Cape Town stars on Lonely Planet’s weekend Instagram takeover

Travel company Lonely Planet has a good 1.4-million followers on Instagram, and this past weekend they all got a scrumptious taste of Cape Town thanks to an impromptu takeover.

Piloted by travel blogger Monica Suma, Lonely Planet’s Instagram photo log briefly turned into a carousel of Cape Town’s landscapes and landmarks.

Reception was positive too.

The five uploaded images — featuring Chapman’s Peak Drive, Camps Bay’s Twelve Apostles, Hout Bay, Long Street and the newly opened Silo Hotel at the V&A Waterfront — racked up a combined 54 000 likes.

‘Aside from being a landscape paradise, Cape Town is also one of the best cities for architecture lovers’

The most popular snap of Chappies, received love from over 13 000 people.

‘One of the best days I had in Cape Town was a roadtrip to the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-westerly tip of #Africa, passing through Boulders Beach, brimming with adorable African penguins. But the highlight was driving the famed Chapman’s Peak Drive on the Atlantic Coast between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, one of the most beautiful marine drives in the world. Affectionately referred to as “Chappies,” the 9km route with 114 curves surrounds Chapman’s Peak and follows the rocky coastline to jaw-dropping views in both directions. It’s not one to be missed.’ – @monicasuma, #lpInstaTakeover #travel #BestinTravel

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on Jul 22, 2017 at 10:01am PDT

“I don’t know many cities in the world that can offer the wide array of landscapes and outdoor experiences as Cape Town does,” Suma writes below one image.

While not featured in photographs, Suma also mentions the Cape of Good Hope, Bo-Kaap and Woodstock in passing.

“With mountains gracing every view and hugged by an endless coastline, this city is a stunner,” she adds.

Have a look at the other images below.

This weekend’s #lpInstaTakeover is from #lonelyplanet writer and #lpPathfinders member @monicasuma, who will be sharing some photos from her recent trip to #CapeTown, one of our #BestinTravel destinations for 2017! Here she is exploring one of the city’s most epic vistas. ‘I had heard how unique Cape Town is as a city, due to its geographical location, but two weeks in the Western Cape province exceeded all expectations. I don’t know many cities in the world that can offer the wide array of landscapes and outdoor experiences as Cape Town does. With mountains gracing every view and hugged by an endless coastline, this city is a stunner. But wait, there’s more! There’s a thriving culinary scene, incredible culture and ultra hip quarters. Join me this weekend as I share the beauty of the ‘Mother City’, and why it’s skyrocketed into my top 3 favourite cities in the world.’ – @monicasuma — Stay tuned this weekend for more! #travel

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on Jul 21, 2017 at 9:48am PDT

‘First on the agenda upon arrival in #CapeTown was a sundowner at Camps Bay Beach, a local favourite. This is where Table Mountain, Cape Town’s most famous landmark, forms on the Atlantic coast of the peninsula a mountain range called the Twelve Apostles. Shrouded in fog as a blood orange sun set, the steep sandstone buttresses rewarded me with the most spectacular panorama, the best welcome to #SouthAfrica I could have wished for’ – @monicasuma, #lpInstaTakeover #travel #BestinTravel

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on Jul 22, 2017 at 2:48am PDT

‘Aside from being a landscape paradise, Cape Town is also one of the best cities for architecture lovers. There’s the colourful Malay quarter in Bo-Kaap, industrial sightings in hip Woodstock, and let me not forget the posh Bree Street. But at its core, on Long Street, is where you’ll find the historic Victorian architecture. Now a popular hostel, the Blue Mountain Backpackers building, which started out as a hotel at the turn of the century is a stunning example of that. Pass by before sunset for that glowing light.’ – @monicasuma, #lpInstaTakeover #travel #BestinTravel #capetown

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on Jul 23, 2017 at 3:18am PDT

‘As my trip came to an end, it was difficult to pinpoint what I liked most about #CapeTown. The sheer abundance of natural beauty, as well as the rich cultural and culinary scene makes the Mother City truly one-of-a-kind. But to call the newly opened @thesilohotel_ on the @vandawaterfront home for one night was truly an honour, and an absolute delight for a design lover. A former 1924 old grain silo, reopened after extensive work as a luxury hotel, I found the bathrooms its most appealing feature. Aside from its ample size, probably larger than most of our living rooms – taking a long soak overlooking Table Mountain and witnessing the most glorious harbour sunrise in the morning – this alone made my stay! Watch out for the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) opening in September 2017 in the same building below the Silo Hotel, the first major museum to feature contemporary art from the African continent.’ – @monicasuma, — That’s all for this week’s lpinstatakeover! Follow more of Monica’s adventures via her handle @monicasuma. #travel #BestinTravel

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on Jul 23, 2017 at 10:02am PDT