Destination information
The Cape Wine routes are less than an hour from Cape Town, making them a fantastic day trip or even better, a great add on for a few nights. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl are all situated amongst the stunning natural mountain ranges of the Western Cape offering numerous vineyards, stunning views and romantic getaways.
We Brits are well accustomed to the pleasure of the South African grape, and here, just a 30-min drive from Cape Town, you can discover for yourself some of the different grapes and vintages as you tour around some of the area’s best-known vineyards. There are also a number of charming old towns like Franschhoek and Stellenbosch to explore, as well as many gourmet restaurants to savour around this ‘foodie’ paradise. The pretty, historic university town of Stellenbosch lies at the centre of the oldest and most celebrated wine route, so it’s a great place to start your tour.
Sightseeing ideas
- Visit the Castle of Good Hope.
- Catch the ferry to Robben Island.
- See the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
- Listen out for the 'noon-day gun' fired daily from the top of Signal Hill.
- Take a tour of the Winelands - Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.
- Enjoy a spectacular view of Cape Town on a cable-car ride up Table Mountain.
- Visit the museums - Bo Kaap, District Six Museum, Groot Constantia and the Military Museum.
Postcards from... Top ideas from our travel experts