Joostenberg Vlakte, Cape Town North

The Joostenberg Vlakte lies just outside the perimeters of Cape Town, beyond Durbanville in the green belt that acts as a dividing line or boundary between the Mother City and Paarl.

Residents here will tell you to take exit 34 off the N1 highway, roughly 20 minutes outside of Cape Town, to reach them, and they consider where they stay as the 'country'. Most of the homes here sit on pretty, small holdings, which doesn't make the properties any less desirable than those in the city. Quite the opposite, in fact, as people like to live here on the edge of things; they tend to refer to their dwellings as private farms and enjoy the proximity to the Winelands, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Durbanville.

Staying out here means not only do you have access to Cape Town, Paarl, and the Winelands but you also benefit from the feeling of space and the idea that you are on the perimeters of city living. Out here you'll find the likes of Klein Joostenberg Farm on the R304. Joostenberg Deli and Bistro is the closest you'll find to winelands standards this close to Kraaifontein, and it's a great place to go with kids, not least because there is a great, green lawn and accompanying jungle gym and slide. There is also good food as the deli goes hand-in-hand with a piggery that serves up steroid-free pork in various guises.

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are easy trips from Joostenberg Vlakte. Both of these are 'must do's' on any visitor to Cape Town's itinerary and each of them deserves at least a day's worth of visiting time.