The cutest, quaintest, quirkiest Cape Town getaway: Paternoster on the West Coast

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I have always heard amazing things about Paternoster, a foodie-filled fishing village located a 2.5 hour drive along the West Coast up from Cape Town, but in South Africa there is SO much to see and so many unreal places to visit that it took me awhile to get there! Here are my blog posts from other amazing getaways close to Cape Town:

• The most tranquil getaway to Cedarpeak in Cederberg, South Africa

• Gondwana Private Game Reserve: A magical luxury safari close to Cape Town!!

• Hermanus Boutique Guest House: The #Selfcarestaycation that dreams are made of

• A magical getaway in the mountains of South Africa: Onverwacht Cottages, Greyton/McGregor

• A different type of safari: Discovering the magic of the Karoo at Roam Game Reserve

• A solo traveller’s guide to the Garden Route of South Africa

Guys, I have to say, Paternoster absolutely lived up to its hype, and then some! It is SO CUTE, quaint, such an epic tranquil seaside escape and I am already DREAMING of going back. I actually only went for one night, leaving CT early Saturday morning and returning Sunday late afternoon, but the trip felt like much longer than that; it was actually such an amazing opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle, recharge, restore, Paternoster’s ocean breeze, chill vibes, and gentle lapping waves were exactly what my soul needed! 

Paternoster feels like the South African version of Mykonos, minus the douchey beach clubs — it’s white-washed buildings with thatched roofs, blue window shutters, the houses have a laid-back effortless beachy aura, and then there is all this thoughtful attention to detail with touches of decor like pebbles strung into heart-shapes, colourful old distressed boats strewn everywhere like they got washed ashore, and omg I was obsessed with the fonts in this town. Elite font goals all over the restaurants, shops, hotels, and houses themselves.

There are tons of adorable places to stay in Paternoster, I stayed in Gilcrest Place Guest House which was an absolute DREAM. If you’d like to take the stress out of travelling and just show up and enjoy, I am also happy to organize your whole trip for you with my Adventurelust Trip Planning & On-Call Travel Buddy service!

Paternoster is super quirky and its character shines through its unique one-of-a-kind shops stocked with nicknacks and breezy beachwear by local designers. Defs make a stop in the Hobnobbery (just watch your head head the hobbit door!), Die Winkel Op, Coastal Soul, Maneki by waterfront (gimme all the linen plz), and more.

Paternoster is also known as a massive foodie destination, its most famous being Wolfgat which was named Restaurant of the Year in 2019. It is SO cute, an epic unassuming location overlooking the sea and of course, elite font.

Other restaurant recos include Gaatjie (amazing cave vibes, tried to go here for dinner but couldn’t get in so just came for wine after!), De See Kat on the waterfront, Noisy Oyster is in town but looked like a vibe, also Leeto in Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel (which is a STUNNER), I ate at Voorstrandt and Seekombuis which were both on the beach — food wasn’t my fave but it was super cool to be on the sand, at Seekombuis the tables are boats! Make sure to book your Paternoster restaurant in advance as reservations do fill up!

Such an epic little town, if you’re looking for laid-back beachy vibes with a ton of quaint character (and photo opps!), make Paternoster your next road trip!