Cape Town, South Africa

I'm always drawn back there - this city has everything I need to live! I am extreme in everything I do: professionally, privately and athletically. All three are possible in Cape Town. In terms of sport, I clear my head with mountain biking. South Africa offers varied and very beautiful routes for this. In my private life, I prefer to spend time with my family - my wife and my two children.

I am an epicurean, especially when it comes to food and drink. In Cape Town, there are the best restaurants for me. They all offer good value for money. I can recommend to visitors The Potluck Club. Besides the good menu, a panoramic view of Cape Town is the highlight. However, reservations are recommended here. The same applies to The Test Kitchenwhich I always like to praise. As a winemaker, I love to spend my time in the vineyards. There are plenty of them in South Africa, too. Who has similar preferences, should go to the Terroir. The restaurant is located in the family-run winery "Kleine Zalze. Simply a dream. In Cape Town, I am often drawn to the Aubergine and the Chefs wearhouse. Here, too, my culinary expectations have never been disappointed. In general, I like to call Cape Town "wild Europe". It is Africa, but very European. In addition, the people there are warm and hospitable.

"I took part in the Cape Epic in South Africa this year - the toughest MTB race in the world. I'm pretty proud of that."

I spend the perfect evening at home, all cozy. The great thing is..: I have a home there now, my own apartment. I don't need a house with a pool and all the bells and whistles. My terrace with the fantastic view of Table Mountain is enough for me. To my friends who want to visit me, I recommend the One & Only Capetown to stay overnight. But there are also great, small B&B hotels where you can stay comfortably.

My tip for any trip to South Africa: Don't get stressed. You don't have to have seen everything. Not Cape Town and then also the Garden Route and and and.... Cape Town and the surrounding area alone are diverse enough. There are good wine estates, great wine growing areas where you can feast well and to explore the surroundings by mountain bike; that's really fun. If you are not convinced yet, I recommend the climate of South Africa. Cool nights and warm temperatures during the day make for a pleasant stay there. And all those who fear a jetlag, I can calm down: Cape Town has no time difference.

"For me, Cape Town is a wild Europe: it's Africa, but just very European."

My thoughts on Cape Town

I love this place because ...

... it has everything I like: wine, mountain biking, good restaurants, great climate, no time difference.

The best way to spend the day there is ...

... get up early, go mountain biking, have a relaxed breakfast, visit a winery, have lunch there, let the day end comfortably.

When I'm in Cape Town, I love to ...

... go to bed early, get up early, read, relax.

The most extraordinary place in Cape Town is ...

... definitely my terrace.

What music best suits Cape Town ...

... the music of Rodriguez, an Oscar-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man". Absolute CULT!

A look into my life

Best moment of the day?

Breakfast & dinner with my wife and kids. Family time is the best.

My greatest passion?

My family, my work (which is also my hobby, so it doesn't feel like work at any point), wine of course, and mountain biking (which clears my head).

How would a good friend describe you?

Consistent. Hardly crazy. Ambitious. Extreme - in everything I do.

My lifestyle in 5 words:

Down-to-earth, living values, health, eating & drinking well, enjoying.

My philosophy of life:

Not many people can change the world. But those who can, should.

Image credit: Leo Hillinger; Bigstock www.bigstockphoto.com;

Leo Hillinger

Extremely successful, extremely good-looking, extremely down-to-earth: Leo Hillinger loves life in all its facets. As a winemaker, he has turned his father's debt-ridden winery into a multi-million dollar empire - as a father of two, he enjoys every free minute he can spend with his family. In the Travel Diary, he reveals in which areas of life he is also extreme and which spot on earth he is particularly fond of.