Despite having arrived in what The Telegraph describes as the ‘greatest city in the world’ in swirling mists, wind and rain, there was a palpable air of excitement as we gathered for the

first time at the Belmond Mount Nelson, Cape Town’s iconic ‘Pink Lady’. 

 

‘This is a rare opportunity to visit this cosmopolitan city in Africa. Breathe it in deeply and soak

up every minute!’ suggested Piers. But truthfully, Cape Town was to soak us (literally) on more than one occasion! Your guides, Piers, Georgina and Amber, had generously opened their

address books to introduce us to no fewer than 52 amazing venues and talented people, with each experience carefully slotted into our five-day itinerary, and every day focussing in on a specific theme.

 

Our journey began with the South African welcome dinner at the Belmond Mount Nelson hotel, Cape Town’s historic grande dame dating back to 1899. Sir Winston Churchill, Mandela, The Prince of Wales, Bobby Kennedy and even the Dalai Lama have slept here (although you can

be sure they didn’t have seven luxurious pillow options to choose from!). We were warmly

welcomed by Tiago Moraes Sarmento, an expert in rejuvenating hotels. His forward-thinking management style has already sparked a positive ripple throughout the team behind this

gracious landmark (and 10/10 for installing a coffee machine in the foyer, Tiago!)

 

As we sipped on rose water and grapefruit mocktails, Chef Rudi Liebenberg’s team were busy preparing a kingklip starter that scored as one of the most creative we tasted during the week. With surprising ingredients freshly foraged from the wild seashores, it was the perfect opening

to our ‘Taste of South Africa’ menu – pure Cape Town in a mouthful! Free-roaming Karoo lamb

loin with wild waterblommetjies and traditional soet patat followed, with a dessert of Citrusdal

naartjie sorbet and fennel crunch served with lemon curd for acidity.

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Following the long and tiring journey to South Africa, we opted for an early night and headed to bed with full and happy stomachs, ready to catch some Zs in preparation for a busy week ahead. 

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Villa Vamos. Let’s go!