Image courtesy of B.T. Indrelunas
The Mother City is generally regarded as the epicentre of gay culture in South Africa. Cape Town abounds with gay-popular accommodations, restaurants, and bars and annually celebrates one of the biggest and most exciting gay pride events in the Southern Hemisphere – Pride Cape Town – which takes place over 10 days in early March 2012.
The Cape Town Pride Festival is a celebration of South Africa’s wonderful diversity, and from the 2nd till the 11th of March 2012, Cape Town will once again be uniting cultures to create awareness around issues impacting on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities locally and throughout Africa.
The festival comprises a variety of cultural and arts events, parties, and other gatherings and one can expect everything from film screenings and relationship workshops to pool parties and the Mr. and Mrs. Pride Cape Town pageant. Included in the list of activities are an interfaith service, a beach picnic, a book fair and discussions led by the Institute for Humanities in Africa, as well as a “pink ball,” and pride hike.
The main event though, is the Pride Parade, which takes place on the final Saturday of the festival. Typically beginning at 11 am it starts at Cape Town Stadium and continues to Beach Road, passing along Sea Point’s Main Road, and ending back at the stadium for a large celebration featuring a number of music acts and performers.
Cape Town Pride is a Non-Profit Organisation that is committed towards being inclusive and encompassing and the annual Cape Town Pride Festival is driven by passionate volunteers who freely give their time, effort and energy to the event. More information can be found on the official Cape Town pride website including entry forms for the pageant, stall applications and float registry.
The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and its central location makes it the perfect launch point for exploring the many pride festival activities as well as other Cape Town events. The Taj Cape Town is also a proud sponsor for Mr Gay SA.
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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and Cape Town has a wealth of shops, activities and locations to inspire the best romantic ideas for this annual celebration of love.
Cape Town’s spectacular sunsets provide the perfect romantic setting to any Valentine’s Day and can be enjoyed from a host of different locations. Sunset cruises departing from the Waterfront are firm favourites as couples can enjoy breath-taking views of Table Mountain and the Cape Town skyline as the sun goes down.
Table Mountain itself is a perfect vantage point for watching the sun set over the Atlantic from the highest point in the city. At sea level, a favourite destination on Valentine’s Day is one of the beaches at Clifton. Here, all four beaches take on an aura of romance amidst a tableau of picnic blankets and candle light. Even a sunset drive around Chapman’s Peak can set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Flowers are a must for Valentine’s Day, and the Cape Town Adderley Street flower sellers been providing exquisite and colourful freshly cut bouquets for romantics for over a hundred years. For a uniquely romantic gesture, the Chart Farm in Wynberg is about 15 minutes from Cape Town city centre and grants visitors the opportunity to hand-pick roses, fresh apples, grapes and nectarines. Perfect for adding that personal touch or filling a picnic basket!
For the perfect Valentine’s gift there is plenty of inspiration on Cape Town’s Design Route. The route features Western Cape-based designers and design studios all of whom were featured at Cape Town’s annual Design Indaba Expo. It cuts across the Cape Town City Bowl, the Southern Peninsula and the Winelands with a range of items from custom created jewellery to handcrafted apparel and even cutting edge designer plush toys. Alternatively, a couples spa treatment could be the perfect way to start your perfect Valentine’s Day or end an evening on the town in luxurious style.
With its breathtaking scenic locations, rich design culture and relaxed atmosphere; Cape Town is a premier romantic getaway location with a range intimate romantic restaurants and luxury hotel accommodation options to create your perfect Valentine’s Day.
The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the Bombay Brasserie and Mint Restaurant as well as the luxurious Jiva Spa.
Image courtesy of Paul Watson
