Antique shopping in Cape Town is not just limited to the city centre, this Cape Town coastal antique route will lead you on a scenic drive to the seaside suburbs of Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, where you can find some quirky treasures.
Groot Constantia
A sense of history, distant views over False Bay and an antiques market every Sunday make Groot Constantia a good stop for lunch or brunch. The wine estate dates to 1685, when the land was granted to Simon van der Stel, a governor of the Cape. He planted fruit trees, oaks and vines, and about 40 of his vines still thrive here today.
The manor house, built in 1692 at the end of an avenue of stately oaks, is one of the best-preserved examples of Cape Dutch architecture, and it houses a priceless collection of Cape furniture and porcelain.
The original wine cellar, dated 1791, is now a wine museum of drinking utensils and artefacts, including ancient amphoras, delicate glassware and an impressive set of imperial measures from gallon and quart to pint and a half-gill. Their assize stamp is 1569, and they were used at the Cape back in 1875.
The swimming bath, from around 1795, is a pleasant stroll away from the main buildings. The Sundays-only antiques and collectables market is in a shaded courtyard that used to be part of the estate's old slave quarters. Browse through old china, books, antique and costume jewellery and plenty of shining cutlery and delicate silverware.
Relax and have a meal at one of the two fully licensed restaurants - a general menu and traditional Cape fare at the Jonkershuis (they offer a sampler dish where you can taste a little of everything) or dine on some fine international cuisine, from burgers to venison, at Simon's.
Afterwards, tour the cellar and do a tasting of Groot Constantia's large range of wines - the shop and tasting cellar is on the left just before you drive out of the estate's main gate. Cellar tours every hour in summer, three per day in winter time.
Kalk Bay
From Groot Constantia turn right onto Constantia Main Road, M41 Wynberg. At 1.5km turn right at traffic lights into Ladies Mile Road, M39 Bergvliet. At next lights turn right onto M42 Tokai. Follow the Constantia Wine Route past Buitenverwachting, Klein Constantia and Steenberg Wine and Golf Estate.
Go straight through two traffic lights as the road curves along the foot of the mountain. (At around 11km you'll pass the end of the M3 highway, which will later be your direct route back to the city.) At 11.8km, T-junction right into Main Road, M4 Muizenberg. Follow the railway line through Muizenberg and St James to Kalk Bay.
As you turn onto the Main Road, which was the old wagon road between the Castle in Cape Town and Muizenberg, you'll see one of the original carved milestones on your right, showing it's 13 miles to the Town Hall.
Ancient Days Antiques, on the left shortly after you join the Main Road, is also worth a stop for interesting furniture, especially yellowwood farm pieces. If you were able to resist the temptation to stop at the various estates along the Constantia Wine Route, Kalk Bay delivers a main street full of quirky shops and eateries, all filled with the sound of screeching seagulls and breaking waves.
A lingering exploration of all of them is highly recommended, with a break for tea in the middle if your credit card is smoking. (But if you've seen enough antiques to last a lifetime, browse the various art galleries or watch the waves over a glass of wine at the Brass Bell restaurant on Kalk Bay station).
Better still, have a meal at Cape to Cuba above Kalk Bay Harbour and shop from your table. Meet Cape Town's very own Che Guevara reincarnated as an antique shop owner in a restaurant packed with Madonna statues, astonishingly lavish chandeliers and ornate metal furniture, all with a price tag attached so you can add what you like to your bill.
A magpie meander turned up these temptations in Kalk Bay: Spices in brown bags for sale amid the collectables in Shor Bazaar, named after the 'thieves market' in Bombay. A set of Thomas Baines prints at Graciously Ancient.
A weird mix of antique furniture, peppered with African artefacts, at two shops in one building - Belle Ombre Antiques and African Art. Ballot papers from South Africa's first democratic election in 1994, juke boxes and old Cape furniture at The Railway House. A very bad place for bulls, amid thousands of plates and more at The What Not and China Town.
Tram benches, a brass ship's foghorn, old toys and official red post boxes in the Kalk Bay Trading Post at the old post office. Vintage wine and jewellery at the Kalk Bay Antiques Centre. Magnificent clocks and fancy leather top hat boxes at Tim Curtis Antiques.
Cries of London prints on the wall at Cries of London. Art, books, Africana and very old bones at Quagga Trading. Africana, a beautiful roll-top desk and suitably ancient African masks in the dim interior of the Treasure Trove. If time permits, head for historic Simon's Town for some maritime memorabilia or even a boat trip - simply remain on the Main Road for another nine kilometres, keeping the sea to your left all the way.
Once you've exhausted Church Street, head back up Long Street towards the mountain and look out for the entrance to the Long Street Antique ...
Anyone who loves digging and delving in dusty corners on South African holidays, from the ardent antique dealer to the cheerful junk collect...