Cape Town set for a stylish New Year

New Year is all about making those hard-to-keep resolutions, renewed hope and optimism, plus of course some good old-fashioned partying followed by hangover cures - the latter of which may be particularly well suited to chic, trendy and warm Cape Town.

The City celebrates New Year in style, with open air concerts in Kirstenbosch Gardens, a spectacular fireworks display at the Waterfront and a carnival celebrating the Cape Malay culture, when thousands of minstrels take to the streets in a dazzling display of colourful satin uniforms, shiny parasols, painted faces and foot-tapping banjo tunes that accompany the traditional folk songs.

A trip to the City wouldn’t be complete without a cable car ride up Table Mountain for breathtaking views across the city: other options include a visit to Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela spent years in incarceration and a guided tour of the nearby winelands – fast becoming known as one of the world’s best gastronomic regions – opt to take a picnic at one of the vineyards or dine in style in an ultra-chic restaurant overlooking the mountains.

There are also a number of more unusual trip options: a visit to Cape Point – the southernmost tip of Africa – can be combined with a kayaking excursion to a penguin colony, a guided encounter with a troop of baboons in their natural mountain environment, a white shark safari or an excellent half day course in Cape Malay cuisine – run by a renowned local Cape Malay lady with a huge sense of humour!

The city is surrounded by paradise beaches, and has a huge selection of excellent restaurants, many of them serving delicious fresh seafood and local specialities, accompanied by excellent wine, at remarkably low prices - as well as numerous trendy bars and live music venues.

Perhaps best of all, it is only a 12 hour overnight flight from London, on the same time zone as the UK, and in the middle of its summer in December ... where better to cope with the seasonal indulgences – and their after–effects this new year.

Native Escapes offers tailor made trips to Cape Town and Southern Africa. For more information, log on to nativeescapes.com.