* This article first appeared here in the Citizen
It’s the many spoils of the Cape that keep me returning for more. On a recent visit, I cruised around Cape Town in my lucid red Ford Ranger, lapping up a variety of experiences, including a stay at perhaps one of the city’s most beautiful holiday rentals.
Wine and dine: Steenberg Estate
Constantia may be the oldest winemaking region in the Southern Hemisphere, but there’s always a new experience waiting to be sipped. Steenberg Estate is a regular on my winelands itineraries, and the new Canvas Collection tasting showcases three distinctive wines: Blanc, Semillon, and Nebbiolo – each paired with a bespoke flavour accompaniment designed to enhance the character of the wine. Created as Steenberg’s creative space for experimentation, winemaker Elunda Basson used a blank canvas to craft expressive wines that highlight the individuality of Constantia’s cool-climate terroir.
Adjacent to the tasting spaces, Bistro Sixteen82 entices the now-hungry guests to have their fill without having to take more than a few steps. If it’s a pre-tasting meal, the eggs Benedict is the must-order, with a generous slab of back bacon and a side of fresh brioche. If lunch is in order, then it’s the hearty sesame and ginger sirloin salad – all prepared under the culinary care of Chef Kerry Kilpin. steenbergfarm.com
Shopping: Evolution Product
Having almost finished decorating our new home in London, I was looking for a few items crafted in South Africa to take back as the finishing touches. Walking through the V&A Waterfront’s Watershed is a treat with a host of familiar small brands with their products on display, and then always a bounty of new ones to discover. Knowing what I wanted, I made a beeline for Evolution Products. Amanda du Plessis is the creative force behind the homeware brand, which includes bespoke textiles, wall art, and interior products.
With ranges titled ‘Call of the Karoo’, ‘Protectors of the planet’, and ‘Daybreak’, a hint is offered of the natural inspirations behind the products. We’d first encountered the brand at Grootbos Nature Reserve, where a custom floral print covered the bedspread. Taking one home, I was after something to complement it for our new bedroom, and perusing the bevvy of beautiful fabrics, I settled for two of the embroidered Semionotos cushions with Ochre stains for the bed, and a linen ‘Hippo’ cushion based on George French Angas’ drawing of a visit to KwaZulu-Natal. evolutionproduct.co.za
Community Experience: Just Grace NGO
Since travel experiences also have the potential to give back directly to communities, I was in search of something meaningful and a chance to learn a new skill. Minutes from Cape Town in Langa, I visited the non-profit Just Grace for an Airbnb experience that connects visitors with their community work. Just Grace’s initiatives include offering academic support for high school learners, skills development for unemployed youth, work readiness programmes, psychosocial support, and much more.
I signed up for the “African shopping bag sewing experience” and, with the help of my teacher Andy, crafted a beautiful bag, which immediately came in handy on the trip. With the local community (in this case, my teacher and her apprentice), a skill is transferred (a refreshing change in what can often be a power dynamic with foreign visitors), and, most importantly, the activities directly fund their work for positive change in Langa. You can also do a volunteering, barista, or learn isiXhosa experience. justgrace.co.za
Stay: Castle Peak Villa
Cape Town has no shortage of villas, but Castle Peak certainly stands above them all: an astounding architectural masterpiece, poised in one of Cape Town’s most enviable locations. Castle Peak is located rather enviably in Bakoven – with commanding views over Camps Bay below, Lion’s Head adjacent, and then the 12 Apostles towering behind. With this panoramic splendour and Cape Town a 10-minute drive away, it’s an opportunity to live the Mother City experience at its best.
From the garage, an elevator ascends, opening first into the central garden courtyard, passing sculptures from celebrated artists Guy Du Toit and Carmen Clews. The rooftop vegetation drapes stylishly over the concrete overhangs, leading to the capacious living area and bedrooms. The elevator opens a second time above, onto the upper-level deck, where an infinity pool reflects Lion’s Head, with bedrooms and a large living area leading off.
The villa is in fact two separate homes on different levels – each with a pool, three bedrooms, and dreamy views. Book them separately, or in our case, as one large experience of note. The daily-serviced villa is managed by Nox Rentals, and with their team always a message away, offering concierge services, fridge-filling, or other services to make the stay as effortless as possible – it’s no wonder Nox is ranked as one of the city’s definitive go-to rental services. noxrentals.com
Drive: The updated Ford Ranger
Cruising the Cape was a dream, thanks to the shiny, newly launched Ford Ranger Sport that was waiting at the airport. The 2026 updates to the Ranger lineup includes the new Sport derivative featuring the introduction of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine – which may sound mild – until you put your foot down and it delivers a wild 222kW of power and 452Nm of torque. I drove passes, navigated tricky rocky terrain, cruised highways, and often loaded with fellow travellers and luggage.
The Ford Ranger also awakens the nostalgia of my childhood, where there was always a double cab parked in the garage. Although now, with updated technology, the vehicle is still rugged but refined – with every creature comfort you’d want: adaptive cruise control, lane control, and Apple CarPlay. Driving into Walker Bay Nature Reserve, the Ranger scrambled across the terrain until we sat on a rocky rise, elevated above the pounding ocean below. Languishing in the blissful glow of sunset, I was grateful for the bakkie beside me that had got us there, and the landscape of the Cape before, constantly inviting me onto the next adventure. ford.co.za
