Chefs Warehouse, which delivers a multi-course fine dining menu, is one of the country’s best restaurants and routinely appears in the Top 10 of the Mercedes-Benz Eat Out Awards.

Also: Constantia Glen (www.constantiaglen.com) - for a more casual, yet no less delicious dining experience, try Constantia Glen’s short but sweet menu. The views from the tasting room and restaurant are stunning and their mouth-watering flammkuchen (German flatbread pizzas) are delicious.

And definitely: La Colombe at Silvermist (www.lacolombe.co.za) – one of the country’s and, in fact, world’s best restaurants, La Colombe offers an innovative and out-of-this-world gastronomical experience that is pure food theatre and absolutely unforgettable.

History appreciation

The history of Constantia Valley dates back to the very origins of the Cape as a fresh food station for the Dutch East Indian Company ships that were making the perilous journey around the tip of Africa en route to India. With their original Cape Dutch architecture, antique furniture collections, and artworks, many of the wine estates in the valley are serve as reminders of the valley’s multi-century history.

Try: Groot Constantia (www.grootconstantia.co.za) - a portion of the original Constantia owned by Simon van der Stel, this regal estate was also the Commander’s home. Today, visitors are invited to explore its handsome collection of lovingly restored historic buildings, homesteads, and manor house.

Also: Steenberg Estate – Established in 1682 by the indomitable Catherina Ustings Ras from Lübeck, Germany who braved a treacherous ocean crossing and the unknowns of a new continent to establish a farm that is, today, loved for its outstanding food, wine, historic appeal, and hospitality.

And definitely: Klein Constantia (www.kleinconstantia.com) - set amidst ancient trees and lush greenery on the upper foothills of the Constantiaberg, this estate – also part of the original Constantia estate – was declared “one of the most mythical vineyards in the world” by the French Institute des Paysages et Architectures Viticoles (Wine Landscapes and Architecture).

Other attractions

With roots that extend back to 1685, Constantia Uitsig has a long and rich heritage, as well as a firm focus on the future in terms of sustainability. In addition to wine tasting and history, the estate boasts a Heritage Market, a quaint row of cottages featuring the finest artisanal craft producers in their respective fields, including Sushibox, Kirsten’s Kickass Ice-cream, Nest Deli, Kind Kitchen, and Aegir Breweries.

Silvermist Wine Estate is home to a series of ziplines and platforms managed by SA Forest Adventures (www.saforestadventures.co.za), an exhilarating and unforgettable way to experience the high forests and mountains of the Constantia Wine Valley.

Groot Constantia maintains an impressive wine and cultural history museum, allowing visitors a glimpse into the history of the valley and the Cape. It’s also an enchanting place to kick off the day before sitting down to a wine tasting in the Cloete Cellar and lunch at Jonkershuis Restaurant.

The arid Cape West Coast may at first appear an inhospitable place for any wildlife to flourish but upon closer inspection, the region’s patchwork quilt of coastal fynbos, succulent Karoo, estuaries, lagoons, beaches, harbours, mountainous landscapes, and pristine wilderness areas supports a staggering diversity of both animals and birdlife. And it’s in pursuit of the latter that scores upon scores of birding enthusiasts travel from all over the Cape, country, continent, and even world to experience in the (flesh) feathers.

The Cape West Coast offers a variety of top birding destinations, with no less than seven Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) registered with BirdLife International. Put simply, it is a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to hundreds of species of birds, many of which are endemic or endangered or incredibly rare to sight. Even if you aren’t a birdwatcher, the West Coast’s rich diversity of colourful sunbirds, soaring raptors, and quirky waders might just make a convert out of you.

Lower Berg River Wetlands

The Lower Berg River Wetlands around Velddrif (10 to 15 minutes drive south from DK Villas’ beach cottage in Dwarskersbos) is considered a top birding destination along the Cape West Coast. Here, tidal mudflats classified as an Important Bird Area IBA SA 104 are home to an impressive 127 water birds and 93 terrestrial species, of which 25 are of national importance and at least 5 Red Data listed species. The Lower Berg River also features diverse habitats from the afore-mentioned mudflats to salt pans and a saltwater estuary. Rarities found in the area in the past include the black-tailed and Hudsonian godwit, little blue heron, common redshank, and lesser yellowlegs.

Olifants River estuary

Located about an hour’s drive north of the bird colony at Lamberts Bay, lies the Olifants River estuary, one of only four perennial estuaries on the West Coast, which drains the second largest catchment area in South Africa. 127 Bird species have been recorded in the Olifants River estuary with birdwatchers flocking here to witness its variety of rare, threatened species, from lesser and greater flamingos to Caspian terns, African black oystercatchers, and African marsh and black harriers. In addition, great white pelicans from Dassen Island breeding grounds make use of the estuary as a key foraging and roosting area during the non-breeding season.

Bird Island at Lambert’s Bay

The staggering Cape gannet colony of the Bird Island Nature Reserves lies a short 100 m off the shore of Lambert’s Bay, an hour and 15 minutes’ drive Dwarskersbos. Here, visitors are treated to the rare opportunity to see (and, unfortunately, smell) the beautiful blue-eyed and yellow-headed Cape gannets, as well as many other marine bird species, up close and personal. Cape fur seals can be seen sunning themselves on the island’s rocks. The three-hectare island is one of only six breeding grounds in the world for this particular bird species and it is easily accessible to the public. Please do note that there is currently scheduled maintenance work being done on the Bird Island Nature Reserve’s bird hide, which will be reopening again on 13th March 2020.

Cederberg Wilderness Area

Considered one of the best examples of the Cape Fold Mountains, the Cederberg is one of the precious few places on Earth where Fynbos is the reigning floral kingdom. It’s a dramatic landscape of grand scale in both of the axes, with vast plains and boulder-strewn slopes soaring skywards into craggy cliff-faces and rocky pinnacles. Birdwatchers flock here to observe the bird species that are endemic to this biome, such as Cape sugarbirds, orange-breasted sunbirds, and Cape siskin. The area is also home to yellow bishop, Karoo scrub-robin, Karoo prinia, Cape robin-thrush, Cape bunting, and several nesting pairs of Verreaux’s eagles, enormous black raptors that surf the daytime thermals.

West Coast National Park

Sprawling to the south of the coastal town of Langebaan, an approximate 45-minutes’ drive from Dwarskersbos in the north, you’ll discover the West Coast National Park, which pristinely preserves the indigenous flora and fauna of the area. The reserve is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and R27 coastal highway to the east and is known and loved for its spectacular display of wild flowers in spring, gorgeous landscapes, array of wildlife, and diversity of birdlife. In late spring, large numbers of Palaearctic migrants arrive in the reserve and in summer the park transforms into a prime site for waders, rarities of which include common redshank, Eurasian curlew, broad-billed sandpiper, Terek sandpiper, great knot, and lesser sand plover.

Rocherpan Nature Reserve

Rocherpan is a coastal nature reserve teeming with birds and colourful wildflowers, particularly in the spring. Part of the Cape Nature Group, the 930-hectare reserve lies 10 km north of Dwarskersbos and consists largely of a seasonal vlei that is usually dry between March and June. During winter, however, it receives the water it needs to host a riveting array of fauna, flora, and birdlife – up to 183 different species thereof! African purple swamphen, black crowned night heron, Cape shoveller, greater flamingo, glossy ibis, and sandwich tern are just a few of the many common, resident species of birds visitors can hope to spot here.

Birdwatching the Cape West Coast

It’s owing to the diversity of landscapes along the Cape West Coast that such an incredible celebration of birdlife can be found here. The coastal areas, lagoons, and beaches are home to marine birds, waders, and even the occasional rare migrant; while the coastal fynbos and semi-arid Karoo biomes support a plethora of smaller bird species and larger raptors. And we here at dk villas encourage you to explore it all!

Botany Gin Bar & Bubbles

www.newlandsquarter.co.za/botany-cocktail-lounge/

With a name like that, there simply has to be a succculent selection of botanical, locally-crafted gins on its menu. And there are! A part of the Copper Collection, which includes the Copper Club Eatery at the Tyger Waterfront and Patina Steak & Fine Wine Restaurant on Dean Street in Newlands, Botany Cocktail Lounge is the perfect go-to spot for indulgent after-work gin cocktails. On the menu, you’ll find 34 craft gins and a handsome selection of tapas to nibble on.

Address: Newlands Quarter, Corner of Dean and Main Street, Newlands

Cause Effect Cocktail Lounge

www.causeandeffect.co.za

Cause Effect is to cocktails what fine dining is to food. Located on Park Street in the heart of Cape Town, this trendy establishment specialises in innovative mixology, the likes, flavours, colours, and aromas of which – it’s safe to say - you’ve never experienced before. A decent portion of their extensive cocktail list is dedicated to local craft gins, which are used to concoct both innovative new creations and old favourites, wholly reimagined and executed with remarkable skill, precision, and passion with a shot of the bartender’s personality thrown in.

Address: 2A Park Road, Gardens, Cape Town. There’s also a new branch at the V & A Waterfront.

Harringtons Cocktail Lounge

www.thefirmct.co.za/harringtons

The super sultry and oh-so sexy Harrington’s Cocktail Lounge serves up delicious cocktails – plenty of gin options and locally crafted gin labels - and food in a venue dressed in warm woods, plush sofas, botanical art, and trendy music. It’s an opulent yet laid-back lounge – really popular amongst locals, particularly for after-work cocktails - located smack back in the centre of Cape Town on the up-and-coming Harrington Street.

Address: 61B Harrington St, Zonnebloem, Cape Town

Hope on Hopkins Distillery, Salt River

www.hopeonhopkins.co.za

Ex-lawyers Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk abandoned the rat race to chase a dream, which has culminated in the Hope on Hopkins Distillery. This small urban distillery, the very first in the Mother City, has been supplying gin lovers with much mirth and quality craft gin ever since. Together with esteemed South African craft distiller, Roger Jorgensen, they formulate Musgrave Gin from botanicals chosen by Musgrave Gin founder, Simone Musgrave. Hope on Hopkins Distillery also offers distillery tours by appointment.

Address: 7 Hopkins Street, Salt River, Cape Town

Inverroche Distillery, Stilbaai

www.inverroche.co.za

Here’s a reason to trek 340 km east through road works, stop-and-goes, and some of the Cape’s most spectacular and dramatic mountainscapes: the best darn craft gin you’ll find this side of Cape Agulhas! In 2012, Inverroche Gin Distillery put down its roots a stone’s throw outside the town of Stilbaai and it has been offering locals and visitors alike an excellent reason to get pickled on quality craft gin ever since. Here, you can visit for a gin tasting, learn how to make your own craft gin, and indulge in G&T ice-cream.

Address: R323, Still Bay East, Still Bay / Stilbaai

New Harbour Distillery, Macassar

www.newharbourdistillery.co.za

New Harbour Distillery is an experimental micro distillery that crafts small batches of artisanal, nature-influenced gins. Using locally sourced fynbos botanicals, such as spekboom, the New Harbour Distillery produces delicious gins and even gives back by donating R100 of every private collection bottle purchased to the Flower Valley Conservation Trust. They also run a “Gin Lab” in Woodstock, which offers three-hour classes on gin-making.

Address: The Distillery is located at Firgrove Industrial Park Unit 4, 5 Firgrove way, Macassar

Pienaar and Son Distilling Company, CBD

www.pienaarandson.co.za

Go for a tasting and a tour at Pienaar & Son, a small craft distillery in the centre of Cape Town, a stone’s throw from Parliament. Here, an appreciation for traditional craft distilling is greatly expanded upon by the father-and-son team’s love of innovation, which explains their nerdy engineering principles and collection of cutting edge equipment. They produce two sensational gins – Empire and Orient - that would be the envy of any gin lover’s liquor cabinet.

Address: 1 Roeland Terrace, Cape Town City Centre

The Botanical Bar, CBD

www.thebotanicalbar.co.za

Not to be confused with Botany Bar (Newlands), the Botanical Bar (Longmarket Street in town) is sister to The Gin Bar (Wale Street). Are you following? Here, there is a keen focus on foraged local ingredients and botanicals from the Cape Floral Kingdom, which they use to craft home-made bitters, liquers, and cocktails. They make a wicked assortment of delicious and refreshing drinks from lightly pickled fruit mixtures laced with gin and soda water.

Address: 160 Longmarket St, Cape Town

The Gin Lab Experience at the Twelve Apostles

www.12apostleshotel.com

The Conservatory at the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa offers a daily gin tasting experience (from 11am onwards) hosted by the hotel’s talented bar team. The experience consists of a flight of three local gins paired with three different tonic waters and a variety of botanicals and spices, which guests can use to concoct their own uniquely crafted blend. Alternatively, or perhaps additionally, you can sign up for a gin and canapé tasting experience specially designed by Chef Nicholas Goldschmidt, also available daily from 11am onwards, although 24 hours’ notice is required for bookings.

Address: The Conservatory, Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, Victoria Street, Camps Bay

The (Secret) Gin Bar, CBD

www.theginbar.co.za

Tucked away behind Honest Chocolate on Wale Street in Cape Town’s city centre, you’ll find a rather sexy, speakeasy style bar with a Mediterranean vibe and a staggering collection of 118 gins from all over the world, 52 of which are from local distilleries right here in South Africa. The Gin Bar – nicknamed the “Secret Gin Bar” by Capetonians for its tucked-away location - delivers a vast smorgasbord of gin cocktails and remedies for everyday maladies such as “impulse buying, arrogance, big car syndrome, and lust.”

Address: 64A Wale St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town

The Stack, Gardens

www.thestack.co.za

Cliché or not, there’s simply no better way to describe The Stack other than to call it a “hidden gem”. The Stack is, all at once, a restaurant, bar, cocktail lounge, and member’s club but to those who frequent this flamboyantly designed establishment, it’s the best cocktail in Cape Town and a smiling barman who knows you by name. They offer a well-curated list of gins and their cocktails are as varied as they are innovative. Oh, and they go for half-price from 15:00 to 18:00, Mondays to Saturdays!

By the way: Try The Stack’s eponymous cocktail – a mix of gin-soaked rosemary and lavender topped up with tonic water and juniper berries.

Address: 7 Weltevreden Street, Gardens Cape Town

The Twankey Bar, Taj Hotel

View Website

The Twankey Bar is a sophisticated, yet edgy bar located in the Taj Hotel on the corner of Wale and Adderley Streets. Award-winning mixologist AJ Snetler is the proverbial captain of the ship and the genius behind their extensive and ever-changing list of decadent cocktails, many of which position gin as the star ingredient. If you want to appreciate cocktails as an art form, rather than just a way to get your buzz on, head over to Twankey Bar where the cocktails are mixed in a variety of curious ways, such as teapot brewing and wood-chip smoking.

Address: The Taj Hotel, 1 Wale Street, Cape Town

Wilderer Estate and Distillery, Cape Winelands

www.wilderer.co.za

Wilderer is not only South Africa’s first private distillery, but also the most awarded, with over 70 international medals and awards, including many Gold and Double Gold Medals. Wilderer has two tasting rooms where you can also sit down for a delicious meal. Ristorante Pappa Grappa (located just outside Paarl, on the R45 to Franschhoek) is one of the winelands' best loved restaurants and here, you can taste and buy all Wilderer’s fine spirits. The tasting room at La Grapperia Pizza & Bistro is located at the celebrated Spice Route Wine Estate.

Address: Wilderer Distillery & Ristorante Pappa Grappa: R45, Simondium Paarl | Paarl Wilderer Distillery & La Grapperia Pizza & Bistro: Spice Route Wine Estate, Suid-Agter Paarl Road, Suider-Paarl

Woodstock Gin Company, Woodstock

www.woodstockginco.co.za

Located adjacent to the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, the Woodstock Gin Co. strives to handcrafted premium gins of a calibre that would make even the Brits turn their heads. Their flagship gin, called Inception, is a unique, elegantly smooth and herbaceous gin with subtle undertones of their fynbos blend, which includes rooibos, buchu, and wild rosemary. The distillery is open Monday to Satuday for gin tastings, which can be enjoyed neat or mixed with Woodstock Gin Co.’s house-made tonics.

Address: 399 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

www.waterfront.co.za

The Cape Town harbour is a huge draw to tourists and locals alike because of its enormous upmarket shopping mall, which sprawls out alongside the harbour, its waterside restaurants with stunning views of docked boats, and great Ferris wheel. Here, there is the full spectrum of entertainment for the whole family: boat rides, free live performances in the amphitheatre, sundowner cruises, retail therapy, causal to fine dining, a Scratch Patch (den selling semi-precious stones), cave mini-golf, arts and crafts market, and even an evening comedy venue. The V & A Waterfront is also home to some of the city’s finest hotels, restaurants, and the world famous ZEITZ MOCAA contemporary African art gallery. It’s a top cultural and culinary destination and we always recommend a visit to our guests.

Cable Car up Table Mountain

www.tablemountain.net

If you’re a fitness junkie, you can always hike up Table Mountain but for most people, the journey to the top of Cape Town’s iconic mountain is done by cable car, which only takes a few minutes yet makes for an exhilarating experience. Once at the top, you could spend hours just wandering the network of pathways that wind around the mountain’s boulder-strewn, fynbos-carpeted summit. Look out for the many endemic bird species that live here, like the orange-breasted sunbird and Cape sugarbird. Also keep an eye out for colourful agama lizards and sunbathing rock hyraxes (known locally as “dassies” – small, rabbit-like animals with sombre faces). For refreshments, there’s the Table Mountain Café and the Wi-Fi lounge and, for souvenirs, the Shop at the Top.

Hike Up Lion’s Head

Right next door to Table Mountain is another of Cape Town’s iconic mountains: Lion’s Head. There is a short 1-2-long hike to the top, the summit of which reveals panoramic views of the city, peninsula mountains, and up the West Coast of the subcontinent. The hike is fairly strenuous towards the end but seems to attract people of all fitness levels in their droves so pick your timing carefully or else you will find yourself standing in queues halfway up the mountain! The scenery along the way is just as gorgeous with lots of indigenous mountain fynbos and birdlife to be seen. We recommend an early morning hike to the top, followed by breakfast somewhere in the city bowl.

Iziko Museum and Planetarium

www.iziko.org.za/museums/south-african-museum

Located on Queen Victoria Street in the heart of Cape Town, you’ll discover a cultural haven at which you can easily spend an entire day: the Iziko Natural History Museum and Planetarium. The museum maintains a beguiling record of South African history from well before the arrival of the settlers until well after. There are life-like and life-sized replicas of dinosaurs and whales, and an extensive collection of Africa’s (taxidermied) birds and beasts. Attached to the museum is the Iziko Planetarium, which has just recently been revamped and updated. Here, visitors are invited to sit all the way back in their recliner seats and watch as a fascinating digital show about the stars, constellations, and universe unfurls on the darkened dome above.

For art lovers: right next door to the museum is the South African National Gallery, which sheds an interesting, educational, and inspiring lens on the country, the world, and its people.

Meander Through the Company Gardens

In 1650, the first European settlers in the Cape established the Company Gardens, the original task of which was to grow fruits and vegetables to refresh and restock the merchant ships travelling to India via the Cape. Today, the Company Gardens are beautifully kept and a wondrous, historic place to explore by foot. We recommend a winding walk through the garden’s various attractions: the rose garden, bird aviary, minute forests, and past the historic buildings that line Governors Avenue. Please do be careful with your belongings. It is a public park and there tend to be quite a few vagrants about.

Go on a Free Walking Tour

www.nielsentours.co.za/capetown/

The city runs free, guided walking tours that depart every day, twice a day, from Greenmarket Square in the city centre. These walking tours expose visitors to our rich, yet troubled history and diverse culture, offering up titbits of advice on things to see, places to eat, and where to grab a beer or cocktail afterwards. The tours are completely free (you can tip the guides at the end) and are run by knowledgeable guides with big personalities.

Spend a Day in the Cape Winelands

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a day (or several days) spent in the Cape Winelands! Even if you aren’t a wine-drinker, the scenery of vineyards, farmlands, and Cape Dutch homesteads set against a dramatic backdrop of mountains is astounding. Few other places tell the history of the Cape quite like a centuries-old wine estate and there is no shortage of those to explore. The best-known wine routes are Constantia, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek all of which offer gorgeous views, top-notch wines, and delicious food.

Culinary Trawl of Cape Town’s hotspot Bree Street

And finally, there’s no better way to conclude a day in the Cape than with a hearty dinner, washed down with good wine or an inventive cocktail. Bree Street in town is regarded as the city’s culinary hot spot and there are plenty of restaurants and cafés here offering unique, delicious, romantic, and innovative dining experiences. Some recommendations include La Tête (for nose-to-tail, farm-to-fork gastronomy); Bocca and True Italic Osteria (for Italian dishes made with love); and SeaBreeze Fish & Shell (for fresh, inventive seafood).

For other recommendations, check out our previous blog on DK Villas’ Favourite Cape Town Restaurants!

The Two Oceans Aquarium

www.aquarium.co.za

Dive beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean at the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V & A Waterfront (without a wetsuit and without getting wet). Explore the enchantment of the kalaeidescopic life that thrives beneath the surface of the ocean embracing South Africa: an educational experience that thrills people of all ages. From sea horses and starfish to enormous marine fish and sharks, there are live exhibits to explore and even interactive experiences for the little ones.

Address: Dock Road, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch/

Located on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch’s sweeping, emerald gardens are a colourful and audacious celebration of life. Visitors here can get to truly appreciate the majesty and diversity of the Cape floral kingdom by meandering on the network of pathways that lead through protected Fynbos, ancient trees, forests, edible food gardens, and more. From pink proteas, emerald lawns, and fiery orange watsonias to olive reed beds, blue ericas, and yellow orchids, there isn’t a colour in the spectrum that isn’t represented in Kirstenbosch’s dazzling array of flowerbeds. When you get hungry, stop in at the Kirstenbosch Tea Room (ktr.co.za) – they also prepare picnics while you wait – or sit down at the more formal Moyo at Kirstenbosch (www.moyo.co.za/moyo-kirstenbosch).

Address: Rhodes Drive, Newlands, Cape Town

Whale watching along the Atlantic Coastline

Every year, around June and July, great pods of southern right whales make their way northwards to the substantially warmer waters around South Africa, where they breed and give birth before travelling back south again to their feeding grounds around Antarctica. It’s during this special time of year that these enormous, yet gentle beasts can be seen from just about any vantage point along the Cape peninsula and southwestern Cape coastline!

The most notable of these vantage points are found in False Bay, Cape Agulhas, and, of course, the famous whale-watching town of Hermanus, which the World Wildlife Fund has rated as one of the top 12 whale-watching locations in the world. They even, on occasion, come right into Hout Bay! In addition to southern right whales, we are also routinely visited by humpback whales, Bryde’s whales, and several species of dolphins.

To get up close and personal to these mammoth marine mammals, Dyer Island Cruises (www.whalewatchsa.com) and Simon’s Town Boat Company (www.boatcompany.co.za) offer frequent whale watching cruises from Kleinbaai and False Bay respectively.

World of Birds Sanctuary

www.worldofbirds.org.za

Whether you travel to Hout Bay with kids in tow or with fellow adults, the World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park is an enchanting daylong activity that immerses you in nature. Wind your way through humid micro-biomes populated by kalaeidescopic tropical birds, large raptors, and owls; take a step into the squirrel monkey enclosure and feel their little paws as they crawl all over you; and watch the keepers feed the penguins, flamingos, and pelicans. Bird enthusiast or not, the World of Birds is an institution and a delightful diversion for any visitor to Hout Bay.

Address: Valley Road, Hout Bay

Cape Town’s nature reserves

Cape Town is riddled with protected pockets and swaths of nature, where one can go hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, and birdwatching amongst the indigenous vegetation. The Table Mountain National Park (www.tablemountainnationalpark.org) encompasses the Cape peninsula and surrounding flats, mountains, and valleys. Here, you’ll find rock hyrax or “dassies”, Eland, Red Hartebeest, Cape mountain zebra, the critically endangered Table Mountain ghost frog, tortoises, more than 20 snake species, and a staggering diversity of bird species. Then, no more than an hour’s drive south from the city, there’s the Cape Point National Park (+27 (0) 21 780 9010) and north along the coast, the West Coast National Park (+27 (0) 22 772 2144). Both are rich in fauna, flora, and birdlife, as well as beautiful views of dramatic coastlines and ocean panoramas.

Boulder’s Beach penguin colony

Located on the adjacent coastline to the historic, naval base of Simon’s Town, you’ll find a secluded, white sand beach that’s home to a noisy colony of African Penguins (previously called Jackass Penguins for their donkey-like braying call). Boulder’s beach is a safe haven for these endangered birds and, for a small fee, visitors can actually share the beach with them for a few hours. The penguins are used to humans so don’t be surprised to find one hopping over your feet while you sunbath or swimming alongside you when you get in the water! Just don’t touch them.

Address: Kleintuin Road, Simon's Town

Visit / go snorkelling with Hout Bay’s seal colony

Right around the corner from Hout Bay Harbour, tucked behind the Sentinel Mountain, is a large, noisy, and rather odorous colony of Cape fur seals, a visit to which makes for a lovely 1-hour boat outing. Drumbeat Charters South Africa (www.drumbeatcharters.co.za) offers daily scenic cruises to Duiker Island’s seal colony, where visitors can watch the mammals basking in the sun, frolicking in the waves, and honking at each other.

Alternatively, you can don a wetsuit and jump into the water with the seals! Animal Ocean Seal Snorkeling (www.sealsnorkeling.com) takes visitors on an unforgettable half-day, eco-friendly adventure to Duiker Island, where you’ll actually jump ship to snorkel with the seals. You can even hire waterproof go-pros to record the experience of swimming with curious seals and the kelp forests and colourful ocean life that swishes in the currents beneath your flippered feet.

Annual blooming of the Cape wildflowers

The Cape practically has an international reputation for the annual blooming of its wildflower. Every August – towards the end of the month – millions upon millions of bulbs and seeds that have lain dormant in the soil erupt into a celebration of colour, carpeting the West Coast in swaths of orange, purple, red, and white. Visitors are encouraged to get out of their cars and walk through this wonderland, to take pictures with the flowers, and smell the Hesperantha (aandblom) and Babiana (Bobbejaantjie).

Some of the best places to view the spectacular annual blooming of the Cape wildflowers include Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens; Postberg Flower Reserve at the West Coast National Park; Citrusdal, the centre for South Africa’s fruit farming industry; Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden; Darling Renosterveld Local Nature Reserve; Ramskop Nature Reserve near Clanwilliam in the Cederberg; Cape Columbine Nature Reserve near Paternoster; Harold Porter Botanical Garden; Tienie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve near Darling; and the Namaqua National Park.

Simply Bee Natural Beeswax Products

www.simplybee.co.za

Simply Bee crafts an impressive range of environmentally friendly, additive-free, and totally natural beeswax products from the raw materials obtained from the family-run business’ collection of bee hives. Their beeswax ranges tally up to an impressive 150 different products that include hand and body soaps and creams, facial skin care products, hair shampoo and conditioner, candles, ointments, balms, and much more. The dk villas team loves them – and stock all of their bathrooms at all three of their properties with them - because they are 100% environmentally friendly and encourage bees to flourish! Also, in 2019, Luxury Travel Guide declared Simply Bee the Conservation Company of the Year for the Western Cape, South Africa!

Address: 31A Church Street, Hopefield, Western Cape

Block & Chisel Designer Furniture and Décor

www.blockandchisel.co.za

With several locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg attesting to their enormous success, Block & Chisel is a designer furniture and décor store where you can find lovingly curated and unique collections. Their style is very much informed and inspired by antique furniture, which has lead to the rough hewn, handcrafted pieces that they produce today. Block & Chisel started in 1987 with Master Cabinet Maker Sibley McAdam, who has a passion for traditional quality and craftsmanship, and wife Lynn McAdam who brings an intuitive eye for timeless quality and great design. It is the partnership between these two, and between raw talent and practiced craftsmanship that builds furniture and décor to complement the kind of lifestyle dk villas wishes to create for its guests.

Cape Town locations:
Chelsea Village, Wynberg (+27 (0) 21 762 3131)
Diep River (+27 (0) 21 712 5193)
Kloof Street, Cape Town (+27 (0) 21 422 0088)

Crystal & Twine décor shops

www.facebook.com/CrystalandTwine

Crystal & Twine is a gorgeous French-inspired décor shop located in the popular, yet quaint town of Riebeek Kasteel. Clustered into this shop is such a cornucopia of brick-a-brack, gifts, décor items, ornaments, furniture, and artwork that you could quite happily and easily lose yourself in there for hours. Every corner tells a story with items even being colour coordinated. It’s a wonderful place to go gift shopping – there’s no shortage of unique items bursting with personality – but for the dk villas team, Crystal & Twine has proven to be a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind décor items for their three self-catering apartments. So, whether you’re looking for a really special gift or that perfect, bespoke décor item to give a room in your home a touch of intrigue, Crystal & Twine is the perfect artsy, boutique warehouse to visit on your next visit to the Riebeek Valley.

Address: 18 Sarel Cilliers Street, Stoned Olive Building, Riebeek Kasteel

Beachsand

www.tygervalley.co.za/store/beachsand/63684

Established in 2007, Beachsand is essentially a lifestyle shop that sells furniture, décor items, lamps, and textiles, with a particular emphasis on nautical, beach-themes: aesthetics that appear calm and tranquil to the eye. Beachsand sources their beautiful array of products throughout the world and brings them to our shores, as well as having many items specifically crafted for its shelves. Think: furniture made from driftwood and reclaimed hard woods from India (there’s an emphasis on sustainability and recycling). If you’re looking for something unique to breath new life into a room, Beachsand at Tygervalley Shopping Centre is absolutely worth a visit and you’ll see plenty of its inspiration throughout dk villas’ properties.

Address: Shop # LL015, Tygervalley Shopping Centre, Cape Town

@Home

www.home.co.za/home

With dozens, if not hundreds, of stores around the country, @Home hardly needs any introduction! The dk villas team love perusing their stylish and quality collections of furniture and décor, which cover just about every room in the home from kitchen, dining area, and lounge to bedroom, bathroom, and beyond. There’s even inspiration to be found here for the garden, patio, and walls. @Home might not deal in ultra unique and quirky pieces but if you’re looking for furniture that is made from quality materials, is comfortable, and is aesthetically pleasing, “a la mode”, and fits seamlessly with any space, this is the place to drop your pay check.

Coricraft

www.coricraft.co.za

If you ever harboured the fantasy of owning a leather couch, you simply have to peruse Coricraft’s collection. For over two decades, the brand has offered great value on top-notch furnishings and has grown from just one store in Cape Town to a constellation of stores (nearly 50) in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. Of course, they build beautiful furniture for every room in the home, as well as a vast spectrum of décor items and accessories, from carpets, candlesticks, and wall art to textiles, pot planters, and table top décor. Coricraft can also manufacture its furniture according to your specifications so you can literally have the furniture of your fantasies made for you right here in South Africa… and dk villas is all about supporting local business!

Address: see website for numerous nationwide branches.