Boasting everything from sleek inner-city apartment blocks tot stately mansions on the slopes of the mountain – Cape Town’s City Bowl offers a veritable smorgasbord of property choices that keeps attracting buyers from every walk of life.
For example, Adderley Street’s iconic Cartwright’s Corner is reminiscent of New York’s swankiest inner-city accommodation. It was refurbished in 2004 and includes all the bells and whistles – from a gym and indoor pool to mesmerising views of the city, sea and mountain.
Just around the corner, Mutual Heights’ rose- and gold-veined black marble is well known in Art Deco circles and this building is decorated with one of the longest continuous stone friezes in the world (designed by Ivan Mitford-Barberton and chiseled by the Lorenzi brothers, master stonemasons). Today, it serves as an upmarket apartment block and many of the original details and decorations have been beautifully preserved.
Flanking the city’s western side towards Signal Hill, Rose Street in the Bo-Kaap is known for its quirky semi-detached abodes – many which have been revamped into stylish homes, bed & breakfasts and other businesses. The vibe here is eclectic and infectious and everything goes – from moreish kebabs sold by street vendors to the smells of pungent Cape Malay spices. What’s more, colour reigns supreme in this area and photographs of this neighbourhood often grace postcards.
Tamboerskoof’s peaceful streets are favoured by families and the old homes that are found here have a distinct colonial and Victorian feel – think high ceilings, vast verandahs and beautifully preserved wooden floors. And towards the upper reaches of the area, Higgovale flows into sought-after Oranjezicht – both home to some of the City Bowl’s most prized properties. Offering a mix of palatial homes from yesteryear to ultra-modern architectural feats that have graced the pages of interior magazines, this area also boasts lots of lush greenery and wide, tree-lined streets.
To the east, Vredehoek is a vibrant community of young professionals and families, with homes ranging from small apartments in stately old blocks and Art Deco gems to solid family homes – many of which also echo a Victorian design.
