This is the second edition of our Experiences series and this one has you in for a treat! From foods to arts, these are some of the Wanderful Lifestyle experiences that WanderfullySo has to offer, whether you’re at home in your armchair or out and about on the streets of Cape Town!
THE V&A WATERFRONT!
The V&A Waterfront has been a tourist attraction in Cape Town since 1990. It is a central part of the very beginning of the settlement of the city of Cape Town. In 1654, two years after Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival in this relatively safe bay at the foot of Table Mountain, he built a small jetty as part of his mission to establish a refreshment station at the Cape. Fresh water and fresh produce were provided to the ships of the Dutch East India Company on their strenuous and long journey to their outposts in Java and Batavia. The sea and the harbor lie at the heart of Cape Town’s history. This virtual tour, hosted by Elizabeth, kicks off at the Silo Side, across the swing bridge, popping in at a few markets including arts and a food market around the Waterfront, then ending in front of the aquarium. These locations are just an introduction to the Waterfront, a little something to whet your appetite!
BO-KAAP
Those living in Bo-Kaap are descendants of slaves that were imported by the Dutch from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and various African countries during the 16th and 17th centuries. These slaves were called “Cape Malays”, even though not all of them were of Malaysian descent. After the British seized Cape Town from the Dutch in 1795, a series of positive changes happened over the next four decades including religious freedom, the abolition of the slave trade and finally, an end to slavery. The emancipated slaves formed a new community at Bo-Kaap, which even today, is referred to as the Malaya Quarter. The brightly coloured houses that line the cobbled stone streets of the area are a sign of freedom, as in earlier days all of the houses used to be white. Once they gained political freedom, the residents painted their houses these beautiful, bright colours to represent their political freedom. This in-person tour entails walking around Bo-Kaap getting to know more about the culture as well as the food. You’ll learn about some of the spices which make Cape Malay food. You’ll also find out the best spots to buy these spices when you’re in Cape Town. You’ll stop by the Cultural Hub, which was started by the community and is for the community. It’s like a meeting place for people to do cultural activities such as painting, jewelry making, etc. However, this one is focused on more historical events and learning about the history of Bo-Kaap.
GREENPOINT
Another beautiful suburb in the Mother City, Greenpoint has many things to offer from clothing stores to some of the best and most popular restaurants. This tour, like all our other tours, is very special because it’s basically a Women-Friendly online experience, meaning it will be showing off places that are safe for women to visit when traveling alone or in a group, which accommodation to rent and which transportation to use. You’ll start off at the accommodation rental, then from there you will be shown different shops to do your shopping, whether grocery or clothing! There’s a lot more to see, including Greenpoint Park which has an outdoor gym that is open to the public to use. This online virtual experience would be the perfect option for those who are planning to stay in Cape Town for a few months and would like to rent somewhere with an urban kind of lifestyle that is close enough to the City Centre.
All these tours are about an hour long. If you are interested in whetting your appetite with some Cape Town flavour, make sure to book your free concierge session with WanderfullySo or contact our Concierge Gurus to customize your virtual experience!
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