Cape Town
Winelands Tour
The Cape Winelands are amongst the most scenic in the world. A visual feast of lush green valleys, rugged mountains, fine cuisine and world-class wine-producing estates make up the Cape Winelands. Its many historic wine estates, characterized by classic Cape Dutch-style buildings with distinctive gables and thatched roofs, and massive vineyards date back centuries. Wine estates are bordered by the Hottentots Holland, the Franschhoek mountains and in the North by the Wemmershoekberg. The most popular and well-known are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. Because wine is such a personal preference, your tour will be tailor-made to your individual wine preferences and the following highlights are just a few possibilities:
Highlights
PAARL
Paarl is one of the oldest towns in South Africa. It offers historical charm, culture, architectural heritage, wine and fruit farms, breathtaking scenery and many cycling and nature trails. Main Street Paarl is a colourful collection of beautifully restored buildings representing Cape Dutch, Edwardian, Victorian and even Art Deco styles. Paarl has a large area of unspoilt natural beauty at its doorstep. The town has a unique character, vineyards still grow in between residential neighbourhoods maintaining a country feel to a town virtually the size of a small city, and it is here that the struggle to gain recognition for Afrikaans as a written language was also achieved. The Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve has a picturesque landscape of fynbos vegetation dominated by massive rounded granite rock formations set among wild olives, rock candlewood and wagon trees. Places of interest include the Afrikaans language Monument, the oldest Dutch Reformed Church in the country, a drive by The Groot Drakenstein Prison which is the last place in which Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.
FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY
Franschhoek was founded by the French Huguenots over 350 years ago and is widely regarded as the culinary capital of South Africa. It lies against the backdrop of the majestic Franschhoek and Drakenstein mountains. Its beautiful setting with many guesthouses, café lined streets, antique stores, art galleries, bakeries and the chocolatier demonstrate a truly French flair. Franschhoek is also home to many festivals from the annual Bastille Day festival (14 July) to cheese, wine and olive festivals at various times throughout the year. Places of interest include the French Huguenot Museum, Vintage Motor Museum, Chocolate Tasting at the boutique Chocolaterie.
WINE, CHEESE AND OLIVE TASTINGS
Cape Winelands offers some of the finest wine tasting experiences. Wine Tastings can be planned according to your wine preferences at some of the premier estates in the Cape Winelands. The very best of locally produced cheeses made by some of the very top cheesemakers and producers South Africa has to offer can be tasted and paired up with some fine wines. Olive enthusiasts can also enjoy locally produced olive oil and olives.
HISTORICAL STELLENBOSCH
Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa full of charming scenes and rich in history. Old oak trees line the streets and frame the most beautiful surviving examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture in the Cape. Stellenbosch Wine Route is the oldest in South Africa which was established in 1971. Dorp Street is a national monument and has one of the longest rows of old buildings surviving in any major town in southern Africa. It was once the ‘wagon way to Cape Town’ and now the oldest residential street in South Africa. Places of interests, a Historical walk through the old part of Stellenbosch, the famous Oom Samie se Winkel and the Stellenbosch Village Museum.
CELLAR TOUR
The cellar tour reveals the winemaking process and a brief wine tasting method is demonstrated. Wines produced by the estate are sampled. Various Wine Estates. Wine Estates are planned and booked according to your wine preferences
