By air
Cape Town (CPT), ~45 min
South Africa
Cape Winelands, South Africa
Vineyards under dramatic mountains
Getting there
Best time to visit
February to April — the harvest
Don't miss
Stellenbosch
Franschhoek
Paarl
The Helshoogte Pass
Things to do
Wine tastings in Stellenbosch
Franschhoek and Paarl
The Franschhoek wine tram
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Anicetolopez · Public domain
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
Tulbagh's quiet valley
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit the Cape Winelands?
February to April, during the harvest. Bring layers.
Where should I go for wine tastings in the Cape Winelands?
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, and don't miss the Franschhoek wine tram. The Helshoogte Pass is worth the drive too.
What should I eat in the Cape Winelands?
Farm-to-table lunches with Cape wines, set among vineyards under dramatic mountains.
How far are the Cape Winelands from Cape Town?
About 45 minutes from Cape Town (CPT). For a quiet escape, head to Tulbagh's valley.
About Cape Winelands
- Mountains
Where it is
The Cape Winelands are the wine-growing valleys east of Cape Town in South Africa's Western Cape, around the historic towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, beneath the rugged peaks of the Cape Fold Mountains.
History
Vines were first planted at the Cape by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century, and Stellenbosch, founded in 1679, is the second-oldest European town in South Africa. French Huguenot refugees arrived in the late 1680s and settled Franschhoek, the French corner, and the valleys' Cape Dutch farmsteads were built with the labour of enslaved people. The region's wines found a world market after the end of apartheid in the 1990s.
People
Most people in the Winelands speak Afrikaans, along with English and isiXhosa, and the valleys' communities include Coloured families with deep roots at the Cape as well as Afrikaner and Xhosa families. Stellenbosch is a university town, and Paarl has a monument to the Afrikaans language.
Known for
- Wine tasting in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl
- Cape Dutch manor houses
- The Franschhoek wine tram
- Pinotage and Chenin Blanc wines
- Mountain passes such as the Helshoogte
Did you know?
Pinotage, South Africa's signature red grape, was created at Stellenbosch University in 1925 by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsaut, then known in South Africa as Hermitage.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.