Wine production in South Africa dates back to 1659 and today wine is made in more than 340 wine cellars and the Cape wine country extends over a huge area. Cape Town is the gateway to the five main South African winelands and each has its own wine route where visitors are always welcome.A tour of the winelands makes a perfect day trip from Cape Town, but to really savour the area a stay of a day or two in the region is recommended.
Stellenbosch is renowned for its Cape Dutch architecture and tree lined streets, and is just a 30 minute drive East of Cape Town.The vineyards stretch up the rolling hills between the Stellenbosch Mountains and the sea and the location is critical to the quality of the wines.
Paarl some 50 km from Cape Town lies on the banks of the Berg River Valley at the foot of the Paarl Mountains surrounded by lush countryside. This attractive town has many historic mansions, beautiful gardens and tree lined streets.
Franschhoek was first settled by French Huguenots in the 17th century who brought their wine making skills to the region and the French influence persits today.Set in a picturesque valley an hours drive from Cape Town Franschhoek offers a range of wines to accompany fine French cuisine.
Mari
Travel Specialist
Where to go in South-africa
South Africa travel information
- Time zone: +2 GMT
- Flight time: 11-12 hours
- Recommended airlines: Emirates, British Airways, KLM, Qatar Airways
- Currency: South African Rand
- Tipping guideline: 10-15%
- Health considerations: There is a risk of malaria in certain areas of South Africa, including the Kruger National Park. However, transmission occurs typically between the months of September and May only. In June, July and August, the risk is considered to be very low. There is a low to very low risk of malaria in the rest of South Africa throughout the year.There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa, however, yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Capital: Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein
- Population: 61,020,221
- National languages: 11 official languages including English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, and Xhosa
- Electricity and plugs: Type C, D, M, N, 230V
- Mobile phone coverage: Good coverage
- UK passport visa requirements: You don't need a visa for South Africa if you have a British passport - for a maximum of 90 days
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For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
