The Cape Winelands
South Africa's beautiful wine country - historic Cape Dutch estates among vine-striped valleys and mountains around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, for world-class wine, food and scenery.
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The Cape Winelands, spread across beautiful valleys just east of Cape Town, are South Africa's historic wine country and among the most scenic wine regions on earth. Around the university town of Stellenbosch and the French-founded Franschhoek, gracious whitewashed Cape Dutch estates sit among vine-striped slopes beneath dramatic mountains, offering world-class wines, superb food and centuries of history in one of the country's most rewarding regions.
What you actually see
- Stellenbosch - the historic wine town of oak-lined streets and estates.
- Franschhoek - the French-founded valley and its gourmet food and wine.
- The Cape Dutch estates - the gracious whitewashed wine farms.
- The wine tram - the hop-on tram linking Franschhoek's estates.
When to go
October to April for the warmest weather and the vines in leaf; February to April brings the grape harvest. Spring and autumn are lovely and quieter. Plan a driver or the wine tram, as tastings and driving do not mix.
Honest expectations
Tastings mean arranging a designated driver or using the Franschhoek wine tram, as drink-driving is dangerous and illegal. It is a region of scattered estates, so a car helps, and it rewards a slow day or more. It is beautiful and good value by international standards, but the estates vary, so a little planning helps.
Nearby
Cape Town and Table Mountain are under an hour west; the Garden Route stretches east.
What to pack for The Cape Winelands
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
