Cape Town

Health, athleticism and good looks are as much a focus in Cape Town as they are in any modern city. Amongst most South Africans, there’s a general focus on not just being fit, but on being exceptionally fit, fat free, and physically strong.

You’ll see this mentality borne out on any early morning drive along the Atlantic Seaboard. There’ll be people jogging while others ride bicycles, handcycles and even tandem bikes. Take a Saturday hike up Lion’s Head, and you may be shocked by the amount of traffic you have to deal with in the form of other hikers. Step onto Clifton 3rd or 4th in summer time, and you’re apt to find yourself surrounded by built, muscular men and toned, tanned blondes. Visit a Capetonian gym on any weeknight, and you’ll probably have trouble getting to the machinery.

On a sidenote, Capetonians also tend to be conscientious consumers. Watch the average thirty-something shopper in a Cape Town supermarket, and you’ll see him (or her) surveying the ingredients of every other item, scanning for MSG or saturated fat. Following in the footsteps of the first world, affluent Cape Town has gone organic and yoga crazed, and for perfectly good, scientific reasons. For anyone who cares to follow suit (or just enjoys being pampered or working up a sweat), this section covers a few of the better fitness, sport and beauty centers in the city.