Top Winter Experiences

Perhaps you associate Cape Town with blue skies, summer cocktails and bikinis, but Capetonians have always known that Cape Town’s best-kept secret is its winter charms. With cooler weather, the focus is on the senses, as you are wined, dined, thrilled and entertained. Here are ten good reasons to visit Cape Town this winter:

1. The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ legacy
   Cape Town has played its part in a very successful 2010 FIFA World Cup™, hosting eight matches, including three knock-out games. You can visit the magnificent Cape Town Stadium and ask locals what it was like being part of the World Cup experience in Cape Town.
   
   
2. Events and culture
   Cape Town gets energetic in winter. Numerous events, from sports to theatre, comedy and cooking keep us inspired and creative. Exploring Cape Town’s past is a sometimes highly emotional journey. Choose a rainy winter’s day to explore the city’s museums and places of memory – it’s likely to be a fascinating experience.
   
   
3. Walks
   The air is fresh and the mountain is fragrant. Winter is the time to see Cape Town’s natural parks at their verdant best. Bring a guide and travel in a group no smaller than four. You will return invigorated and energised. If you are short on time, take a brisk stroll along the Sea Point and Mouille Point promenades.
   
   
4. Adventure activity
   The sun may linger behind the clouds, but this is the best time to get into the sea. Conditions are perfect for kite-surfing, wind-surfing, board-surfing and even extreme wave-surfing. Add to this a range of adrenalin-pumping pursuits such as paragliding, helicopter flips and sky-diving and winter is not likely to be spent under the duvet.
   
   
5. 
   Delicious food and endless good wine
   Cape Town is a food-lover’s playground, with no fewer than five Top 100 S. Pellegrino restaurants within easy driving distance of the central business district. Fresh produce, diverse culinary influences, talent and reasonably priced menus mean no shortage of opportunities to dine out. Expect to enjoy superlative Cape wines at very affordable prices. The slightly cooler winter temperatures also allow for nights in front of roaring fires drinking glasses of gluhwein.
   
   
6. World-class shopping
   Football wives and girlfriends won’t be the only ones enjoying Cape Town’s diverse shopping experiences. From gorgeous Gucci, to crafted township beadwork, all tastes and pockets will find something to treasure in Cape Town.
   
   


Shopping at the V&A Waterfront. Photo courtesy Ian Junor

7. Markets
   Weekends leave Capetonians spoilt for choice when it comes to morning markets. Visitors to these weekly (and in some cases, monthly) events are greeted with attractive stands selling fresh produce, clever products, crafts, antiques and gourmet food on the go. Inspired by the markets of Europe, but infused with a distinctly Capetonian twist, markets are the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere, meet the locals and enjoy a sense of jolly community and entrepreneurial spirit.
   
   
8. Plenty for the kids
   Parents need not fear that their kids will suffer from cabin fever on their winter holiday in Cape Town. The winter climate is conducive to plenty of outdoor rough-and-tumble activities, and there are numerous indoor activities to keep little people content. Just some of the options include Art Jamming (a mess-as-much-as-you-like art studio), the Two Oceans Aquarium and the MTN Science Centre.
   
   

9. Breaks in the rain
   The temperature in Cape Town’s winter season ranges from 7°C to 20°C (45°F to 70°F). Cape Town will often experience a balmy patch of weather in the middle of winter. It’s not uncommon to enjoy a week of sunshine with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 26°C.
   
   
10. Coffee and people-watching
    From the much-loved Afro-Portuguese chaos of vida e caffé to the roost-and-roast regulars at Green Point’s traditional Italian grocer, Giovanni’s, or the elegant organic brigade at Melissa’s, you’re likely to meet plenty of interesting Capetonians.
    
    

For more details call Cape Town Tourism on +27 (0)21 487 6800 between 08h00 and 21h00 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).