Bought the Fuzzy Festive Feels?
Attempt Cape City’s Heady Summer time Cocktail of Blissful Days, Golden Seashores and All-Spherical Unbeatable Magic.
Picture Credit score Secret Dawn
Ever puzzled how Southern Hemisphere peeps have a good time the Festive Interval?
As, let’s face it, cosy-ing as much as the hearth wrapped in a fleecy blanket in a scorching 35 levels Celcius could be pretty disagreeable. A cooked meal of stuffed turkey, potatoes and Brussel sprouts to your Christmas dinner? Sporting a reindeer jumper? Adorning the tree with tinsel and snow crystals? Nah, that’s not how we do it Down South.
So – how can we cope with out snow, mistletoe and glühwein to make Christmas really feel like Christmas??
You’re invited to dip your toes into the Atlantic Ocean and be a part of us for somewhat taster of what goes down this time of 12 months in Cape City.
Picture Credit score Cape City Journal One of many many music occasions laid on over the festive interval.
1. IT’S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS….
The switching on of the Christmas lights accompanied by a music competition within the centre of Cape City initially of December just about heralds within the official begin of the festive season. Tens of hundreds of jubiland revellers attend historic celebration every year decked out in sparklying head gear and a really festive spirit certainly!
Picture Credit score Cape City And so on.
Picture Cape City Journal Big crowds attend the town centre music and lights occasions.
Picture Credit score Flikr.com Kirstenbosch Gardens presents the annual Carols By Candlelight
Picture Credit score Metropolis Seeing A competition of lights
Picture Credit score Smile FM Big crowds attend the switching on of the Christmas lights.
Picture Credit score Cape City And so on The Metropolis Corridor turns into a kaleidoscope of sunshine.
Picture Credit score Cape City and many others A music competition takes place on the evening of the switching on of the Christmas lights
2. JOY TO THE WORLD, FROM THE CITY OF HOPE
The world-famous V&A Waterfront has, over the previous 6 years, created a novel set of festive installations entitled ‘Pleasure to the World’. Over 190 small companies (over 1000 craftspeople!) are commissioned to collaborate on creating decorations which might be hand-crafted and befitting of the Southern Hemisphere, utilizing on a regular basis supplies. The 2024/5 providing is one more feast for the eyes, with a whole lot of monumental installations and decorations. Vibrant, joyous and vibrant!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul On the V&A Waterfront
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
Picture Credit score Cécile Pau
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Monumental beaded homes in stead of Christmas baubles embellish malls.
Picture Credit score Expat Cape City Christmas baubles, Africa-style.
3. SUMMER IS BLOOMING MARVELLOUS!
The numerous flower markets are stuffed with spectacular indigenous flowers – proteas, banksias, lilies, roses and the varied well-known ‘fynbos’ flowers that develop on the slopes of Desk Mountain.
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Spectacular banksias
Picture Credit score Sisters on Adderley Flower Sellers Two sisters who’ve offered their flowers over generations at this historic flower market on Adderley St.
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul The magnificent King Protea
4. CAPETONIANS RELAX – AND PARTY – IN STYLE.
When it’s summertime within the Southern Hemisphere, it’s additionally a pure ending to the educational and dealing 12 months, which implies, for most individuals, a jolly lengthy and well-deserved break below the African solar. Yay!
Cape City And so on. Sunsets are a part of the fabulous summer season cocktail.
However how do Capetonians get pleasure from their December and January (sure, we advised you it was a lengthy summer season vacation)? Not like the Northern Hemisphere the place days are brief, temperatures low and the hope is for a snow-filled Christmas time, these in Cape City have a considerably completely different set of circumstances, let’s consider (wink, wink) to navigate!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul The view from the V&A Waterfront with its quite a few fish eating places
Picture Credit score Come to Cape City One of many seashores at Clifton
Picture Credit score Cape City And so on. The well-known feathered inhabitants of Boulders Seashore
Picture Credit score Cape City And so on. A False Bay Seashore
5. IT’S A TIME FOR LETTING ONE’S HAIR DOWN – BUT STYLISHLY.
This can be a time for endless days on golden seashores, sipping cocktails and watching the day by day show of magnificent sunsets. It’s a time for bikinis, flip-flops, giant straw hats, glamorous kimonos and strappy clothes – whether or not at a quaint seashore bar or trendy metropolis restaurant.
Picture Credit score Crystal Birch on Instagram
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Picture Credit score Gabrielle Swimwear
6. FOOD AND DRINKS ARE KEY TO THE HOLY GRAIL OF FESTIVE DELIGHTS.
It’s a time for households and buddies to congregate and have a good time the various festive days with meals and drinks. Outside cooking – particularly lengthy barbeques with native wine and beer flowing – is what most folks do for his or her festive meals.
Picture Credit score Crush Journal On-line
Picture Credit score Boy Eats World The well-known South African ‘braaibroodjies’ (toasted cheese, tomato and chutney sandwiches cooked on a barbeque)
Picture Credit score Come to Cape City Scorching snacks!
7. IT’S MARKET & FESTIVAL SEASON ON STEROIDS!
It’s additionally a time for innumerable summer season markets, music, meals & wine festivals and concert events. For many who choose to remain put within the metropolis, the selection of Christmas markets is staggering, with most neighbourhoods internet hosting their very own markets along with the year-round ones within the metropolis. The social calendar is jam-packed.
Picture Credit score Inside Information Cape Level Vineyards Market – the place one can get pleasure from a picnic packed for you by the property, along with their spectacular wines, whereas listening to dwell music and overlooking the seashore at Noordhoek.
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Oranjezicht Farm Market: meals and flowers galore!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Contemporary natural greens
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Meals from everywhere in the world at Bay Harbour Market
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Oranjezicht Farm Market
Neighbourgoods Market on the Previous Biscuit Mill A nod to European pastries
Picture Credit score Cape City Journal Native wares at Bay Harbour Market
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Baskets from throughout Africa
Music concert events – lots of them free – occur all through summer season throughout the town for all to get pleasure from. All this to the backdrop of spectacular (predominantly domestically made) festive decorations that adorn purchasing facilities, metropolis streets, timber, flower pots and sidewalks alike. Add to that the unbelievable pure fantastic thing about the town of Cape City, and the stage is about for spectacular celebrations.
Picture Credit score Cape Tourism
Picture Credit score Psymedia Alcazar Music Pageant NYE in Cape City’s metropolis centre
World-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is a gardener’s and bird-watcher’s delight, all 12 months spherical, however particularly within the lengthy and balmy summer season. Through the summer season the backyard can be host to the most effective native and worldwide music expertise: picnics get packed, blankets rolled out and music loved to the backdrop of the spectacular gardens flanked by Desk Mountain.
Picture Credit score Kirstenbosch Summer time Live shows
Many households e book a vacation dwelling or campsite within the mountains, riverside or at a seashore resort to flee the hustle and bustle of the busy, tourist-filled metropolis over summer season. A highway journey down one of many many epic routes is a summer season vacation MUST!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Wine loved within the veld – what will be higher?
For many who love the nice outdoor the sky is kind of actually the restrict – browsing, wind browsing, hang-gliding, paragliding, crusing, waterskiing, mountain-climbing, hill-walking, canoeing, horse driving, biking, golf, and many others., to say however just a few, are on provide. There are additionally promenade walks and sluggish strolls by way of the various metropolis and canine parks, ought to one go for taking place only one gear.
Picture Credit score Alamy (Guardian) Oudekraal seashore is nice for canoeing.
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul The highway awaits!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul Street journeys are the most effective summer season escapes!
The sky’s the restrict in relation to seashores. The town hosts its personal set of tremendous trendy seashores – Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Level and Llundudno, however half and hour’s away there are the magnificent seashores of the West Coast in addition to the hotter waters of False Bay’s gorgeous seashores. Tidal swimming pools are additionally a very fashionable possibility for cooling down.
Picture Credit score AFRIKA One of many West Coast seashores with the proper view of Desk Mountain.
Picture Credit score Come to Cape City Cooling down in one of many innumerable tidal swimming pools.
The a whole lot of wine estates – something from quarter-hour to an hour’s drive from Cape City’s metropolis centre, with their spectacular produce, award-winning eating places and manicured gardens, are at all times a temptation – and the selection between the seashore and venturing inland to lie on a luscious garden overlooking vineyards is a troublesome one!
Picture Credit score Babylonstoren Wine Property The spectacular gardens at Babylonstoren
Picture Credit score Babylonstoren Wine Property The well-known wine tram that chugs between Franschhoek wine property
Picture Credit score Expat Cape City Pleasure to the WORLD,From the CITY OF HOPE!
Picture Credit score Cécile Paul
