Guest post by Helen Teede.

Finally! Summer has arrived in Cape Town. The excitement of the first days of sunshine and drawn out evenings is setting in, and everyone is looking for ways to spend the perfect summer’s day. Whether you want to stroll through the Company Gardens with its meandering paths and sunlight-dappled lawns, sit at one of the trendy open-air cafes near Green Market Square or hit the beach (bikini, sun cream or surfboard in tow), Cape Town has something for everyone.

Camps Bay is definitely a must, with its white sandy beach lined with palm trees and flanked by buzzing restaurants and cocktail bars. Col Cacchio’s has brilliant service and equally impressive Italian food, and is a perfect place to sit and watch the sun go down.  For those of you with a sweet tooth, Sinful Ice-cream Emporium is the place to go. It’s rated as having some of the best ice cream in Cape Town and has endless flavours to choose from.

Jazz and Brunch at the Winchester Mansions is one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday morning. The buffet runs from 11:00 till 14:00 and offers everything from muffins to bacon and eggs, to salads, fish and desserts. A walk down the Sea Point Promenade would be a perfect end to a spectacular morning of food and music.

We are spoilt for choice when in comes to wine tasting in and around Cape Town.  Vanessa Clark, author of Wines Online Blog , says “For a great food and wine experience, head out to La Petite Ferme in Franschhoek. They make their wine specifically to match the food served at the restaurant – resulting in some winning combinations. I tasted the stunning double-gold winning Merlot 2006 at the Veritas Awards tasting this week and I could just picture a delicious slow-cooked lamb shank to go along with it. The bulk of their wine is consumed at the restaurant, so it’s well worth a trip to taste their delicious wines.”

Take a stroll through Bo Kaap, one of the most culturally and historically interesting parts of Cape Town, where yellow, pink and blue houses line the narrow, cobbled streets and the air is saturated with spicy scents. Another local favourite is Long Street, which is one of the oldest streets in Cape Town, and definitely worth venturing down. The numerous Victorian buildings with cast-iron balcony railings, and the quirky shops and cafés which line the street give it a character of its own.

So get out there and enjoy the sunshine! Don’t forget to share your favourite summer spots with us and let us know what hidden gems Cape Town has to offer.