Cape Town and wine region

Cape Town

A round trip through South Africa has a lot to offer. Many tours start and end in beautiful Cape Town. This is such a fun and interesting city, that you can stay here for a couple of weeks without getting bored. Cape Town has something to offer for every kind of traveler. You can do active activities there, climb the famous Table Mountain, for example. The easy route up takes about 2 hours, but there are also routes with more challenge. Then you even walk under a waterfall! Not so active? Then you can also take a cable car to the top. Do you feel like doing another hike after Table Mountain? Then you can climb Lion's Head during a relatively easy hour hike. From here you have a spectacular view of Table Mountain, Cape Town itself and the ocean.

Want to start spotting Wildlife in advance? At the Cape of Good Hope, you can spot whales during the months of June through November! If you are not in Cape Town during whale season, it is fun to go to Boulders Beach and see the penguin colony there. This has become very touristy though, you have to pay an entrance fee. In addition, it is advisable to go early in the morning, that way you avoid the crowds.

Another thing not to be missed during a visit to Cape Town is Robben Island. This has been a prison for years, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned here for 18 years.

Of course the center of Cape Town is also worth a visit, do not skip Bo Kaap with its brightly colored houses. Should you want to visit a township, you should always do so with a reliable guide. It is very special to walk around here and get a picture in the daily life of the people who live in the townships.

Stellenbosch

From Cape Town it is only a 50 kilometer drive to Stellenbosch, the wine region of South Africa. So Stellenbosch is mainly known for the wines that come from this area. In fact, some of the best South African wines come from this region. That alone makes you want to spend a few days here. Some well-known wineries that should definitely be visited are: Warwick Wine Estate, Delaire Graff Estate, Simonsig Wine Estate, Waterford Estate and Boschendal. Of course, these are not the only ones, but they are a small sampling of the best known.

Besides all the wineries in the Stellenbosch area, Stellenbosch itself is also a nice place to stay. It is a university town and therefore bustling with plenty of restaurants and cafes. All budgets can visit here as well, from cozy bistros to upscale Michelin-starred restaurants that require advance reservations.
Fun to visit in Stellenbosch is the store Oom Samie se Winkel. An old-fashioned village store that has been here since 1904.

Franschhoek

Franschhoek is as much a wine village as Stellenbosch. As such, this area has been called the Gastronomic Center of South Africa. Besides delicious wine, Franschhoek is also known for its delicious restaurants. Should you not feel like wine or food for a while, the area also lends itself to beautiful walks through the surrounding hills.