Cape Winelands
No trip to Cape Town is complete without a visit to the Winelands. The Dutch planted the first vines in the Constantia area in the 17th Century and as the settlers moved further inland, they took their vines with them.
But for the casual visitor, the obvious place to visit is Stellenbosch, just a 40-minute drive along the N1 from Cape Town or via the N2 to Somerset West and the Helderberg region.
Here you will find so many of the familiar names, such as Neethlingshof, Delheim, Spier, to name just a few. Apart from enjoying a tasting session in their visitor centres, many of the estates boast their own restaurants where you can dine in the open air against a backdrop of green fields, mountains and the blue sky.
Another 20 minutes to the East of Stellenbosch lies the beautiful little town of Franschhoek where the main streets are lined with a variety of excellent restaurants. Add stunning mountains, galleries and antique stores and you will gain a picture of the hospitality that characterises this small town.
Continue through town and beyond the Hugenot memorial and halfway up the hill, you will find what has to be our favourite restaurants in the whole of the Cape, La Petite Ferme, set at the head of the Franschoek valley and gazing down over the stunning panorama of the entire valley. Don’t miss it, but you need to book well ahead.
If you decide you want to venture further afield, you can check out Paarl, Wellington or Robertson, but they are some distance away.