Malmesbury, Swartland
In the heart of the Swartland Wine Route, not even three kilometres from the closest wine farm, the historic town of Malmesbury rests in a simply gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains, wheat fields, and in winter, yellow blazes of canola and indigenous wild flowers.
The largest town in the Swartland, Malmesbury is only 40 minutes' drive from Cape Town and makes getting away for a weekend a simple matter that includes wine tasting and some superb hikes.
Malmesbury might have a rural setting, but the town has a vibrant community that plays host to the annual Swartland Food and Wine Festival during winter, where wine tasting and good food are the measure of the day. The secret to Swartland wines is the cool sea breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, and the low-yielding bush vines that do so well in the dry land vineyards surrounding Malmesbury.
The original settlers in Malmesbury were drawn here by a sulphur chloride mineral spring, renowned for its healing ability. Today there is a wonderful ‘historic walk about route' through Malmesbury that takes in the local museum and includes the landmark Dutch Reformed Church - the fifth oldest congregation in the country.
Malmesbury is a mere 30 minutes from the coastal towns of the Cape west coast region and an hour from Stellenbosch, Paarl and Wellington which - other than the attraction of the Mediterranean climate, the vineyards and the tranquillity of a rural setting so close to a major metropolis - make it an attractive proposition for any traveller.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
The Silo @ Kalmoesfontein
Silo @ Kalmoesfontein is perfect for a romantic weekend getaway. It has one open plan master bedroom furnished with a king size bed, luxury cotto...
Caracal @ Fynbos Estate
Caracal offers accommodation on an estate with direct access to the nature reserve. The estate offers wonderful food and wine, comfortable accomm...
50 Shades of Hay
The lovely farm 50 Shades of Hay offers accommodation in the Groenerivier Estate, is located about 45 kilometers outside of Cape Town, South Afri...
Sonkop @ Fynbos Estate
Sonkop at Fynbos Estate is ideal for nature lovers craving some solitude. It is situated a kilometer from the farmstead inside of the nature rese...
Blou Porselein Guestfarm
Blou Porselein Guestfarm offers comfortable self catering accommodation in two units on a working farm. Choose from our 6 sleeper Blou Porselein ...
Melkkamer @ Kalmoesfontein
The Melkkamer offers accommodation on an authentic farm hideaway just 60 minutes drive from Cape Town; this is the perfect place to get away from...
Fynbos Estate
Hidden in a kloof of the Paardeberg Mountain is the magical Fynbos Estate - grape and olive farm, small winery, guest house, celebration venue an...
Honey Badger at Fynbos Estate
Honey Badger Cottage is a large farm cottage 200 metres from the Farmhouse. The estate offers wonderful food and wine and a relaxed and easy atmo...
The Winemakers Cottage
The Winemakers Cottage offers accommodation in Malmesbury on an authentic farm hideaway, set against the slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain. Situa...
AA Badenhorst Family Wines
AA Badenhorst Family Wines offers accommodation in an authentic farm hideaway, set against the slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain. Situated just 6...
Farmhouse @ Fynbos Estate
The Farmhouse is a hundred-year-old Victorian home with a wraparound veranda and original Oregon features. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens,...
The Stables Cottage
The Stables Cottage is over 100 years old and is set behind the old farm house at the back of the cellar cool room. There are various outdoor lou...
Black Eagle @ Fynbos Estate
Black Eagle is a modern barn-style holiday house sleeping eight guests. There are four en-suite bedrooms fitted with a double bed or twin beds if...
Abbotts Hill
Abbotts Hill is a farmhouse on top of a hill, surrounded by vines and views of the rolling valleys in Swartland. Love yourself. Spoil yourself wi...
SuNel's Guest Rooms
SuNel's Guest Rooms offers bed & breakfast accommodation in Malmesbury. This picturesque area offers the ideal place for a peaceful stay while st...
Things to do in the area
Dragonridge Winery
Fynbos Estate produces about 200 tons of grapes each year, half of which are sent to Swartland Winery. The rest is used to craft small quantities...
Duckitt Nurseries
Duckitt Nurseries was established in 1979, and is situated approximately 3km south of Darling on the west coast of South Africa. Duckitt Nurserie...
Cloof Wine Estate
The vineyards were planted in 1966 when Darling was better known as a wheat farming area. Cloof harvested fir the first time in 1998 and since th...
Swartland Wines
The Swartland Co-operative was founded by 15 members and the Swartland Winery was established. When Jan van Riebeeck first saw the land and all i...
Abbotts Hill Wines
Abbotts Hill Wines are produced on Hillcrest Farm. It all began from the owner's initial passion for red wine. He had the desire to produce win...
Lammershoek Wine Cellar
Lammershoek means ‘lamb's corner' and is said to owe its name to the sheep and their lambs who sought safety and shelter in the forests around th...
Nassua Winery
Nassau Winery is one of the wineries situated south of Malmesbury, the main business centre of the Swartland. It lies on the Lambrecht's family ...
Babylon's Peak Private Cellar
The winemaker of Babylon's Peak Private Cellar is Stephan Basson. The cellar is built on the farm, Nooitgedacht, which the Bassons have owned fo...
Badenhorst Family Wines
Hailing as the winemaker for Rustenberg, Adi Badenhorst decided to branch out on his own to establish AA Badenhorst Family Wines. He has owned a...
Noteworthy attractions
Swartland Wine Route
Meaning ‘black country' and named after the indigenous Renosterbos, which turns a dark colour at a certain time of the year, the wine route exten...
Dasklip Pass
Near the town of Porterville you will find Dasklip Pass, famous for its launching pad for experienced hang-gliders. Local paragliding championshi...
Darling Renosterveld Reserve
Situated in the village of Darling, the Renosterveld Reserve, which you will find at the top of the village on a hill just behind the Darling Pri...
Tienie Versveld Reserve
The Tienie Versveld Reserve lies just outside Darling en route to Yzerfontein, part of a farm that was donated to the National Botanical Society ...
Berg River Region
North of the Berg River lie the little towns of Piketberg, Porterville, Wittewater, Goedverwacht, Veddrif, Aurora, Eendekuil and Redelinghuys. Kn...
Bartholomeus Klip Renosterveld Reserve
On Bartholomeus Klip's grassy plains you will find wild animals in one of the last spaces, so close to a city, that still allows for game to free...
Bothmaskloof Pass
Bothmaskloof Pass connects the towns of Malmesbury and Riebeeck Kasteel on the R46. Sometimes also known as Bothmanskloof, the pass takes one ove...
Nuwekloof Pass
The Nuwekloof Pass connects the town of Tulbagh with Riebeek-Kasteel and Wellington. Historically it has been called the Oudekloof, Tulbaghkloof ...
Verlorenvlei Heritage Settlement
What was once a thriving little hamlet on the shores of Verlorenvlei (40 buildings or ruins were still in evidence in 1992) is only a few survivi...
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