Cape Town tops the list of beach cities with its pristine seashores and it’s really no wonder why. Comprised of 3 regions, each boasts of beaches that could rival the most picturesque around the world. With a mediterranean climate of mild, moderately wet winters and dry, warm summers, there’s always a good reason to find yourself enjoying there.
Cape Town has also long been known for its fantastic range of markets carrying a vast array of different wares, but in recent years its popularity has well and truly exploded, giving rise to a renaissance of its market scene.
If you’re planning on making your way to the Mother City, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t get yourself down to a market or two. With craft beers flowing and artisan foods cooking, there’s plenty to keep you going while you trawl through the designer goods.
Here’s how best to spend your weekend – shopping!
Friday
On your very first day in the lovely place that is Cape Town, you’ll want to head over to Muizenberg, a community in the south of the city, where you’ll find the Blue Bird Garage Food & Goods Market.
A late market, it doesn’t open until 4 in the afternoon, so you have the morning to explore your new surroundings, and it keeps trading until 10pm. Located in an old hangar that used to be used as the base for the southern hemisphere’s very first airmail service, the Blue Bird is a fun place to spend some time.
You can graze local foods and sip local wines as the live jazz band plays on through your shopping experience. Make sure to try the blowtorch-toasted s’mores! It’s also open on Sundays if you’re more interested on collectibles and vintage items.
Saturday
This is the Big Daddy, the largest of them all, the one that people come to Cape Town specifically to experience. There really is nothing like it anywhere else in the world, so you’d best get booking your flights to South Africa if you want to check it out for yourself!
Neighbourgoods was started in 2005, and the original (and the best) is still to be found in the Old Biscuit Mill down in Woodstock, but there is also a spin-off held in Braamfontein in Johannesburg.
So what is Neighbourgoods? Well, to boil it down to its essence, it is the market that kick-started the renaissance of the Cape Town shopping scene. It is a collection of local micro-entrepreneurs and producers. It runs from 9am to 2pm on a Saturday, but we’d recommend getting in and out before it really fills up!
The main area plays host to gourmet foods and drinks which you can snack on or pick up as gifts, while next door you’ll find Designergoods, a selection of the very best local accessories and fashionable pieces.
Also, don’t leave without checking out Bluecollarwhitecollar – this great stall sells tailor-made shirts in a wide variety of great patterns!
Sunday
Head over to Hout Bay on the Sunday. Well-known for the amazing craft market on the village green, it’s a good place to visit in itself. At the craft market you’ll find locally-made trinkets and beadwork, but it’s open until 5pm so go to the new Bay Harbour Market first!
At this indoor market – open from 9:30am – you’ll be able to browse loads of different handiworks and gifts with live music accompanying your little spree. Make sure to try the freshly-squeezed smoothies!
