The Winelands Holidays

Just 45 minutes drive from Cape Town is the scenic Winelands region, a collection of historic towns, little hamlets and Cape Dutch farmsteads whose wines are internationally renowned. Unsurprisingly, the Winelands is also fast turning into a fabulous foodie hub with many first class eateries. The most popular and well-known wine routes pass through Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, with Paarl and Constantia also worthy of a visit.

Regarded as the nation’s wine capital, Stellenbosch has an easy elegance with oak-shaded streets lined with cafes, restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. In addition, some 150 wine estates decorate the vine-swept landscape, many of them with achingly beautiful Cape Dutch manor houses, gardens, hotels and fine-dining restaurants.

Originally settled in 1688 by French Huguenot refugees who introduced their age-old wine and food culture, today picturesque Franschhoek is one of the world’s gastronomic capitals with more award-winning restaurants than anywhere else in the land. Hop on the wine tram to tour the variety of cellars, from small boutique wineries to large estates, and be sure to browse the shops and galleries along the town’s quaint streets.

The Paarl Wine Route, renowned for its rich, full-bodied, spicy red and crisp white wines, is the second oldest in South Africa. Foodies will also find lots of tempting dining venues, from unpretentious family steakhouses to gourmet offerings and everything in between. The surrounding area offers hiking and biking trails, rock climbing, horse riding and more.

Just 15 minutes from Cape Town city centre, Constantia is quite spectacular. Its wines are grown on the slopes of Table Mountain with a unique blend of centuries-old homesteads and new stylish boutique wineries to seek out.

Just outside the Winelands is Hermanus, an attractive fishing village rich in wonderful scenery and endless adventure options. From June to November, Hermanus offers the best land-based whale watching in the world.

    Why visit The Winelands?
  • Breathtaking scenery
  • Fine wines
  • Warm hospitality
  • World class cuisine


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Natasha

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Wide choice of tours and hotels in South Africa. Also includes Namibia, Botswana, Victoria Falls, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Mozambique and Madagascar.

South Africa
Essential facts about The Winelands
Local Time

GMT +2 hours

Currency

South African Rand

Travel information

All of the towns in the Winelands region are around 45 minutes driving distance of Cape Town, while Hermanus is 1½ hours drive from Cape Town.

Best time to go

The Winelands are located within the Western Cape and can be visited throughout the year. The peak season is during the summer when you can expect fine weather, from around October to March. From around June to August the weather can be cold and rain can be expected, however as most of the hotels have welcoming log fires you can still enjoy the wine!

Travelling with children

Parents travelling with children into or out of South Africa may be asked to show the child’s unabridged full birth certificate, and where only one parent is accompanying, parental or legal consent for the child to travel (eg an affidavit from the other parent, a court order or – if applicable – a death certificate). You should travel with these documents in case you’re asked to provide them. There are other requirements for children travelling unaccompanied or with adults who are not their parents. For more information, contact the South African High Commission www.southafricahouseuk.com or the South African Department of Home Affairs www.dha.gov.za.