Kalk Bay

Kalk Bay is the most characterful village on the Cape Peninsula and the perfect stop on the way to or from Boulders and Cape Point. It sits on the False Bay coast about forty minutes south of the city, squeezed between the sea and steep mountain slopes, with old houses built up against the cliffs and a railway line running right along the shore. At its heart is a small working harbour, where brightly painted fishing boats come and go and fishermen still head out daily for fish and calamari. When the boats come in, the catch is sold on the quay, and a small population of Cape fur seals hangs around waiting for scraps, often lounging within a few metres of visitors. Around the harbour are seafood restaurants, from simple fish and chip shops to places with tables almost over the water, and lunch here, watching the boats, is a peninsula ritual. The village's Main Road is lined with antique and vintage shops, galleries, second-hand bookshops, cafes and bakeries, and it has a relaxed, slightly bohemian feel that is very different from the glamour of the Atlantic seaboard. There is a tidal pool beside the harbour, and the warmer False Bay water makes swimming here more pleasant than on the other side of the peninsula. Above the village, the cliffs of the Kalk Bay mountains are riddled with caves, and the trails up into them are a local favourite, best done with a guide or someone who knows the way. Kalk Bay is free to wander, and it rewards a slow afternoon. In whale season, from about June to November, southern right whales sometimes come close inshore along this stretch of coast, so keep an eye on the bay.

Making the most of it: come for lunch and stay for the afternoon. Weekends are busy and parking along Main Road is tight, so arrive before midday or come on a weekday. If you want to buy fish from the boats, be at the harbour when they come in and bring cash; ask a local restaurant to cook it if they offer that service. Do not feed the seals, and keep children back from the edge of the quay. The coastal railway from the city runs through Kalk Bay to Simon's Town and is one of the most scenic train lines anywhere; check the current Metrorail service and travel in daylight.

Along the coast: Kalk Bay sits between St James and Muizenberg to the north, with their colourful bathing huts and tidal pools, and Fish Hoek and Simon's Town to the south. Boyes Drive, the road along the mountainside above Kalk Bay and Muizenberg, has wonderful views over False Bay and is a good alternative to the coast road. Combining Kalk Bay with Boulders and Cape Point makes a classic peninsula day, especially with the inland route while Chapman's Peak Drive remains closed.

Who it suits: couples looking for a long lunch and a browse, families who want to see seals and boats up close, and anyone who wants to experience a slower, more local side of Cape Town. It is not a beach resort, and the shops are for browsing rather than designer shopping.