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Itinerary
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Art, Craft & Design Tour: Itinerary
DAY 1 – CAPE TOWN
On arriving in Cape Town after meet and greet assistance, you’ll be transferred to your hotel where you can relax and unwind, for the first of 5-nights.
In the early evening, get together for an icebreaker before celebrating your first night at a welcome dinner with select guests in a private, art-filled home.
DAY 2 – CAPE TOWN & PENINSULA
Explore the striking natural beauty of the Cape Peninsula.
Summit Table Mountain by cable car for a panoramic view of the city, Robben Island and V&A Waterfront.
Travel south along the Atlantic’s spectacular coastline before lunching in Kalk Bay overlooking the picturesque, working harbour on the Indian Ocean coast.
Then linger at a gallery that showcases inspiring initiatives assembled by a legendary craft maven.
Take in the newest addition to the Cape’s vibrant art scene at Norval Foundation on a curator-led tour of its 21st South African art collection.
Remain in the historic Constantia Valley for dinner with informative guests.
DAY 3 – CAPE TOWN
See the heart of the city: the cobbled streets and colourful homes of the Bo-Kaap Quarter, and Greenmarket Square abuzz with traders. Meet artists working with the uniquely African genre of wire art. View quintessential local creativity. Pop into contemporary galleries. Have a curator-led tour of Iziko’s SA National Gallery, lunching in The Company’s Garden.
Join in early evening festivities at the opening of the Cape Town Art Fair, a transcontinental platform showcasing Africa’s vibrant contemporary art landscape, with exhibits from prestigious galleries.
Dinner follows in the Waterfront.
DAY 4 – CAPE TOWN
Spend the morning at flagship destinations in the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District.
Be shown over Southern Guild gallery that showcases limited edition, high end local designers.
Have a curator-led walkabout of Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) transformed by architect Thomas Heatherwick into the biggest museum dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Then lunch-with-a-view close by.
In the afternoon, enjoy a privileged viewing of one of SA’s foremost private art collections spanning two centuries, as well as its contemporary art gallery and architecturally astounding wine gallery conducted by its dedicated art specialist.
In the evening, savour a pan African dinner with dishes from the Cape to Timbuktu, interspersed with Malian puppetry, drumming and singing.
DAY 5 – CAPE TOWN / HALF DAY
Gain some fascinating insights into the life and times of Irma Stern – SA’s top selling artist and Expressionist while being shown over her former home / eclectic museum.
Woodstock is a fast gentrifying precinct with the highest concentration of design studios and art galleries in the country, likened to New York’s Meatpacking district. You could have lunch at a crowd-pulling spot here in The Old Biscuit Mill.
The afternoon and evening are at your leisure.
Some afternoon suggestions for independent options
• The ‘Museum Mile’ is a tree-lined boulevard that runs the length of The Company’s Garden, passing the Houses of Parliament, the SA Museum, the SA National Gallery, the SA Jewish museum and the Slave Lodge
• Return to the Cape Town Art Fair for a leisurely review and participate in some of multiple options on offer
DAY 6 – THE WINELANDS
Head out to the Winelands with its abundance of unique Cape Dutch architecture, historic homesteads, and über-chic contemporary estates set in a region of rolling vineyards and soaring peaks.
Stroll around the spacious grounds and gracious manor house of the country’s premier wine estate.
Drive through the historic town of Stellenbosch, with its architectural gems among the university town’s oak-lined streets. Lunch from an eyrie on a mountain pass. Follow with a guided walk around Delaire Graff’s sculpture-filled gardens, art-clad walls and shop where investment pieces rub shoulders with dazzling urban designs. End with a look over a private collection of an iconic South African painter, Pierneef.
Once in Franschhoek and settled in to your centrally located hotel for the first of 2-nights, you can venture forth independently to explore the picturesque village, and dine at your leisure in SA’s ”culinary capital”.
DAY 7 – THE WINELANDS
On the historic estate of Babylonstoren, be guided around beguiling gardens based on the Dutch East India Company’s 1652 layout that replenished passing ships with fresh food. Lunch here sampling some of its 300 edible plants. In the afternoon be shown over another significant private South African art collection at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch. Then meander through the town, popping into galleries and later, sampling some delicious cuisine prepared by one of the country’s Top 10 chefs.
DAY 8 – JOHANNESBURG
Morning is open to explore Franschhoek’s many galleries and appealing shops at your leisure.
Delight in being shown over Dylan Lewis’ indigenous garden filled with acclaimed sculptures that reflect his creative progression from wilderness to animal to human/animal interface.
Take a late afternoon flight to Johannesburg where you’ll stay at for 3-nights.
Dinner is at the hotel, with welcoming hotel staff on hand to whip up something delicious.
DAY 9 – JOHANNESBURG
Spend the morning at Maboneng, a multicultural, urban regeneration precinct. Go on a behind-the-scenes walkabout of its SoHo-inspired work spaces, artists studios, hotels, creative venues and retail clusters that fuse contemporary architecture with historic city buildings. Arts on Main is the hub of this complex of early 1900’warehouses that includes the studio of William Kentridge. Lunch in its tree-filled courtyard.
In the afternoon hit the ”Art Strip” and gallery gallivant: Goodman – a leading contemporary one; Everard Read – the oldest; next to iconic Circa, taking in the city skyline from its deck.
End the day with Kim Sacks in her treasure-trove-filled gallery with hand-crafted object from all over Africa, enjoying a private dinner here.
DAY 10 – JOHANNESBURG
The morning at Origins Centre tells the story of human’s journey out of Africa, our evolution spanning some 3.5 million years, as well as the rock art traditions of the San/Bushmen- the First Nation. A notable display is ”the” ground-breaking artefact that dates man’s design thinking back some 100,0000 years.
Head north to Pretoria’s Javett Art Centre for its two core collections that speak to the legacy of art and creativity in South Africa: The Javett family’s private collection of some of the best of 20th century South African art, and The Mapungubwe Collection of gold artefacts representing a much older era of visual creativity.
Spend the remainder of the day in the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where forty percent of the world’s human ancestors have been found. Be shown around a private sculpture park and artist residency set within a 15-hectare parkland in a nature conservancy filled with world-class sculpture in a sea of greenery, lush walkways and soothing water features.
In this symbolic landscape where 3.5 million years of human activity have taken place, enjoy sunset and watch the Southern Cross emerge over a celebratory farewell dinner with select guests.
DAY 11 – ONWARD JOURNEY
See democracy at work on Constitutional Hill, a unique heritage site in the inner city located on what was the country’s most notorious prison complex, that contextualize the country’s turbulent past and transition to democracy. The Constitutional Court houses a collection of artworks by eminent South Africans with a human rights theme that tells the story with a different lens – and weaves multiple threads together. A fitting conclusion to your journey of creative discovery.
After a tasty lunch at a popular eatery in the first urban renewal project in the city centre, you’ll be dropped off at the airport for your return flight.
See testimonials from a group from The Museum of Arts & Design NY on a similar tour