Cape Winelands

Special Destinations

The wine regions around Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl offer much more than excellent wines and stylish golf courses. The region is rich in cultural, scenic and culinary experiences that can be ideally combined with a golf vacation.

Highlights include the historic old town of Stellenbosch with its Cape Dutch architecture, galleries and boutiques. Nearby Franschhoek is considered the gourmet capital of South Africa and offers a variety of excellent restaurants as well as the popular Franschhoek Wine Tram, which runs through renowned wine estates.

Nature lovers will find impressive panoramic views and varied hiking trails in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve or along the Helshoogte Pass Road. An excursion to the Taal Monument in Paarl, a symbol of South African cultural history, is also worthwhile.

For day trips, a detour to Cape Town or the Cape of Good Hope is worthwhile - only around an hour's drive away - with highlights such as the Table Mountain cable car, the Chapman's Peak Drive coastal road or the penguins on Boulders Beach.

Culinary Highlights

The wine regions of the Western Cape are among the most important culinary regions in South Africa and offer top-class culinary diversity. In Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, first-class cuisine, renowned wine estates and a stylish atmosphere merge to create a holistic culinary experience.

Numerous wineries have excellent restaurants that combine regional products with modern or classic preparations. The menus range from fine dining with international appeal to creative farm-to-table cuisine. In particular Franschhoek, characterized by its French heritage, is known for its density of top restaurants and award-winning chefs.

Tastings at historic wine estates, picnics among the vines, combined wine and chocolate tastings or food & wine pairings on terraces with mountain views make the region a paradise for gourmets. The offer is complemented by regional markets, boutique distilleries, cheese producers and chocolate manufacturers, which round off the culinary experience.

Arrival & Infrastructure on Site

The Cape Town International Airport is the central arrival point and is only around 30 to 60 minutes' drive from the main wine regions. Onward travel is comfortable with a rental car, chauffeur service or as part of a guided tour.

The road infrastructure is well developed, the routes lead through picturesque landscapes with numerous viewpoints and stops at wineries, farm stands and scenic passes. A variety of accommodation is available locally - from boutique hotels to winery lodges and luxury resorts - as well as a wide range of restaurants, golf courses, wellness facilities and excursion options.

Private transfers, guided tours and regional shuttle services are also well organized. Overall, the Cape wine regions are characterized by a very good tourist infrastructure, high service quality and a wide range of leisure activities - ideal for discerning individual travellers as well as group and themed trips.