What you need to know before you book your airfare and tickets
Cape Town might not be the most obvious choice for a short getaway, but it is a great alternative to the standard European city break. Especially because when it is winter here, Cape Town is basking in the summer sun. So if you want to top up your tan in February or March, book a cheap flight to Cape Town. Book a red eye and catch some zzz's on the plane ride over and because the time difference is only 1 or 2 hours (depending on summer or winter time), you will have no jet lag. Besides hitting the beach and riding the waves, there are plenty of other things to see and do. You can spend one day touring the country side and tasting some of the great wines that are produced at the wine estates in Stellenbosch and Paarl. Or what about a visit to Robben Island prison off the coast of the city where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life and learn about the turbulent past of South Africa? The boat ride over offers you stunning views of Cape Town and Table Mountain. For a romantic Sunday afternoon pack a picnic and a few bottles of wine and head over to the botanical gardens in Kirstenbosch where you can enjoy the afternoon summer concerts. For an authentic South African dinner, try out Mama Africa on Long Street. Feast yourself on a springbok steak or Mama's bobootie. There is live music pretty much every night starting at 8 pm. For your after dinner cocktails, check out the many bars on Long Street or if you want to see and be seen, head over to the Camps Bay strip. Check out the stylishly designed Caprice lounge bar if you are into celeb spotting or another trendy option is the cocktail bar in the Bay Hotel. Both are great places to enjoy an evening cocktail watching the sun set in the ocean. For cheap flights to Cape Town check out British Airways or South African Airways.
