Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands
The beautiful little town of Stellenbosch, roughly an hour from Cape Town, lies surrounded by the Stellenbosch Mountains in the Jonkershoek River Valley in one of the most picturesque settings in the Cape.
The second oldest town in South Africa has fondly been called ‘Eikestad’ or city of oaks and its streets are lined with some of the most beautiful surviving examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture in the Cape. Dorp Street is a national monument and taking the time to walk around this cosy old part of Stellenbosch, with its secluded lanes, water furrows, cosmopolitan restaurants and coffee bistros, with superb views of mountain, vineyards and orchards, is an idyllic morning venture.
The name ‘Stellenbosch’ is almost synonymous with the wine industry. Not only does it have the oldest wine route in the country, and arguably the most famous, but the town has one of the most modern experimental wineries in the world, and the only viticultural and oenological department in the country at its university.
For the nature lover there are a number of excellent hikes in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The full-day Vineyard Hiking Trail, a fairly new 24 kilometre long trail, starts on the slopes of the Papegaaiberg and winds its way through vineyards, forests, olive groves and coastal renosterveld.
The Stellenbosch Tourist Information Office and the Stellenbosch Wine Route Office are in Market Street - start to your tour here! Many of the historical buildings are close by and it is possible to discover some of Stellenbosch on foot.
A visit to Spier will bring visitors all the magic of the winelands on one magnificent estate. Spier’s restaurants cater for everyone - from riverside picnics to fine food in many forms. Visit the Spier Wine Centre and taste wines from all over South Africa. The Cape Wine Academy in Stellenbosch offers visitors a wonderful opportunity of learning about local and international wines. Beginner courses will allow visitors an insight into the local wine industry before embarking on a tour of the wine routes.
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Featured Attractions in (or near) Stellenbosch
Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve
Just outside Stellenbosch, lying in the beautiful Jonkershoek Valley, is Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve. It is a particularly scenic nature reserve set on the Eerste River with the Stellenbosch Mountain in the background and SAFCOL plantations and vineyards the immediate neighbours to the reserve ... more information
Burgerhuis Museum
The Burgerhuis, a cultural museum in Stellenbosch, is one of a group of historical buildings that surround the village green, also know as the Braak. Stellenbosch’s village green was laid out as early as 1703 as a parade ground that today lies at the heart of the oak-lined streets, water canals and beautiful ... more information
Butterfly World
Butterfly World, the largest butterfly park in South Africa, lies at the cross roads of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Wellington, just off the N1 at exit 47, near a little village known as Klapmuts. A visit to Butterfly World is a stop that takes little effort, and is invariably richly rewarded with sightings of butterflies from as far ... more information
De Zalze Golf Course
The De Zalze Golf Course situated within the Spier Wine Eastate in the Cape Winelands was designed by Peter Matkovich who has made the most of the stunning setting and created a course that places a premium on accuracy. The course has an excellent mix of parkland holes with its main defences coming ... more information
Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve
The 42,000 ha Reserve stretches from Elgin in the south to beyond Villiersdorp in the north, and from the Stellenbosch mountains in the west, eastwards to the Groenland mountains. The entrance to the reserve is at Nuweberg, situated high in Viljoen's Pass, between Grabouw and Villiersdorp. The ... more information
Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
The beautiful Jonkershoek Nature Reserve lies in the Jonkershoek Valley just above Stellenbosch. Surrounded by the magnificent Jonkershoek Mountains, part of the Boland mountain range, this is the place for wonderful hikes within their peaks and never-ending kloofs. In total, the Jonkershoek ... more information
Limietberg Nature Reserve
Lying in the Du Toitskloof Mountains close to Paarl, Limietberg Nature Reserve is a beautiful space in which to spend time, particularly if you are a hiker. There are nine separate hiking trails that wind through fynbos, indigenous forest, rugged and steep kloofs, and valleys through which the Breede and Berg rivers ... more information
Paarl Vintners
Paarl Vintners has earned its place as the world’s first ‘red route’ because of its focus on wines such as Roodeberg, Cabernet Sauvignon, port and Shiraz. The Paarl district includes the wards of Franschhoek and Wellington as well as the newer wards of Simonsberg-Paarl and Voor-Paardeberg. more information
Stellenbosch Golf Course
A championship course in a parkland setting surrounded by mountains and vineyards. Scenic and in excellent condition, Stellenbosch presents a fair challenge with some memorable holes. The stroke index 1 hole does not give up par easily. To reach this par four in two you need a long drive followed by an ... more information
Stellenbosch Wine Route
Just 45 minutes from Cape Town, the Stellenbosch wine route is the oldest in the country and represents over 300 wineries. Because of this it is divided into a number of sub-routes to make it easier to travel: Bottelary Hills, Devon Valley, Helderberg and Simonsberg ... more information
Wijnland Auto Museum
There are those who live in Cape Town and its surrounds who have not even heard of the Wijnland Auto Museum, one of the most interesting places to visit that not only contains an unbelievable amount of history, but one of the most incredible collections of vintage cars you will ever see. Whilst this is a ... more information
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Things To Do in Stellenbosch
Visit Butterfly World
Where: Paarl / Stellenbosch / Wellington
How much (per person): R1 to R100
Butterfly World is home to more than 24 species of exotic butterflies and a large variety of birds. Butterfly World is situated on Route 44 ... more information
Visit the Drakenstein Lion Park
Where: Between Paarl & Stellenbosch
How much (per person): R1 to R100
The Drakenstein Lion Park is a Sanctuary for captive born predators. Drakenstein Lion Park was established in 1998 to provide lions in distr ... more information
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Events and/or Festivals in Stellenbosch
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On Holiday in Stellenbosch
• Stellenbosch Map
• Stellenbosch Accommodation
• Stellenbosch Hotels
• Cape Winelands Accommodation
• Cape Winelands Hotels
• Stellenbosch - A Visitors Perspective
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