Festive markets
Immerse yourself in a feast for the senses at the Maynardville Garden Market taking place at Maynardville, Wynberg from 15 to 17 December, 10:00 to 22:00. Free entry for children and pensioners. Adults and teens pay R15.
Experience the ultimate thrift experiences at the Three-Day Thrift Fest at The Old Cape Quarter. Open from 11:00 between 15 and 17 December.
The My Cape Town Market, featuring over 100 vendors, live entertainment, kids zone, fashion, arts and crafts and much more takes place in the Company’ Garden on 16 and 17 December from 15:00 to 22:00 and 18 to 20 December from 16:00 to 21:00.
The Edgemead Christmas Market will take place at the Edgemead Community Centre on Edgemead Drive, off Bosmansdam Road until Friday 24 December. Open from 10:00 until 20:00.
The All Star Christmas Market is back at Meridian Independent School, Pinehurst, until 23 December. Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 19:00, Saturdays from 09:00 until 19:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00.
The Tyger Valley Shopping Centre’s annual festive market is housed inside the centre until Sunday 7 January. The market is located on the lower level, close to entrance three at the food court.
The CapeGate Outdoor Festive Market will take place until 24 December. The market is located in the free-parking area close to the entrances for Dischem, Checkers and Woolworths.
Festive events
Grab a picnic blanket and round up your friends and family for the City’s most-loved carols event, Carols at Kirstenbosch proudly hosted by the Rotary Club of Kirstenbosch. Taking place at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens from 14 to 17 December. Tickets from R125 at www.webtickets.co.za
Get into the festive vibe with Emo Adams, Jimmy Nevis, Nur Abrahams, Alistair Izobell and many more Cape Town favourites as they get down and boogie the night away at the Unity on the Square Festival at Greenmarket Square on 16 December. Gates open at 14:00. Tickets from R120 at www.quicket.co.za
Save the Rave is raising the bar for rave parties with three dance floors – 10 hours and 20 DJs at Liquidreams Xmas Special. The line-up includes DJ Surge, Jason47, JBA, Adrian Gemini, DJ Basil, Shylo, Hamza, Donzai, Leyton Lee, Dean DeNielson, DJ Nick-o, Jamie Jam Jar, Roy Hendrix, Karlage, Brent Thought, Smash DJS, Jayson B and Bad Boy Charl. Tickets from R200 at savetherave.co.za
Enjoy great food, DJs, drinks, friends, family and festive fun under the sun at the 10th Sizzled Summer Music & Food Fest taking place at Fort Wynyard, V&A Waterfront on 26 December from 12:00 to 23:00. Tickets from R250 at Computicket.
Usher in the New Year with Tarryn Lamb, Just Jinger, Sun El Musician, Black Ties, Mandisi Dyantyis, The Rivertones, Seth Grey, and The Ploemies as the countdown to the New Year at the V&A Waterfront’s New Year’s Eve Celebration. Festivities commence at 15:00 and will culminate in a five-minute fireworks display that will light up the sky as midnight arrives.
For the mall rats
Step into a world of frosty wonder and festive joy at Canal Walk’s Holiday Ice Slides, until 13 January in the centre court. Ride the three thrilling real ice slides and capture the magic at the WISH-inspired photo booth within the event area. Mini riders can enjoy various activities such as snow play, a ball pit, a junior slide, and Disney-themed puzzle games. For more information, visit www.canalwalk.co.za
Experience the magic of Disney at the Disney 100 Outdoor Cinema, located at the V&A Waterfront’s Croquet, with six timeless stories – The Lion King (2019), Frozen 2, Encanto, The Incredibles 2, Finding Dory and The Greatest Showman – showing until 17 December. Come dressed up in your favourite Disney character. Tickets cost R100 at www.ticketpros.co.za
Naledi’s Festive Dream is a theatrical Christmas production created especially for our vibrant city, and played out in a purpose-built theatre that takes over the Waterfront’s Amphitheatre for an eight-day run. Naledi’s Festive Dream is a 40-minute dreamscape of family enjoyment, performed three times a day, between 16-23 December. Tickets cost R100 or R75 for a family deal of four at www.webtickets.co.za
Meet Santa at the Centre Court in the Waterfront from 15 to 24 December between 11:00 and 17:00.
Wonderland, N1 City, has arcade machines and kiddies rides, as well as attractions even teenagers and adults can enjoy. It is open during load shedding.
Indoor entertainment
The coolest place to be this summer is The Ice Station at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World. Skate the heat away on the Olympic-sized ice rink, or on the mini-rink for children shorter than 1.3m. Open daily between 10:00 and midnight with preset session times. Pricing ranges from R75 (skate hire) and R65 (own skates). Skate hire on the mini-rink is R40 and non-skaters pay R10 entry. Visit icerink.co.za for more info.
Race a superbike, shoot some hoops, hit a strike in ten-pin bowling, immerse yourself in a virtual reality experience in the X Rider, try out the Lazer Zone, or compete in a friendly game of ice hockey at The Magic Company at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World. Open from 10:00 to midnight.
Dig for beautiful gems at the Scratch Patch in either the V&A Waterfront or Simon’s Town. Both sites are open from 09:00 to 17:00 (closing at 15:00 on 24 and 31 December). Pricing starts from R35. Visit www.scratchpatch.co.za for more info.
The Warrior Toy Museum in King George Way, Simon’s Town, boasts a collection of dinky toys, dolls, model cars, boats, trains, aeroplanes, and other miscellaneous vintage toys. Follow Simonstown Warrior Toy Museum on Facebook for more.
The Cape Town Museum of Childhood is an exciting museum for children and adults of all ages, exploring and celebrating childhood. This interactive museum, the first museum of childhood in Africa, provides an institution for the heritage, documentation, memory, oral history, research, and interpretation of childhood. Housing a national collection of childhood-related exhibitions, the museum aims to capture the heritage of childhood and the role that children play in society. This is achieved through an interactive space that allows an opportunity for children, families and communities to celebrate childhood, to gain insights into childhood and to learn about childhood heritage. Entrance to the museum is free.
Test your putting skills
The mini-golf course situated on the promenade in Mouille Point, near the lighthouse, offers two different outdoor courses. Each course consists of 18 holes of varying difficulty. Price: R40 per player. Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saputtputt
Cave Golf offers two popular indoor 18-hole mini-golf courses for people of all ages, one in the V&A Waterfront, the other in Simon’s Town. The V&A course, located at the Scratch Patch, near the Aquarium, is fun to play, and despite being relatively short and compact, it’s well-designed and challenging enough to be enjoyed even by regular golfers. Simon’s Town Cave Golf, at the Scratch Patch in Dido Valley, is longer and more spacious. The course meanders downwards through a series of underground areas that feature rock walls, some highly imaginative cave and mine obstacles and ancient relics, an underground waterfall, and fabulous mineral displays that are embedded in the surrounding rock just as they were originally discovered. There’s even a section that is lit only by UV light. Cost: R40 per player. Visit www.scratchpatch.co.za
Play 18 holes of 3D glow-in-the-dark mini golf at Glow Rooms SA in Milnerton. Cost R120 per player. Open (load shedding dependant) Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 18:00, Saturdays between 10:00 and 20:00 and Sundays between 10:00 and 16:00. Closed on 25, 26 December and 1 January. Visit www.glowingrooms.co.za for more.
The great outdoors
Ride the Cape Wheel and take in the breathtaking views of Granger Bay, Robben Island, Table Mountain, and Signal Hill from its new location on Breakwater Boulevard at the V&A Waterfront. Pricing from R95. Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 to 22:00 (weather dependent). Visit capewheel.co.za for more info.
Spend a day, or a night, among the lions at Drakenstein Lion Park. Situated on the R101 between Klapmuts and Paarl, the park is one of a small handful of genuine lion sanctuaries in South Africa, with the largest lion population, including rare white lions. Open Monday to Sunday from 09:30 to 17:00. Closed on Christmas Day. Lion feeding times are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 16:00. Entry costs R80 for adults and R40 for children. The sanctuary also offers an option of overnighting in the heart of the lion sanctuary in a tented camp surrounded by lion enclosures. Visit lionrescue.org.za for more information.
Meet Gerry the giraffe and the other “wildlife ambassadors” – including meerkat, caracal, crocodile, tortoise, zebra, owl and some creepy crawlies to name a few – at Giraffe House, situated on the corner of the R304 and R101 at Muldersvlei. Open daily between 09:00 and 17:00. Entry is R85 for adults, R60 for seniors and R55 for children between the ages of 2-15. Visit www.giraffehouse.co.za for more.
Go hurtling down a half-pipe in a bobsled at Cool Runnings, flying through the twists and curves as you race along the 1,25 km track. It’s fun for kids (over the age of 3) and adults. Located off Carl Cronje Drive, Tyger Valley. Various pricing options start at R85. Visit coolrunnings.capetown for more info.
Explore the Mother City on foot and learn more about its history, and other interesting facts while you savour the beautiful sights and scenery with Free Walking Tours. You can opt for a historic city tour, an Apartheid to Freedom tour, or a Bo-Kaap tour. Tours are free, but tips are encouraged. More info at ww.freewalkingtourscapetown.co.za
Take the family strawberry picking at Polkadraai Farm, located on the Stellenbosch Arterial just outside Kuils River. Strawberry picking costs R50 a person. The farm also offers various activities including face painting, tractor and pony rides, a playground and mini-golf.
Hop on and discover your destination from the iconic red City Sightseeing open-top buses, then hop off to explore different parts of Cape Town or enjoy further Day Tours to Cape Point and the Wine Country led by passionate local guides, or join their skippers on one of their fun harbour and canal cruises. For more on the different routes, prices and specials visit www.citysightseeing.co.za
Enjoy a scenic walk to Just Nuisance’s grave in Simon’s Town. The famous dog is believed to be the only dog officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. The steps begin on Barnard Street and lead up to the Navy Signals area where the grave is. Please note the climb can be challenging. You’ll also find a bronze statue of the dog on Jubilee Square More info at https://www.simonstown.com/just-nuisance
Take a stroll through South Africa’s oldest garden, the Company’s Garden in the city centre. Feed the squirrels, relax under botanically and historically valuable trees, including the oldest cultivated pear tree in South Africa (circa 1652) or grab a bite at the restaurant. The Company’s garden is also home to the Dellville Wood Memorial Garden, the Iziko National Gallery and the SA Museum.
Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch is internationally acclaimed as one of the seven most magnificent botanical gardens in the world. It includes a cultivated garden and a nature reserve, developed garden collections of Southern African plants including many rare and endangered species, and various visitor facilities including restaurants, a nursery, a gift shop, a bookshop and a permanent Zimbabwean stone sculpture exhibition. Visitors can also get a tree-top view of the gardens from the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, known as the Boomslang. Visit www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch
The Sea Point Promenade is one of Cape Town’s most lively attractions. It features an outdoor gym children’s playgrounds, a putt-putt course, a number of public art installations, the Olympic-sized pool at the Sea Point Pavillion, ice-cream shops and other cool hangouts. You’ll also find innumerable restaurants and bars across the road, as well as. The Green Point Lighthouse – the first solid lighthouse structure on the South African coast and the oldest operational lighthouse in South Africa – is also a highlight with its trademark red-and-white candy stripe look.
Head up Signal Hill and enjoy a sunset picnic with spectacular views of the city, Table Bay and Robben Island. Signal Hill is also home to the Noon Gun, a couple of kramats, or sacred shrines and popular activities on offer include paragliding and hiking.
Take the kids on a scenic ride in Mouille Point on the famous “Old Lady” Mini Blue Train, the only beachfront miniature railway in the country. The Blue Train Park also features a mini-skate park, cement push bike track, pedal push carts, a 30m zip-line, 2x 8m long slide, see-saws, climbing rock, jungle gyms, an obstacle course, an astro turf soccer pitch and seafront front play area for kids to run wild. Entry costs R45 and includes a train ride. Open Tuesdays to Sundays 09:30 to 18:30. Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. More info at thebluetrainpark.co.za
Go rose picking at Chart Farm in Wynberg. The gardens consist of about 6 000 rose bushes and the farm boasts a wide variety of roses for picking, all with unique appearances and names. Cost: R8 per stem if you pick your own and R10 per stem for picked roses. Open 09:00 to 16:00 daily. Visit chartfarm.co.za/roses for more info.
Green Point Park features a host of facilities like a biodiversity showcase garden, an outdoor labyrinth or maze, an open field, an amphitheatre, an outdoor gym and a play park for the kids. Perfect for picnics, outdoor exercise, romantic walks and healthy activities. Open daily from 07:00 to 19:00. Entry is free.
Ratanga Park once known as Ratanga Junction, is ideal for those who want to walk, jog or relax in a peaceful setting. Not as crowded as other parks, this Century City attraction also showcases grand views of the canals, Table Mountain, and surrounding areas.
The Long March to Freedom at Century represents the epic journey to freedom walked by iconic leaders through the lives of 100 individuals vividly created as life-size bronze statues. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:30. Entry costs R10 (rate for SA citizens) and free for children under six. Book at Webtickets.
