Page 128 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE
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C CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICAAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
ur Grand Voyage stopped twice in and so on this return visit, we combined fa-
the captivating city of Cape Town, miliar and new destinations in and around
O where dramatic landscapes meet a the city, for a fun, well-rounded experience.
rich and often turbulent history. Founded A sobering but not-to-be-missed stop is
by the Dutch in 1652, Cape Town quickly Robben Island. A ferry ride across the
became a bustling port that attracted peo- choppy waters of Table Bay took us to this
ple from around the world. Today, this di- infamous enclave where Nelson Mandela
verse heritage is woven into the city’s and countless other political prisoners en-
architecture, cuisine, and cultural fabric, dured years of unjust imprisonment. For a
creating a destination unlike any other. good part of the tour, visitors are trans-
While our time in Cape Town was unfor- ported in rundown school buses, with dirty
gettable, we also learned that vigilance is windows and aged sound systems that
key when exploring the city. We highly rec- made it hard to hear and see. But walking
ommend staying in areas like the V&A Wa- through the stark prison corridors, stand-
terfront, that offer a sense of security ing inside Mandela’s small, bare cell, and
along with easy access to attractions. We hearing the harrowing stories of former in-
had visited Cape Town once before in 2020, mates were deeply moving — a stark re-
128 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SPRING 2025
