Digging and Delving
Anyone who loves digging and delving in dusty corners on South African holidays, from the ardent antique dealer to the cheerful junk collector, will find something worthy of a little light shopping along this route. It starts in town and heads to Groot Constantia in the southern suburbs, with built-in diversions if you're burdened with passengers who don't share your passion for antiquities.
Between Groot Constantia and Kalk Bay it follows the Constantia Wine Route and passes Steenberg Golf Estate - perfect places to dump your companions so you can indulge your curiosity at leisure. Simon’s Town is the final destination on this day long route that covers a distance of 110 km.
Rainy days rule out the open air markets, so the best time to explore holidays in South Africa would be any other time. Bear in mind that early closing time for the city shops over weekends, so Saturday mornings and weekdays are great, with the bonus of the Groot Constantia antiques market on a Sunday.
Exploring the Route
Search for hidden delights on the dusty shelves of fabulous shops along Church and Long streets in town, then the harbour-side treasure trove of Kalk Bay. Explore the Church Street antique market and Long Street shops in the city centre. Brunch or lunch at Groot Constantia and visit the Sundays-only antiques and collectables market. Meander along Kalk Bay Main Road to all the antique shops. If there's still time, head on to Simon's Town for afternoon tea, a browse and a boat trip.
Remember, Church and Long Street shops and markets are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. The Sundays-only market at Groot Constantia more than makes up for that. Buy yourself a cash card to feed the parking meters in Long Street, or negotiate with one of the parking attendants, who'll make sure you don't run out of time. Costs range from about R2 an hour
Antiques Reading List
Look out for the Antiques, Collectables and Africana Map in tourism bureaus and antique stores on your South African holidays. Updated every year, it lists good antique shops around Cape Town (and Gauteng), all of which are members of the SA Antique Dealer's Association (SAADA).
A really good reference book is the Antiques Price Guide 2003 by Judith Miller (Dorling Kindersley), which lists over 8 500 antiques, each with a colour photograph, description and, most temptingly, a ballpark figure (in sterling) of what you might pay for a similar item. Have a look - that dusty dish you bought for a song might be worth a fortune.
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