Western Cape
It’s a vertiginous climb up increasingly narrow ladders to the top, but is well worth it for the coastal views. Inside you'll find a small museum looking…
Must-see attractions in Western Cape
Winelands
Sitting south of the N1, the tasting room has a panoramic view of Tortoise Hill. Enjoy a glass of the sumptuous chardonnay or renowned Bordeaux blend,…
Plettenberg Bay
Operating since 2000, this was the first wine estate in the region. It's best known for its bubbly. Tucked away in the vines is the mezze-style restaurant…
Knysna
South Africa’s oldest microbrewery occupies bright, new premises on the edge of the lagoon. You can join a tour or just taste its range of English-style…
Hermanus
As with other wineries in the region, the pinot noir really shines here. The real star, though, is the superb restaurant (mains R150 to R200), which…
Western Cape
The cheese from this farm has become wildly popular – the aged Gruyère is particularly good. Taste and buy a selection of cheese and put together your own…
Plettenberg Bay
This is one of the world’s largest free-flight aviaries with a 200-sq-metre dome over the forest and over 280 species of bird to spot. A combo ticket with…
Stellenbosch
This brandy distillery runs superb tours (10am, 11.30am and 3pm), which include a barrel-making display and end with your choice of tasting. Options…
Winelands
Some of the wines here are unfiltered – try the uncrushed Whole Berry for something different. Bring your own picnic to enjoy in the peaceful grounds,…
Stellenbosch
This fabulous Flemish Renaissance–style building houses an interesting and varied collection of local art, an array of African anthropological treasures…
Stellenbosch
This small nature reserve is 8km southeast of town and set within a timber plantation. There is a 10km scenic drive, plus hiking trails ranging from 5km…
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Plettenberg Bay
This riverine reserve is a glorious place to swim, angle, picnic or paddle. There are canoes to rent (R135 per day) or you can take a ferry trip down the…
Western Cape
The white wines here are good, particularly the sauvignon blanc. There’s also a small distillery producing grappa and mampoer (moonshine) and a country…
Winelands
Travellers rave about the tutored tastings of olives, balsamic vinegar and olive oil offered at this family-run farm with jaw-dropping views of the…
Knysna
The Featherbed Nature Reserve was completely devastated by wildfires in 2017. Tourism authorities were working to get the reserve up and running again…
Winelands
Taste the world-class bubblies in a striking modern building with huge plate-glass windows. The winery comes as a breath of fresh air after all those Cape…
Hermanus
This picturesque winery is best known for its superlative pinot noir. As well as wine tasting, there are gentle walks through fynbos vegetation on the…
Western Cape
A worthy stop on the Elgin wine route, offering fine wine, a pleasant country-style restaurant and mountain-bike trails (permits R80).
Winelands
Sip superlative reds while admiring the contemporary art that lines the walls of this smart cellar 6km north of town.
Knysna
There are lovely forest picnic spots, short walks through the forest and an 800m-long wheelchair-friendly path.
Hermanus
Offers tastings and lunch (mains R120 to R185) in its ubermodern winery decked out in hot pink and glass.
West Coast & Swartland
A group of hobbyists run this superb mini-observatory. Bring a bottle of wine with you.
Winelands
The three giant granite domes that dominate this reserve glisten like pearls when washed by rain – hence the name ‘Paarl’. The reserve has mountain fynbos…
Western Cape
Some 6km south of Swellendam is this national park, proclaimed in 1931 to save the remaining 30 bontebok. The project was successful, and bontebok as well…
Stellenbosch
At the north end of the Braak, an open stretch of grass, you’ll find the neo-Gothic St Mary’s on the Braak Church, completed in 1852. West of the church…
Winelands
The somewhat phallic Taal Monument is in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. The giant, needle-like edifice commemorates the language (taal is Afrikaans…
Franschhoek
The tasting room at this small winery is in a converted blacksmith’s; there’s also a range of grappa to sample. Game drives to see wildebeest, zebras and…
Franschhoek
This museum celebrates South Africa’s Huguenots and houses the genealogical records of their descendants. Behind the main complex is a pleasant cafe, in…
Route 62
There's an array of wines on offer, from bubbly and wild-fermented chardonnay to robust Portuguese reds, but it's the Port-style wines that win the awards…
Hermanus
The harbour clings to the cliffs in front of the town centre and is the hub of Hermanus. You'll find three museums here: the Old Harbour Museum, Whale…
Stellenbosch
This rustic, 300-year-old estate with several fine Cape Dutch buildings is known for its excellent red wines, particularly its cabernet sauvignon and…
Stellenbosch
Hannes Myburgh is the eighth generation of his family to have run this historic wine estate since 1756. Most famous for its Rubicon claret, it's a much…
Winelands
Paarl is considered the wellspring of the Afrikaans language, a fact covered by this interesting museum. It also shows, thanks to a multimedia exhibition,…
West Coast & Swartland
Three kilometres south of Paternoster, along a rutted gravel road, lies this windswept but beautiful reserve. It has campsites with basic facilities at…
Winelands
This museum made up of four buildings is worth a pause. Start at No 4, which has a photographic history of Church St, covering the earthquake and…
Knysna
Millwood House is a mini complex of museums detailing Knysna’s history. It’s a quaint set of buildings dating back to the town’s booming timber era. This…
Route 62
Extensive displays about ostriches and Karoo history make up this large and interesting museum, housed in a striking sandstone building completed in 1906…
Western Cape
Birkenhead is one of the country's oldest microbreweries and one of its most scenic, with a lovely view of the Klein River Mountains. Sip your way through…
Winelands
Ceres was once a famous centre for making horse-drawn vehicles. Consequently, the museum has an interesting collection of original wagons and carriages…
