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.
Peter
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: travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa
- Capital: Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein
- Population: 6.10202e+007
- 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: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
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For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
