Living it up when the final whistle blows.

Capetonians love a good party – what locals call a “jol” - and the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ promises to be just that. The Mother City is a bastion of urban energy. When the African sun goes down, its clubs pulse with the rhythm of Cape Jazz, Kwaito and African beats, its streets are alive with dancing minstrels (celebrating the emancipation of the slaves), festivals, foot-tapping music and eclectic good fun.

One of the best ways to enjoy a Cape Town sunset is to sip a sundowner by the sea. You have two options, each with their own unique attributes. Kalk Bay is a trendy seaside village in False Bay, where hippies wander barefoot through the streets and surfers walk alongside them in their board shorts. It's very relaxed and has beautiful views of the sea.

One of the most popular bars is the Brass Bell (+27 21 788 5455), where the sea literally licks the walls.

On the Atlantic, Camps Bay offers a number of bars and a nightclub on its beachfront promenade. These are perfect for meeting the trendy beautiful locals and watching the waves crashing just metres away on the pristine, sandy beach.

Baraza (+27 21 438 2040) is a bar with an African theme and funky music.
Café Caprice, a stylish pavement café (+27 21 438 8315), Dizzy's Jazz Café offering fantastic jazz performances to entertain you till late (+27 21 438 2686), Ignite (+27 21 438 7717) where DJs play an eclectic mix of the hippest sounds, Opium Beachbar (27 21 438 5445), one of Cape Town's most popular clubs and Sandbar where the music is chilled and the vibe laid back (+27 21 438 8336).

But, its on Cape Town’s streets or in the Public Viewing Areas across the Cape that you’ll meet some of the most vibrant fans, who’ll soon give you the lowdown on local soccer gossip.

Start with Long Street, famous as a bohemian hang out, jam packed full of Victorian buildings with wrought iron balconies, bookstores, ethnic restaurants, bars and backpakers. If you’re looking for an excuse to stay out all night, this is the party capital of the Mother City.

Start off at Mama Africa’s (+27 21 424 8634) for sundowners and an early evening meal; try out the ostrich steak or the Mozambican peri peri prawns whilst enjoying high energy marimba and percussion in African style, with tunes from Verdi to Miriam Makeba.

For an up-market evening of live Jazz, The Dubliner Irish Pub at Kennedy’s (+27 21 424 1212) stocks a wide range of local and international beers and spirits, notably Guinness and Pilsner Urquell on tap.

For bars and clubs you are spoilt for choice. Hang with the media crowd at Jo’burg Bar (+27 21 422 0142) or follow the trendy types to The Lounge (+27 21 424 7636). Zula Sound Experience (+27 21 424 2442, www.zulabar.co.za) is a fantastic venue for live entertainment and the odd poetry reading (it also has a good menu).
Chrome (083 700 6078/9) on the corner of Pepper Street is popular with the young crowd, while The Purple Turtle (+27 21 423 6194) is frequented by heavy-metal lovers and goth types. Fiction DJ Bar and Lounge (+27 21 424 5709) is fashioned on classic works of fiction, and offers a combination of music styles and a mix of DJs.

Observatory, fondly known as ‘Obz’, on the east end of city, has a distinctly alternative flavour and those who identify with the young, trendy and artistic buy quaint, semi-detached and larger renditions of Victorian terraced homes here.

The night life heaves, particularly over a weekend, and local bars and restaurants offer live music and good food. So, whether you’re chilling with the beautiful people in trendy Camps Bay, clubbing till dawn, or enjoying the city lights from high up on Signal Hill, we imagine you won’t be spending much time in your hotel room.

Welcome to the world’s biggest playground!

Here is our selection (in no particular order) of the hottest places to hang out, fill up, chill out, and boogie:

• HQ Bar: The up market bar in HQ Restaurant – an excellent and cosy after-work drinks spot on Wednesday evenings and undoubtedly one of the best options for a Friday night party. Whether you’re after a late afternoon glass of wine by the fireplace, pre-dinner cocktails or late night drinks, the sizeable bar and lounge area is perfectly situated. This is one of the very few places where you can find the premium locally-brewed Jack Black beer on tap! At HQ, the waitrons don’t ask you what you’d like – they ask you how you’d like it done. They are of course referring to the prime 250g cut of sirloin – premium-grade, organic, free-range beef sourced and certified from Namibia, a nation renowned for its superior African meat and German “Gründlichkeit”. Telephone: +27 (0) 21 424 6373; www.hqrestaurant.co.za

 

• Welcome to Baraza, welcome to Zanzibar.Well, not quite, but it’s all too easy to think you’re lazing in an exotic island beach bar when you stroll into Baraza Groove Bar in Camps Bay. Overlooking Camps Bay beach, with its many palm trees, white sands and azure waters, Baraza (Swahili for “meeting place”) boasts what must be one of the best locations of any bar in South Africa, only steps from the beach. The Baraza formula is a simple one, but it works perfectly. Take one prime beachfront location, mix in hours of addictive music, throw in an exciting cocktail menu and blend it all together to create a beach bar vibe that can’t be beaten. Every night there is a live DJ at Baraza, but this isn’t a typical clubbing venue. It’s a place for DJs to let their hair down a bit, and the party is always pumping, but never overwhelming. Tel: +27 (0) 21 438 1758; www.baraza.co.za

 

• Trailer Park on the roof of the Grand Daddy: Camp out on an inner-city rooftop - this is where laid-back, unpretentious and colourful Capetonians meet up with friends every other Friday. Sshh! Don’t tell anyone. The Grand Daddy’s hotel bar is the ‘blingest’ in the land. A palette of metallics and a roll-call of hip South African creatives come together in a magpie’s delight. Daddy Cool is perfect for sharing a bottle of champagne or sampling some sexy cocktails: their bar staff is of the master class when it comes to perfecting the mix and shake. Laid-back DJ’s hit the decks from time to time but mostly Daddy Cool is just a great place to hang out, unwind and meet. Tel: +27 (0) 21 424 7247; www.granddaddy.co.za

 

• Kink Bar: Edgy and off-beat club-vibe bar with bucket loads of character. From minimal to tango – it rocks -- with an added surprise upstairs. Go there to see what all the fuss is about. Walk into KINK Bar and Boutique in Cape Town’s easygoing and vibey Park Road and your senses will be immediately ignited. Here, nothing is bland. Rich, elegant, inviting colours work together with alluring textures, materials and thoughtful touches (think feathers, roses and striking lampshades) to create a space that is elegant yet unpretentious. KINK is a creative platform for performers and DJs to conjure up a sensational cross-genre party experience they usually aren’t at liberty to do elsewhere. Tel: +27 (0) 21 424 0757; www.kink.co.za/bar/slider.html

 

• Hemisphere’s SKYY Lounge: Party 31 floors up – add extra pizzazz to your clubbing experience and reserve the SKYY Lounge. You’ll have a VIP view of the dance floor, a private table with its own fridge and bottle of SKYY Vodka. Tel: + 27 (0) 21 421 0581; www.hemisphere.org.za

 

• Asoka Son of Dharma offers you a sophisticated lounge, bar. The contemporary interior offers you comfort and a warm, social atmosphere. A landmark of this positively unique lounge is the olive tree that is situated in the heart of the venue, opening up to Cape Town’s sky. Cocktails are mouth wateringly delicious and food is served. It is refreshing to find a place where you have an atmosphere that grants you the intimacy to chat to friends as well as the opportunity to meet new ones. Tel: +27 (0) 21 422-0909; www.asokasonofdharma.com

 

• Club Chevelle: Chevelle is the latest addition to Cape Town nightlife. The 5-star club definitely has people talking and queuing to get a taste of the good life. Book the cosy 10-seater Crow’s Nest, a tucked-away table between the Courtyard and the suave Rose Room, or spend some time in the VIP mezzanine booths, which look over the action happening on the main dance floor. Sound and lighting are world-class, which means the country’s best DJs – who are frequent guests at Club Chevelle – have absolutely no problem with getting the party started and luring partygoers to the dance floor. Correction – dance floors. Tel: + 27 (0) 21 421 0581; www.chevelle.co.za

 

• Serious style and classic charm are the order of the day at this sumptious converted mansion, called Rhodes House, once owned by mining magnate Sir Cecil John Rhodes; a two-floor space with three upstairs bars, a spacious courtyard for those glorious southern hemisphere nights and a swanky lounge (plus VIP section) where the smart set like to put on the charm. Tel +27 (0) 424 8844; www.rhodeshouse.com

 

• You might be surprised to find both gals and guys grooving at the city's oldest and boldest gay club, Bronx Action Bar in De Waterkant. This neighbourhood is the closest Cape Town gets to a gay ghetto - the city is South Africa's pink capital and these days most straight-owned venues are gay-friendly (and vice-versa). Tel +27 (0) 21419 9216; www.bronx.co.za

 

• When South Africa's leading rock acts roll into town, they'll invariably end up gigging at the chilled-out Mercury Live. Tel: +27 (0) 21 465 2106; www.mercuryl.co.za

 

• Rafiki's Bar & Restaurant in Tamboerskloof is one of those lazy laid-back spots where everyone seems to be free of worries and have all the time in the world. Depending on the night of the week, at Rafiki’s you can watch a live game of soccer, party with some of Cape Town’s best DJs or just take it easy and sip on a few cocktails. Soccer fans are in heaven when they come to watch games at Rafiki's: there are no fewer than six big-screen TVs positioned from one end to the other. www.rafikis.co.za

 

• The ultimate theatre may happen on the pitch in the stadium, but outside of the drama – and occasional comedy – of football, On Broadway offers all the pleasures of theatre (we’re talking polished entertainment with great quality lighting and sound) in a plush environment, with the no-compromise aim of giving you a fantastic night out. And it doesn’t hurt that they serve up not only first-rate theatre productions, but also a variety of fine food. Cabaret, comedy, modern dance and musical concerts and tributes are all in the mix. Tel: Tel: +27 (0)21 424 1194; www.onbroadway.co.za

 

• A maverick is someone who “exhibits great independence in thought and action”. A fitting name, then, for Cape Town’s foremost gentlemen’s club, where those who know what they want come to mingle, marvel and be mystified. Mavericks is a distinguished Cape Town strip club that attracts a discerning clientele. If you work up an appetite or develop a thirst that needs some classy quenching, Mavericks won’t fail to disappoint. Tel: +27 (0) 21 461 9988; www.mavericks.co.za

 

• The Green Dolphin Jazz Restaurant is one of the most popular jazz venues in Cape Town and offers live jazz concerts on a daily basis, in a sophisticated cigar bar / restaurant setting. Try also Marimba Restaurant and Cigar Bar at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

 

• West End Jazz Club hot live Jazz at Athlone / Rylands in Cape Town is one of the city's most bubbly music venues. West End features top local and national talent, scattered with international stars. The preferred jazz hangout for serious jazz fans.

Dozens of live concerts, theatre, events, performances and other vibey functions will be happening at venues from end to end of Cape Town and across the Western Cape, from cities like George and Plettenberg Bay to towns like Darling, Stellenbosch and Knysna, and villages from Lambert’s Bay to Barrydale. Be sure to check in at the official web site (www.tourismcapetown.co.za) for all the latest postings and details, or pop in to the gateway tourism information centre at the V&A Waterfront. You can always phone the call centre +27 (0) 21 405 4500 – a number well worth saving in your mobile for easy access while you’re out and about.


Recapture your varsity nightlife days at Stellenbosch’s University-student-cum-budding-rock-star crazed pubs.

Bohemia. A cheerful bar with a huge crackling fireplace. Tel +27 (0) 21 882 8375

De Akker. One of the older pubs in town, and it shows. Seating and decor show signs of ageing, but the relaxed bar atmosphere can't be faulted. A perfect stop if the more popular (and crowded) places aren't your game. Tel +27 (0) 21 883 3512

Nu-Bar. A trendy bar with fashionable clientele aimed at older students and young professionals. Tel +27 (0) 21 886 8998

Rustic Café. Impressive list of cocktails. Tel +27 (0) 21 883 3545

Tollies. An impressive array of tap-ready beers and the usual culprits from it's long and winding bar. Tel +27 (0) 21 883 9747

Terrace. An old Stellenbosch favourite, the Terrace continues to survive among nightclubs and bars. It does this by offering full bar and restaurant facilities, while enticing visitors with numerous live performances. The restaurant section offers plenty seating, but booking is recommended on busy nights. The bar serves all the popular beverages and the service is spot on. Tel +27 (0)21 887 1942


Long Barn Tavern . Lively pub and restaurant. Tel +27 (0)44 382 3839

Zanzibar Cocktail Lounge . This is where the town’s party people shake things up a little. Tel +27 (0)44 382 0386

Chilli Groove Tel +27 (0) 44 3820931





more:    

• Score an adrenaline hat trick [outdoor/active]
• Cheer a killer pass on and off the field [natural beauty]
• When your craving demands more than a burger [gourmet]
• Take in a bit of Cape culture as your team goes for glory [culture and heritage]
• When the sound of the vuvuzela starts getting to you [body, mind and spirit]
• Living it up when the final whistle blows [cosmopolitan vibe]