The Cape Winelands, South Africa
We recently spent two weeks in South Africa, spending time with family & friends taking some timeout. Although this always consists of putting something together for TALU & so we thought we would share with you a simple guide to the world famous Cape Winelands. Before we give you a little bit of information on this spectacular region, we thought we’d mention that we spent our first week of honeymoon here, it holds a special place in our hearts and we would strongly suggest making the effort to go & experience all it has to offer.
We do enjoy good wine and have had the privilege of drinking wines in Tuscany (Italy), Portugal, here in the UK but in our humble (unbiased) opinion, you will drink the very best in the Cape, South Africa. Cape Town and the Western Cape has 2 693 Wine Grape Farmers, 45 Producer Cellars and 457 Private Wine Cellars. It’s safe to say the choice is endless and we have hardly scratched the surface. We’re so excited to share just a few gems from our time here. We hope you enjoy
It has to be said that if wine is not your thing, we still highly recommend making the trip, to experience both the natural beauty, the incredible towns, country roads & passes and the extensive food scene that is world renowned. We’ll cover what we consider the top 5 wine estates to visit, secondly we will move onto our top places to eat at and lastly end off with our summary of sites & scenes to experience.
A tip is to rent a car through Discover Cars and self drive. This allows you to explore where you like and of course there are many taxi options, the famous Wine Tram and of course Uber to get you around safely (Please don’t drink & Drive).
Whether this is your first trip or if you’ve been before, there is so much to discover and experience in this region, and this is where your own car is very helpful.
Where to Stay
We knew that we wanted to be right in the heart of the winelands, which is why we chose to stay at Boschendal. This iconic estate is approximately a 50min drive from Cape Town International airport. We chose Boschendal for its location, spectacular accommodation, wine and budget friendly. Before we move on, in 2023 Franschhoek’s gorgeous Boschendal has been dubbed the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Vineyard”
The renowned town of Franschhoek is just down the road and is another great area to stay, which offers an array of boutique hotels, B&B’s and airbnb’s. If you haven’t been to Cape Town, then perhaps divide your trip up to experience all that Cape Town has to offer. Don’t be fooled to commute from Cape Town to the winelands, you’ll spend more time driving than enjoying either of the areas. We would recommend staying in Cape Town, experience the Cape Town attractions and booking a tour out to the wine farms or book a tour and spend the day on the Winetram.
Boschendal is one of the oldest established estates in the area and we chose to stay at The Retreat, which is the latest addition to their accommodation offerings and we were blown away. From the tastefully decorated rooms, to the 5 star facilities, scrumptious breakfast and breathtaking views, we aren’t hyping this up, it is incredible.
Once you’ve feasted on an delicious breakfast, it’s time to get exploring... We suggest taking it one day at a time and to not try to do more than 3 wine estates a day. Each estate is unique, with various attractions centred around wine, food & culture. We have put together below a top 5 list of farms to visit, they produce incredible wine & their farms are spectacular.
The Retreat, Boschendal
Our Top 5 Wine Estates
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Waterford
Favorite white & Rose wines | Chardonnay & Rosemary Rose
Favorite red wines | Kevin Arnold, Pecan Stream & Estate Cabernet Sauvignon -
Boschendal
Favorite white & Rose wines | Boschendal Brut NV, Blanc de Noir & Elgin Sauvignon Blanc
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Vrede En Lust
Favorite white & Rose wines | Annie Sauvignon Blanc, Jess Rose & White Mischief
Favorite red wines | Boet Erasmus & Lady J Syrah -
Babylonstoren
Favorite white | Chardonnay & Chenin Blanc
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Leopards Leap
Favorite white wine | Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Chenin Blanc
Favorite red wine | Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Grand Vin
Favorite Restaurants
When it comes to food, this area doesn’t disappoint, offering a spectacular range of local and international cuisines. However, we are keeping this list focused on where we were in the Cape Winelands, ranging from magnificent fine dining to local restaurants, all of these will not disappoint…
Leopard's Leap Rotisserie Restaurant
Cafe Du Vin (Great Breakfast)
Things to do
Franschhoek Pass
A short drive through and out the other side of Franschhoek is the Franschhoek Pass. Boasting incredible views of the valley, this is a must when in the area.
Exploring Franschhoek Town
Museums, historic memorial sites, local boutique shops, restaurants & bars
The Wine Tram
The wine tram is an experience to say the least. This tram & bus network has been established to create unique wine estate experiences, allowing you to safely enjoy as much wine as you like and take in the sights and facts about this historic region. There are various routes marked by different coloured lines, allowing you the flexibility to choose the the estates you want to visit.
If you are a car lover then this is your place. Even if you’re not, this is a fascinating morning/afternoon out. Boasting a privately owned collection of 220 vehicles, of all sorts, it is spectacular. You do need to book in advance for this and be sure to check it is open before doing so.
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Exploring Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch is a 20 minute drive from Boschendal, it is a university town with serious charm, history and culture. Founded in 1679, this town is full of Cape Dutch design buildings, magnificent oak trees and of course many world class wine estates.
Day trip to Cape Town (FULL DAY OUT)
Although we said we wouldn’t do it, it is possible and if it is something you’re interested in doing, please feel free to drop us an email and we would gladly provide recommendations of what to do in Cape Town.
Cape Town
We hope you have enjoyed reading our experience in The Cape Winelands. This is a beautiful part of the world and we hope this inspires you to plan your own trip. Like always, we are more than happy to help so please do get in touch.
Tim & Justine
If you book a trip to South Africa because you were inspired by this feature, we would love to hear from you 🙂