Just what is it that makes this city so irrefutably photogenic? As you’ll soon discover, it’s her landscapes, her two oceans, her Winelands and her people; and who better to showcase the city than the Instagrammers that live and travel in Cape Town.
Whether you’re a Cape Town native or just passing through, these 60 Instagram photos represent 30 facets of life in the 021 which will make you want to explore this peninsula city with more than just your corkscrew.
1. Squeezed between the rocky shore and a steep mountain, St James is characterised by its colourful beach huts.
2 – 3. Cape Town’s diverse architecture is epitomized in these 2 Instagram photos of the City Hall – the venue for historical, creative and cultural events since 1905; and below a reflective perspective of the modern high-rises which mark the city’s landscape today.
3 – 5. The fan walk starts in the CBD and culminates at the 68 000-seater Cape Town Stadium – the major Mother City venue for anything from Bieber to the Madiba Memorial, and a fairly new feature on the face of the city’s skyline.
6 – 7. Situated in the heart of the city’s working harbour against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront mixes bygone seafaring charm with the conveniences of modern Cape Town.
8 – 9. A real life Finding Nemo experience and the opportunity to dine with the fish on Valentine’s Day are just some of the charms that make the world class Two Oceans Aquarium so worthwhile.
10 – 11. If you’ve never been to Cape Town, don’t be surprised if you hear ‘SEA POINT’ being bellowed from the back of a Hiace taxi before you see it.
12 – 13. Long daylight hours in the summer months mean one thing to Capetonians – enough time after work to chase the sun all the way to Camps Bay and beyond before it disappears behind the horizon.
14 – 15. Clifton’s azure waters are as pure as the white granitic sand which line its shores, and have tempted many an innocent visitor into a state of unsuspecting brain-freeze. At a chilly 12 °C, you might be better off joining the bronzed bodies on the sand with a beach bat in hand.
16 – 18. Surround yourself with cocktails and celebrities on Camps Bays celebrated Sunset Strip.
19 – 21. A dip in nature’s ice bucket followed by drinks on the rocks with the locals are Bakoven’s biggest drawcards.
22 – 23. Whether you’re motoring or pedalling; Cape Town is a two-wheel-friendly town.
24 – 25. Naval scenes give way to nautically decked houses, cobbled alleyways, quaint restaurants and antique store discoveries in the vibrant seaside village of Simon’s Town.
26 – 27. A Bohemian village vibe sets the scene in Kalk Bay where Brass Bell burger lunches herald the start of a slothful afternoon of back alley bead shopping and, if you’re lucky enough, whale spotting in winter.
28 – 29. Between the surfers of Muizenberg’s Corner and the four-legged billy goats of the tower at Fairview, beards are a sure-fire feature in and around the Mother City.
30 – 31. Rubber-clad surfers scuttle from mid break to backline like a pulsating sea of drowned ants. The action is just as alive on shore where Muizenberg’s surfing royalty impart their expertise to wannabes young and old.
32. From jazz, R&B, hip hop, folk, and rock to big band swing, the Summer Concerts at Kirstenbosch appeal to all ages and tastes.
33. Spare a few bob for these bushy-tailed nutjobs of the Company Gardens by buying a bag of raw nuts. Beware the terrorist Albino Squirrel.
34. It’s not exactly the embodiment of efficiency, but what Metrorail lacks in unpredictability it makes up for in its affordability for commutes to the nether regions of Cape Town.
35 – 37. One of the world’s Natural Wonders and the defining landmark of the Mother City – Table Mountain offers one of the most epic views in Africa!
38. Twice awarded ‘Best Airport in Africa’, the official gateway to the Mother City and her many spoils represents a slick doorway for visitors, and one the city’s residents can be proud of.
39 – 40. Anything can happen on a mountain where the moon’s phase is its master puppeteer.
41 – 42. As artisan as it is organic, Woodstock is made for retro furniture shopping and sipping a ginger infused tea.
43 – 44. The smell of Cape Malay cooking and the flurry of birds on a wire – the colourful Bo Kaap will always offer striking compositions no matter the filter applied.
45 – 48. Mother City indulgences for the love of something sweet, savoury and hoppy.
49 – 50. Loved by paragliders for its direct access to thermals and some sea-breeze soaring, and locals for its picnic scoffing accompanied views, Signal Hill gives you a virtually 360 degree outlook of one of the most scenic locations on the planet where the expansive Atlantic orbs past the horizon while colourful sails whizz overhead.
51 – 52. A mash up of minstrels in colourful costumes and a vortex of umbrellas vie for your attention against the blast of trumpets and the shrill of whistles – a cultural combination which awakens the spectators’ senses and signals the start of Tweede Nuwe Jaar in Cape Town and an event unique to this part of the world.
53 – 54. The ill-informed tend to give the Mother City a wide berth in the winter months as high pressure cells move close to shore rendering torrential rains, stormy seas and rarely a mountain view in sight. With the city’s usual invasion at bay, the locals are free to enjoy Cape Town’s best kept secret as the Atlantic waters warm up and the city’s restaurants come alive in the form of tasty specials and fireside Pinotage-driven discussion.
55 – 56. The raging southeaster eventually had its way with the locals’ spirit so they took to the skies over Table Bay on sail-powered hover boards. Without looking back they rode the infamous wind out and slashed it to pieces.
57 – 58. From Constantia to Paarl, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and beyond, there’s more mysteries to be discovered behind the vine than you might think.
59 – 60. This city is for views so dreamlike you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve inhaled some of Van Hunks’ secondhand smoke.