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IIf you’re looking for a book, a party, a delicious dinner or simply a long afternoon spent at an exotic bar watching Cape Town pass you by, then you need to be on Long Street, a place where music, food and fun is serious business.
London has SoHo, New Orleans, the French Quarter – and Cape Town has Long Street.
By day, the thoroughfare is abuzz with coffee bars, exotic restaurants, legendary bookshops, African craft markets and backpackers’ lodges. You’ll see a fun mix of travellers, breakfasting locals, shoppers and morning joggers all absorbing the vibe of this brilliant social centre. In the early afternoon, you’ll see the bars start to fill up with a mishmash of regulars and young backpackers out for a stroll. By night, it’s all lights, music and parties.
If you’re a fan of old architecture, Long Street will keep you busy for days. Take the Victorian style of Carnival Court for instance – now a backpackers’ hostel, this used to be where the young toffs of Cape Town would keep their apartments. From the wrought-iron balcony, you can watch the world go by up and down Long Street.
Long Street’s buildings, its Victorian follies and intricate ironwork, have been mostly well-kept; several preservation societies, heritage groups and architects protect these structures from the wrecking ball vigilantly. In fact, many of the buildings have been carefully restored over the years.
The evening vibe of Long Street is, and always has been, a party you’ll never forget. From sundowner time until the early hours, the restaurants, bars and late-night clubs are all about keeping the fun going.
The street has all kinds of private decks, balconies, rooftop lounges and other vantage points where exclusive parties are held. On street level, pavement dining in summer (October to April) is what it’s all about. And the barmen of Long Street have become famous for their skills with exotic cocktails.
In fact, when Cape Town wants to celebrate something – anything – Long Street is always the first thought.
Did You Know?
TTravel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Cape Town Tourism Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 487 6800
Email: info@capetown.travel
Grand Daddy Hotel
Tel: +27 (0)21 424 7247
Email: info@granddaddy.co.za
Carnival Court Backpackers
Tel: +27 (0)21 423 9003
Email: info@carnivalcourt.co.za
How to get here
Long Street runs up the hill from the corner of Coen Steytler Avenue near the docks up to Buitensingel Road, from where it becomes Kloof Street. It lies between Loop and Adderley Streets in the city centre.
Best time to visit
Long Street has its morning qualities, its afternoon qualities, its sundowner-to-evening qualities and its late-night party qualities. It is an all-year destination.
Around the area
Go for an early morning walk around the nearby Bo-Kaap area and across to the Grand Parade, greeting the flower sellers of Adderley Street en route.
Get around
The best advice when visiting Long Street is to catch a taxi or Uber from your accommodation (if you’re not actually staying in Long Street) and walk up and down the street. Sample as much as you can in the time you have available.
What will it cost?
Pubs and restaurants have different fare at different rates, but most offer good value.
Length of stay
You might just like Long Street so much that you find yourself going there on repeat visits…
What to pack
Packing depends on the action you’re after. It’s casual by day (always keep a windbreaker handy) and trendy-casual by night, when the party’s on. If you’re planning to photograph the architecture in the street, don’t forget your widest lens.
Where to stay
You could stay at the Carnival Court Hostel or Long Street Backpackers – or perhaps the eccentrically stylish Grand Daddy Hotel; all 3 are in Long Street.
What to eat
There are many places to eat and drink in Long Street, but if you want to start off exotic then why not a cocktail at Café Mojito, followed by seafood at the Long Street Café? Or possibly Mozambican prawns at Mama Africa? Or exotic burgers at the Royale Eatery? You could also have a drink on the roof of the Grand Daddy Hotel, which has great views and is also home to a retro trailer park.
What’s happening?
Check the listed Cape Town Tourism website for events in the Long Street area during your stay.
Best buys
Something portable yet memorable from the Pan African Market, which in itself is worth an hour’s window shopping.
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