Where to Stay

Cape Grace [1] is consistently ranked one of the best hotels in the world. Apparently, the number of concierges here is just shy of the population of Cape Town itself.

West Quay, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, 27-21-410-7100, www.capegrace.com

Three supremely cool restaurants and bars sit below Hippo Boutique Hotel. Can you say, “Charge it to my room please?” Hotel rooms come with Internet access and stainless steel-accessorized kitchenettes. Cape Town’s best value.

5 - 9 Park Rd., Gardens, 27-21-423-2500, www.hippotique.co.za

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The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa’s exclusive and isolated setting on the namesake mountain range is matched only by its decor, which is shipshape meets 1930s art deco. Stunning ocean views reveal a tiny tip of a mast sitting just offshore, leaving guests to only guess what fate befell its crew before it crashed on the rocks a century ago.

Victoria Rd., Camps Bay, 27-21-437-9000, www.12apostleshotel.com

When in the Cape Winelands, visit the Grande Roche Hotel’s bucolic Dutch retreat. Its restaurant, Bosman’s, is the only African member of the prestigious Relais Gourmands.

Plantasie St., Paarl, 27-21-863-2727, www.granderoche.com

If Johannesburg is on your itinerary, don't let the gated confines of the area deter you from staying at Melrose Arch Hotel. The back-lit floor in the entry leads you to a modern space and patio tables out back, where you can also cool your feet at tables set in shallow water. Visit other vibey restaurants and shops around Melrose Arch’s courtyard. To really check out South Africa’s next hot city, hire a car and guide from Malose Tours.

Melrose Arch Hotel, 1 Melrose Sq., Johannesburg, 27-11-214-6666
Malose Tours, D203 Housing Co-op, 54 Cornelia St., Troyeville, 27-83-390-7409, malosetours@ebmail.co.za

Where to Eat

Modern Relish [2] features three levels of cool: restaurant downstairs, bar at mid-level and open-air smoking lounge upstairs. Try the springbok carpaccio or the warthog with apple and sage bangers for a fresh twist on local fare.

70 New Church St., Tamboerskloof, 27-21-422-3584

Stop at Cafe Vespa [3] to rent a Vespa for a zip around the city. Then when you return, idle with an obscenely cheap beer.

108 Kloof St., Gardens, 27-21-426-5042

Planet Champagne Bar [4] is buried inside the really pink and colonial paragon the Mount Nelson Hotel. Make your way through the throngs of white-haired Brits in knee-high socks to the champagne bar at the back.

76 Orange St., 27-21-483-1000, www.mountnelson.co.za

What to Do

Head to the beaches at Milnerton [5] to scope out international windsurfers. Order a delightful Out of Africa picnic from Cape Grace, where you can sample Cape Malay drumsticks, snoek pâté and biltong, all local delicacies.

South Africa is home to Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and the legendary Gary Player. Enough said. Try Atlantic Beach Golf Course and Royal Cape Golf Club. Contact Winelands Golf Tours for golf rounds in the morning and guided wine tours in the afternoon.

27-21-876-4042, www.winelandsgolftours.com

It’s worth the money to hire a car and guide for at least a day in Cape Town. Tour the vast surrounding communities or visit a township to learn about the other side of the city. Contact Royal Cape Tours and ask for Ebrahim Rhode or book African Welcome Car Hire if you fancy negotiating the roads yourself (on the left-hand side, no less), whether in a Fiat or a Mercedes.

Royal Cape Tours, 27-21-637-3544, www.royalcapetours.co.za
African Welcome Car Hire, africanwelcome@wol.co.za

Resources

For a seminal work from South Africa’s greatest writer, pick up Nobel Prize winner J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace. For abridged cultural explorations, try Yesterday, South Africa's 2005 Oscar-nominated film, which tackles the issue of AIDS in the present-day republic, or Cry Freedom, Sir Richard Attenborough's gripping biography of martyred leader Stephen Biko.

South Africa’s hipster music scene is alive and well. If you can find CDs by these bands at specialty music stores before you head over, you'll be well equipped to join the bar scene. Pestroy’s Counter Attack has Korn and Tool influences with a Catherine Wheel sound; Freshly Ground (seven musicians from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique) produce a critically acclaimed sound on Nomvula, which vaguely channels Tori Amos. But your best bet is Airship Orange, a new band that came second on the South Africa leg of the Global Battle of the Bands with their stripped-down rock.

Arrive in town and immediately go glam with a sampling from South Africa's dizzying magazine crop: The glossy new Visi won best new decor magazine in South Africa; Condé Nast House & Garden, Elle Décor and House and Leisure all feature South African editions; Top Billing gives the lowdown on the latest people, beauty, travel and food in Cape Town (with an accompanying TV show); and slick SL delivers the ultracool goods on South Africa's music, fashion and culture.

For the gourmand, there are South African food products to either try at home first or buy when you're there. Visit www.sogo.co.za for chutneys and ketchup and www.nomu.co.za for hot chocolate.

Getting There

Air Canada offers daily non-stop service to Frankfurt from Vancouver (in conjunction with Star Alliance™ member Lufthansa), Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, with twice daily service from Montreal between June and September. Lufthansa offers connecting flights to Cape Town from Frankfurt.

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