Far and Away

by Madeworthy Staff

For the past several of our travel issues, the Madeworthy staff has worked with travel agents and local explorers to bring you expert advice on places to stay, activities to do, and things to see in various cities. Our frst year, we focused on Texas cities. Last year, we widened our scope to cities across the United States. This year, we go international.

To fgure out which cities we should focus on, the staff sat down and did some serious daydreaming. We talked about places we’ve been that we want to visit again and about trips that are on our bucket lists. We dreamed BIG.

We settled on three trips, and we reached out to our experts to give us the scoop on each one. We hope you enjoy!

Cape Town

The oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town is frequently described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Nestled between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in the far southwest corner of South Africa, Cape Town (originally named Cape of Good Hope) was established as a waystation by the Dutch East India Company for ships to refuel and restock on the way to the Dutch East Indies. Table Mountain, with its “tablecloth” of clouds, is a beautiful backdrop for this dynamic city.

Travelers of all kinds, from outdoor adventurers to oenophiles, from surfers to history buffs (Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27-year prison sentence, is near the city), Cape Town has a more than a little something for everyone. Kaleigh Kirkpatrick of The Shameless Tourist has some great suggestions for enjoying Cape Town.

Best time to visit

October to March to enjoy the beaches

Best splurge hotel

The Silo (favorite hotel ever!)

Best value hotel

Cape Grace Hotel

Best touristy must-do V&A Waterfront, Chapman's Peak

Best local haunts

The Gin Bar & Honest Chocolate Shop (Chocolate in the Front of the shop, Gin Bar in the back)

Best shopping areas

The Watershed