Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands
Once you've booked your Stellenbosch accommodation explore our pages for info on attractions and what to do in Stellenbosch.
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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Stellenbosch Reviews
"Love the wine tasting in Stellenbosh, fantastic scenerary, great food and great wine! What more could you ..." - Michelle, Cape Town
Visitorials: We Love South Africa
Stellenbosch Visitorial
I Love Stellenbosch because ...
Featured in: Visitorials: We Love South Africa
We’ve asked those in the know to share their favourites things about Stellenbosch. Find out where locals go for the best cup of coffee, lunch suggestions and much more. We’re letting you in on all of their secrets ... I Love Stellenbosch because ...
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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
Bottelary Hills Wine Estates
Nestled amidst the idyllic beauty of the Cape Winelands is the Bottelary Hills region, home to a number of acclaimed wine farms as well as to the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy. This area (including Stellenbosch) was founded by explorer Simon van der Stel (the first ... 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
Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve
Lying within the Western Cape's Cape Floral Kingdom, the 322 030 hectare Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) lies roughly 40 km east of Cape Town. It was officially registered by UNESCO in September 2007. The Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve is bordered in the south by ... 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
Devonvale Golf Course
The magnificent 18-hole Devonvale championship golf course needs little introduction offering a regular challenge to both local and international golfers. The original layout, designed by Ken Elkin, who designed many of the Capes better known courses, has seen several improvements of late. The introduction of ... more information
Greater Simonsberg Wine Estates
Greater Simonsberg is a wine region within Stellenbosch, which remains one of the world’s top wine producing destinations. Being situated within the idyllic beauty of the Western Cape and its Winelands, Greater Simonsberg is ultimately beautiful, and the views never fail to impress... more information
Helshoogte Pass
Helshoogte Pass, one of the most loved and travelled roads in the Western Cape, links Stellenbosch with the Drakenstein Valley, a scenic pass that transports one over the saddle that separates Simonsberg from the Jonkershoekberge and wends its way past fruit farms and vineyards en route. The ... 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 Berg Wine Estates
Stellenbosch is an integral part of the Cape Winelands, being the home of a vast array of the wines that have earned this region such acclaim amongst wine connoisseurs. It has a mountainous topography, with a number of the exquisite wine farms situated both in the valley and in the ... 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 Valley Wine Estates
Well-known wine labels along the Stellenbosch Valley Wine Route include Zevenwacht, JC Le Roux, Amani, Bottelary Hills, Meerlust, Bergkelder, Oude Libertas, Spier, Neethlingshof, and Welmoed. However, there are many more estates, each offering something ... 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
Babylonstoren Gardens
Where: Groot Drakenstein
How much (per person): R1 to R100
Visit the Babylonstoren in Groot Drakenstein. This beautiful Cape garden was inspired by the 17th century gardens of the Dutch East India Co ... more information
Taste Reserve Wines at Waterford Estate
Where: Stellenbosch
How much (per person): R101 to R200
Vintage wines are rare in availability and even more rarely available by glass. The rarest opportunity of tasting a selection of vintage win ... more information
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Restaurants in Stellenbosch
African Dining Experience at Moyo
Where: Stellenbosch
Moyo is the Swahili word for soul and a dining experience at Moyo is African soulful experience. A fantastic venue for an African Christmas, African New Year's party... or just a date in Africa. An ... more information
Backsberg Estate Cellars
Where: Franschhoek
Set in the garden on the sprawling grounds of the Backsberg Wine Estate, Backsberg restaurant is an alfresco experience during summer - moved indoors next to roaring fire in winter. An a la carte menu ... more information
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Events and/or Festivals in Stellenbosch
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