Partly modelled on the arch at London’s Hyde Park Corner, this monumental granite memorial stands on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, at a spot where the mining magnate and former prime minister used to admire the view. The 49 steps, one for each year of Rhodes’ life, are flanked by pairs of proud lions; the top provides sweeping vistas to the Cape Flats and the mountain ranges beyond.

Rhodes bought all the surrounding land in 1895 for £9000 as part of a plan to preserve a relatively untouched section of the mountain for future generations. His ambition and determination is memorialised by a dynamic statue of a man on a rearing horse (in contrast to the bust of Rhodes himself, which has him looking rather grumpy).

Behind the memorial is a pleasant restaurant and a steep path leading up to the King’s Blockhouse, a defensive position built by the British between 1795 and 1803. From here it’s possible to follow the contour path above Newlands Forest to Skeleton Gorge and down into Kirstenbosch.

The exit for the memorial is at the Princess Anne Interchange on the M3.

The pioneering 20th-century artist Irma Stern (1894–1966), whose works are some of the most sought-after among modern South African painters, lived here for almost 40 years; her studio has been left virtually intact, as if she’d just stepped out into the verdant garden for a breath of fresh air. Her ethnographic art-and-craft collection from around the world is as fascinating as her art, which was influenced by German expressionism and incorporates traditional African elements.

Declared an urban conservation area in 1981, Wynberg Village is also known as Little Chelsea or Chelsea Village, a nickname it gained in the 1950s in reference to London’s Chelsea. Like that British artsy quarter, the village’s Cape Georgian buildings (the densest collection in South Africa) house the homes and shops of artists, designers and interior decorators.

Midway between Cape Town and Simon’s Town, this charming village of thatched-roof cottages was developed mainly in the 19th century as a garrison for the British army, but there are also older buildings here; it’s best explored on a walking tour.

When the 1870s mansion of Victorian property magnate James Maynard was demolished in the 1950s, the city took over the extensive grounds surrounding it and created this park. The estate's former swimming pool is now a pond, while the archery lawn has been replaced by the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre.

Advance booking is necessary for the tour around the grandest of Cecil Rhodes' former residences. It was also home to a succession of prime ministers, culminating with FW de Klerk. The beautifully restored interior, all teak panels and heavy colonial furniture, and with antiques and tapestries of the finest calibre, is suitably imposing. The best feature is the colonnaded verandah overlooking the formal gardens, which slope uphill towards an avenue of pine trees and sweeping views of Devil’s Peak.

Bring your passport to gain entry to this high-security area; the entrance is unmarked but easily spotted on the left as you take the Princess Anne Ave exit off the M3.

This wooded section of Table Mountain National Park, south of Constantia, is a favourite spot for picnics, mountain biking and walks. The most challenging walk is the 6km hike up to Elephant’s Eye Cave, within the Silvermine section of the park; the zigzag path is fairly steep and offers little shade as you climb higher up Constantiaberg (928m), so bring a hat and water.

At the walk’s base you’ll find the Tokai Arboretum, a planting of 1555 different trees representing 274 species, begun in 1885 by Joseph Storr Lister, the conservator of forests for the Cape Colony. Here, too, is the pleasant Lister’s Place Tea Garden ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-715 4512; Tokai Forest, Tokai Rd, Tokai; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) and the self-catering accommodation Wood Owl Cottage.

To reach the forest, take the Tokai exit from the M3 highway and follow the signs.

In the early 19th century Jacob Letterstedt built the Mariendahl Brewery in Newlands, a handsome building since granted National Monument status. It's now part of Newlands Brewery and owned by South African Breweries. Fascinating tours of the complex, including the chance to sample the various beers made here (which include Castle and Black Label), will give you an insight into large-scale beer-making.

Planted by botanist Ralph Arderne in 1845, these shady gardens represent the oldest collection of trees in the southern hemisphere and include bamboo, fir, gum and enormous Moreton Bay fig trees. It’s a lovely place to wander around for an afternoon, and is especially colourful on weekends, when many Capetonian wedding parties arrive here to have their photos taken.

As you’re following the M3 from the city, just after the open paddocks on Devil’s Peak you’ll pass, on the left, a real Dutch windmill dating from around 1796 – the only such working mill south of the Sahara. The thatched cap can rotate to face the wind. Check the website for the few days a year when it's operated.

For the non-academic there’s no pressing reason to visit the University of Cape Town, but it’s nonetheless an impressive place to walk around. UCT presents a fairly cohesive architectural front, with ivy-covered neoclassical facades and a fine set of stone steps leading to the temple-like Jameson Hall.

If you approach UCT from Woolsack Dr, you’ll pass the Woolsack, a cottage designed in 1900 by Sir Herbert Baker for Cecil Rhodes; it’s now a student residence. (It’s said that Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem 'If' during his residence here between 1900 and 1907.)

After exploring the Montebello craft studios, relax at this lovely cafe and tea garden in the grounds. It serves simple, hearty meals in the shade of leafy trees.

Pronounced ‘always’, this stylish, relaxing place is fully vegetarian, and includes tasty dishes such as dim sum dumplings and portobello mushrooms filled with couscous. It's also one of the best places in Cape Town to come for tea, with 60-odd loose-leaf teas and infusions on offer.

Roses, chestnuts, lemons and grapes are among the tasty things grown on this small farm tucked away on the west side of the M3. At its coffee shop, which features a panoramic view across the farm to the mountains, enjoy homemade cakes, breakfasts and lunch treats such as chicken pie. Pick your own roses afterwards for R4 a stem.

Kirstenbosch’s best dining option. English tea for two (R210), including cucumber and cream-cheese sandwiches, mini-quiches and homemade scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, can be ordered to enjoy anywhere you please in the gardens. Picnic lunches are available, too.

Muffins that could feed a small family and other delectable baked goods and desserts are the forte of this luxe-design cafe offering ‘easy eating’ – a hit Johannesburg concept imported to the Mother City.

Nip into this convivial deli with shared tables to pick up epicurean food and drink; its light meals include a selection of salads and pastrami sandwiches.

Although it's not at all on the tourist route and a little tricky to spot – hidden as it is behind a big hedge – this cafe is one of the Southern Suburbs' most charming dining spots. With its relaxed, arty cottage and shady garden environment, it's great for a lazy breakfast or lunch.

Perfectly complementing the slick and contemporary wine-tasting lounge at Steenberg Vineyard is this highly appealing bistro, serving everything from breakfast with a glass of bubbly to an early supper of tapas with their quaffable merlot. Seating is both indoor and outdoor, with beguiling views of the gardens and mountain.

A favourite among the Little Chelsea crowd, this appealing place cooks up delicious food, from fresh salads and sandwiches to inventive dishes such as oxtail stew pie, imam biyaldi (caramelised aubergine with an almond crunch) and fish with polenta chips. The courtyard, draped with bougainvillea, is a lovely spot even just for tea and cake.

This spacious, classy neighbourhood joint, with walls hung with photos of people tucking into food, makes a near-perfect Caesar salad, as well as delicious pasta and other mains. No wonder the people are smiling in those photos.

In front of the Alphen hotel, this dining spot is appealing both inside and out – for breakfast, lunch or a snack. Treat yourself to a five-star brekkie (R220) or one of the speciality-leaf teas (R25). There's also a branch at Camps Bay.

Behind the memorial is a pleasant restaurant and alfresco tearoom in a 1920 thatched-roof cottage. It’s family-run and specialises in Cape Malay dishes, such as curries, bredies (pot stews of meat or fish and vegetables) and bobotie (delicately flavoured ostrich-meat curry with a topping of beaten egg baked to a crust).

Bookings are advised on the weekends – especially on Sunday, when there's live jazz from 1pm to 4pm.

This casual brasserie-style restaurant in the grounds of Groot Constantia has a pleasant, vine-shaded courtyard and tables looking onto the manor house. Sample Cape Malay dishes (including a tasting plate for R148) or cured meats with a glass or two of the local wines, or satisfy your sweet tooth with the desserts.

A handy accompaniment to craft-brew pub Banana Jam across the road is this new venture that zones on sustainable, nutritional produce with bold flavours, not to mention a living wall of salad leaves. Expect to find free-range chicken and burgers made with beef from cows grazing on biodynamic pastures and the like.

Chef Peter Tempelhoff's culinary imagination runs riot in this elegant, leafy restaurant that's one of the Cape's top dining destinations. The best of local produce, from sustainable kabeljou fish and kroon duck to globe artichokes, may be featured on the five-course menu (which can be reconfigured for vegetarians).

There's a new location on the Silvermist estate for this storied Constantia restaurant, but little else has changed. British chef Scot Kirton rustles up skilful dishes combining French and Asian techniques and flavours, such as smoked tomato risotto and miso-seared scallops. The coolly elegant setting and personable service couldn't be better.

Real beer lovers rejoice – this convivial Caribbean restaurant and bar is like manna from heaven, with over 30 beers on tap (including its own brews) and bottled ales from all the top local microbrewers, including Jack Black, Darling Brew and CBC.

Ponder your choice from the 200-strong list of cocktails on the menu (we recommend the Liz McGrath Rose Martini, flavoured with rose petals from the hotel’s famous gardens) while admiring the magnificent pink, lemon, burgundy and teal decor of the lounge. Peacocks wander the grounds outside. You can also enjoy afternoon tea here or in the hotel's Fern Bar.

On a shopping strip with a few other decent places to eat is this appealing, shabby-chic cafe-bar decorated with mismatched furniture and even a signed Tretchikoff print. It's a good place for a coffee or a cocktail supplemented by tasty pintxos (bite-sized Spanish-style canapés).

'Forries' has been around for well over a century. This English-style pub offers a convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy a great range of local ales (both large-brewery and craft), good pub meals (including wood-fired pizza), and a very pleasant beer garden with a play area for the kids.

Set beside the Liesbeek River, Cape Town’s only surviving water mill (built sometime after 1819 by Jacob Lettersted, who went on to become a wealthy brewer and miller) is now part of this pub-restaurant. Watch the giant iron wheel turn as you quaff drinks and nibble on wood-fired pizza on the shaded deck.

A locals' favourite watering hole, with a series of cosy rooms hung with an eye-catching assortment of items in ye-olde-country-pub style. It’s also an excellent spot for warming pub grub on a chilly night.

This handsome cafe-bar, set in a 110-year-old house with a pretty courtyard, is a pleasant place to retire for a drink after exploring Chelsea Village.

If you're looking for a late-night party and dance spot in the Southern Suburbs, with a young, up-for-it crowd, then this is the place to head to. Be aware that there's a 'no T-shirt, shorts or sandals' rule on Friday and Saturday night, so dress smart.

Since the 1970s the Baxter has been the focus of Capetonian theatre. There are three venues – the main theatre, the concert hall and the studio – and between them they cover everything from kids’ shows to African dance spectaculars. They have an ongoing relationship with the Royal Shakespeare Company thanks to Capetonian Sir Anthony Sher, who has performed here.

This cosy venue, which also serves food and drinks, usually has live music on Wednesday (free) and Sunday (cover charge; bookings necessary). Check its Facebook page for details of upcoming events.

It wouldn’t be summer in Cape Town without a visit to Maynardville’s open-air theatre to see some Shakespeare. Bring a blanket, pillow and umbrella, though, as the weather can be dodgy and the seats are none too comfy. At other times of the year, dance, jazz and theatre performances also take place here.

If it weren’t for a nearby brewery messing up the view towards the back of Table Mountain, Newlands would be a shoo-in for the title of world’s prettiest cricket ground. With room for 25,000, it’s used for all international matches. Local team the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras play here during the season, which runs from September to March.

Under a sponsorship deal its official name is Sahara Park Newlands, but everyone still knows it as Newlands Cricket Ground. Tickets cost around R50 for local matches and up to R200 for internationals. Grab a spot on the grass to soak up the festive atmosphere.

This hallowed ground of South African rugby is home to the Stormers (www.thestormers.com). Super-12 games and international matches are played here.

Most Wednesday evenings from November to March you can watch a movie outdoors in the gardens (entry is from 6pm; movies start around 7.30pm to 8.15pm, depending on sunset). Check the website for what's showing, but note that screenings will only be cancelled in extreme weather and that you cannot bring your own rugs or chairs.

Racing runs year-round here, but the main event to put down in your diary is the glitzy J&B Met, South Africa’s equivalent of Ladies Day at Ascot (and often more of a fashion show than a horse race). General admission tickets for it start at R125.

You don't come here so much for the cheap-and-cheerful food (mains R50 to R100) as for the jazz jam session that takes place every Monday night, hosted by local musician Dan Shout.

This development project has helped several great craftspeople and designers along the way. In the leafy compound, artists studios are scattered around the central craft shop, where you can buy a great range of gifts, including some made from recycled materials. There’s also a plant nursery, the excellent cafe Gardener’s Cottage and car-washers.

Profits from this gallery, hidden away in the Cecilia Forest, go towards supporting the Light From Africa Foundation. But that’s not the sole reason for visiting: there’s the first-class ceramic art pieces on sale – many created by top Capetonian potters and up-and-coming talents – and the handsome 1950s building, with its panoramic aspect towards Constantia.

If you can tear yourself away from the other Saturday markets, this outdoor market with farm-fresh produce and crafts, held in the leafy surrounds of Tokai, is well worth attending. Grab breakfast here and let the little ones run wild in the various activity areas.

Balu Nivison's designs using original print fabrics are temptingly displayed in this chic boutique in one of the heritage cottages behind Cavendish Square. There's a cafe and juice bar here, too, as well as range of essential oils and body lotions – and a few pieces for men by Balu's son Benjamin.

The focal point of Claremont's shopping scene, this top-class mall has outlets of many of Cape Town’s premier fashion designers, as well as supermarkets, department stores and multiplex cinemas.

Lots to choose from at this large craft market spread across the commons outside Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It’s possible to use a credit card to pay for most purchases: payments are made in one of the stone cottages on the site. Proceeds from the market go to the development fund for Kirstenbosch.

Features women’s clothes, made from linen, cotton and silk by Jenny le Roux, that are classical and practical. Bored partners can crash on the sofa, watch TV and sip complimentary drinks.

Celebrating individual style, this groovy boutique in the bowels of Cavendish Square stocks creative local fashion designs and accessories, as well as fun gift items.

Standing for 'Young Designers Emporium', this place is all a bit of a jumble, but you’ll most likely find something reasonably inexpensive to suit among the clothes and accessories, created for both sexes by South African streetwear designers. There are branches at Victoria Wharf at the V&A Waterfront and at Canal Walk.

The area's main shopping hub covers all the basics and more with a couple of major supermarkets and many other stores, including music and bookshops and fashion retailers.

Bargain hunters converge on the scores of outlet and factory shops here, which sell everything from Adidas runners to computers and luggage.

Zigzagging across a ravine on the Silvermist wine estate is one of the longest ziplines in South Africa, made up of seven sections. There's little shade on the rocky hillside but the views are great – once you catch your breath after whizzing down the line, that is. From the estate entrance follow the signs to the Silvermist Eatery for the zipline entrance.

Many of the country’s top professional athletes train here. Amenities include a 25m pool, an indoor running track and children's daycare. Day visitors are welcome. It’s sandwiched between the Newlands cricket and rugby stadiums.

In the centre of Kenilworth Racecourse are 5200 sq metres of protected Cape Flats sand fynbos, where nature walks and other events are sometimes organised. See the website for details.