Tips for Visiting Cape Town

The Mother City is a place that many people fall in love with when they visit her. Complex and many-layered, she offers something for everyone - the foodie, the theatre buff, the outdoors enthusiast, the holiday-maker, the student and anyone in between. No matter what type of visitor you are to the Cape, there are a few things that apply to everyone - here are my top 5 tips for visiting Cape Town. 

5. Leave Your Umbrella At Home
Cape Town is notoriously windy and while an umbrella may seem like a good idea when the rain is bucketing down, it's not always practical because it's inevitably also windy whenever it's raining. I've seen way too many umbrellas lost to crazy Cape Town winds and they're more a hindrance than a help in the Cape. Instead of bringing your umbrella along with you, rather bring along a rain coat with a hood.

4. Drive In The Right Lane
When driving in Cape Town (especially along Main Road) stay in the right hand lane as much as possible. This will help to minimise your frustrations with taxi's and buses who notoriously stop right in front of you without warning, usually in the most inconvenient places.

3. Don't Drink and Drive
Apart from the obvious safety implications, there is a huge police presence in Cape Town. At night (and sometimes during the day) there are often road blocks along the roads and while you may get lucky and get waved through a road block, drinking and driving just isn't worth it. It's much easier to catch a taxi. Or use Uber (which means you don't need to worry about cash!). 

2. Make Flexible Plans
The best laid plans can be blown to smithereens when Cape Town weather doesn't play nice. If you're planning to do something "outdoorsy" during your visit to Cape Town, I would suggest having a plan B which is geared towards more indoor activities. Since the weather changes at the drop of the hat, you need to be prepared to be flexible. Wine-tasting is always a good alternative. Alternatively, the weather is sometimes completely different on the other side of the mountain, so you could always try going for a drive to the other side if the side you're on doesn't have the weather you're hoping for!

1. Always take something warm with you
This is hands down the best piece of advice I have been given and if you remember nothing else, then remember this. I clearly remember being told by a relative, just before I started at UCT, that no matter where I go in Cape Town, I should always take something warm with me. Especially if it's somewhere that takes you from afternoon to evening. I have been saved many an evening of chattering teeth by this simple piece of advice.

The view driving through Constantia Glen wine farm.