One fine morning a year or two ago, at an open-air counter in the Maboneng precinct of Johannesburg, South Africa, an elegant lady served me one of the world’s more perfect cappuccinos.
In the willfully sentimental way of travelers in search of stories, I imagined a whole biography for her—maybe she’d brought her family’s La Marzocco machine all the way from Rome in a steamer trunk. With its dour fortified compounds, Brutalist skyscrapers, and acrid mine-tailing hills, Johannesburg doesn’t beguile the visitor like its relentlessly picturesque counterpart, Cape Town. So in Maboneng I was glad to find galleries, food trucks, sidewalk cafés, street art, cool cars, an artisanal craft market, the David Adjaye–designed Hallmark House hotel, and the Museum of African Design (located in a former auto-body shop). A sign bearing the name of the neighborhood swung in a graceful catenary curve, exactly like the famous one in Venice Beach, California. Feeling caffeinated and expansive, I remarked to the coffee lady on Maboneng’s charm. Thank you, she said, because her son had developed pretty much all of it. Some days she liked to sit at the coffee stand just to keep an eye on things.
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Travel+Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Travel+Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TOTALLY TANGIER
With the debut of an impeccable seaside villa turned hotel, Morocco's bohemian enclave is suddenly back on the map.
OF SEA & STONE
In a quiet corner of mainland Greece, a glamorous new resort offers access to extraordinary treasures, both natural and archaeological.
Changing Nature
A mountain town in Japan has become a showcase for forward-thinking design.
Waking Up Waco
A reality-TV couple did more than open a hotel in the middle of Texas. They gave the city a public makeover.
To the Manor Born
In Mallorca, Spain, new resorts carved from old estates offer a break from the crowds.
HIGH - MIGHTY
On the fringes of a lesserknown Kenyan park, a new lodge brings you face-to-face with some of Africa's most majestic animals. Paul Brady goes in search of the biggest beast of them all.
GLOBAL VISION AWARDS
THE 26 PEOPLE, COMPANIES, AND NONPROFITS | CHANGING THE WAY WE TRAVEL FOR THE BETTER
High Tea
In Sri Lanka, a new walking trail weaves through mist-shrouded forests and centuries-old estates. Erin Vivid Riley makes the pilgrimage.
Devils' Advocates
Tasmania’s most famous species is under threat—but all hope is not lost. Elizabeth Warkentin heads down under to see the conservation effort up close.
Out of the Blue
Honduras beckons scuba divers, waterfall rappellers, and other thrill seekers. Nora Walsh takes the plunge.