Half Term Bliss in Cape Town

We thought we'd hand the blogging reins over to one of our lovely clients this month; Francesca and her family report back on their half-term break to Cape Town with teens in tow.

For years my husband has been asking me to arrange for us to visit South Africa, particularly Cape Town. For once in my life I finally did what I was asked and only wish I’d listened to him sooner; what a gem of a city! We were looking for a relaxing family break with teenage children, guaranteed sunshine and relaxation before the madness of GCSEs. We also wanted to visit somewhere that had something worth exploring, as well as having sun-loungers to relax on!

Cape Town ticked all those boxes. Having holidayed with the help of Abi and her amazing team many times before, we knew that whatever they recommended would be perfect for us and it was. We chose to stay in one place for our week away - the Mount Nelson, delightfully colonial but without being stuffy, stunning gardens, newly refurbished rooms, great restaurants and a traditional afternoon tea to die for. But it wasn’t only the hotel that worked for us. We explored the city and fell in love with its ease and charm. The V&A waterfront was fabulous, with an amazing array of restaurants and shops. We ate there three times and always on a table by the water - the perfect setting to enjoy delicious food. We  also discovered a fabulous African Café, recommended by both Abi and a friend of ours - it was fantastic and such a fun experience.

We spent our days exploring; one day we took an early morning trip out to Robben Island - no visit to Cape Town would be complete without it and all of us were staggered to learn what went on and how the prisoners were treated. We also took the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain, which was half covered in cloud. The views were stunning and eerie with the clouds swirling around us. On another day. we hired a guide and driver so we could visit Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope, Boulder Beach and its cute penguins as well as Houts Bay -  all stunning and so worth seeing. Camps Bay proved to be an idyllic spot to watch the sun go down, followed by drinks and supper overlooking the beach - a perfect way to end an already fabulous day.

We felt welcomed and wanted wherever we went; the people who looked after us were all charming. We returned home relaxed, tanned, having had a ball - with much laughter, great adventures and memories. We would return without hesitation - forget cold ski slopes in February, Cape Town, and all it has to offer, is the way forward.