With Valentine’s Day a few weeks away, doesn’t it make you hope you won’t be one of those tearing their hair out for ideas on what to do, where to go and who to spend this famous time of year with? While you’re looking for ideas on how to make the next Valentine’s Day an original and memorable time for you and your loved one, are you perhaps one of the many tourists who have been enjoying a vacation in and around the Cape?

The Mother City, if you didn’t know already, has much to offer both locals and tourists. A wealth of eateries, both original and commercial abound in and around the city, as well as shops, specialist stores and numerous activities. Furthermore, many venues around Cape Town provide fantastic vantage points to indulge in the many views that the Cape is famous for: Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostle mountain range and last but not least, a sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

Read on below to find out what you can do to make the most of this well-known occasion.

Jou Ma Se Comedy Club

“The home of comedy in the Cape”, Jou Ma se Comedy Club is a Cape Town attraction that any visitor to the Cape must visit, and this Valentine’s Day, it provides one of the perfect choices for couples looking to spend this famous occasion having fun. Prepare to be entertained and have a delicious meal at the Pumphouse in the V&A Waterfront. The expert at relationships, Stuart Taylor will be MC for the evening and the line-up will include Phil de Lange, Westley Cockrell and Andrew Magic Man. Why not spend this Valentine’s Day laughing till your tummy hurts at original routines and hysterical impersonations, all dashed with authentic and proudly South African style?

Cost: The entry ticket will cost you just R120.00 while the meals are purchased separately. The two-course meal is at R180.00 while you can enjoy just the main course on its own for only R125.00 and the dessert only at just R65.00.

Address                                                                                                        The Pumphouse at the V&A Waterfront
Tel                                                                                                                 +27 (0)79 495 3989
Email                                                                                                             info@joumasecomedy.com

Charcoal Dining

The high-end and cosy bistro Charcoal Dining is one of the purely natural romantic settings in the Cape Town city centre, and this makes it the ideal place to spend this Valentine’s Day with someone special. Couples will be given a complimentary Lanique cocktail as soon as they arrive, can order from an à la carte menu as well as receive a surprise dessert delight to close the evening.

Cost: Guests can expect to pay from R49 to R69 for starters and from R99 to R179 for the mains. It is essential that you book since space is limited.

Address                                                                                                        50 New Church Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Tel                                                                                                                 +27 (0)21 422 3232
Email                                                                                                             info@charcoaldining.co.za

Bardelli’s

Spend your lunchtime this Valentine’s Day at Bardelli’s where you can choose between any starter and main or any main and dessert. Each couple will also get a complimentary 375ml Pierre Jourdan Brut. The starters include antipasti and insalata piccolas (except the Caprese), and mains comprise of every pizza, pasta and pesce dishes (except carne specialties and the Olympia pizzas). As an alternative, couples can also order from an à la carte menu.

Cost: Any starter and main or main and dessert will cost you just R160.00 per person. Again, booking is essential. Find Bardelli’s contact details below.

Address                                                                                                        18 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Tel                                                                                                                 +27 (0)21 423 1502
Email                                                                                                             kloof@bardellis.com

What else can you do?

Despite these easy-on-the-wallet activities for you to explore during Valentine’s Day this year, some may choose to keep this year’s celebration of love a simple affair. The Mother City may have a wealth of attractions that come at a price, but many of them are affordable and some are even free!

What better way could you have to end a Valentine’s Day than gazing together with your loved one at the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean? Currently, the Table Mountain Cableway is going through a period in which visitors can take a ride up at a discounted rate. To find out more, click here.

Then, of course, the Cape features numerous places to enjoy a sundowner. To save you from having to hunt them down, we have info on some of the best places to witness a picturesque sunset with a cocktail in hand and with the one you love. For more on this, click here.

May these ideas serve as a guide for you to ensure you have a thoroughly enjoyable Valentine’s Day this year of 2015.