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Franschhoek
© South African Tourism
The extensive and verdant beauty of the Winelands region is one of
the Cape's most alluring attractions. No visit to Cape Town would be
complete without having taken the time to explore at least one of the
13 wine routes in what is the largest wine-producing area in the
Western Cape.
Rugged, blue-tinged mountains surround the green valleys where
charming, historic towns rest among vineyards and olive groves, where
visitors can admire traditional Cape Dutch architecture, sip
world-class wines and soak up the rich cultural and historical
heritage. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl are the most well known
wine producing valleys in the region, situated within easy reach of
each other, while the oldest wine farm in South Africa, Groot
Constantia, is located within the Mother City itself, and is part of
the tiny Constantia wine route, which was developed by Simon van der
Stel in the late 1600s. Other smaller wine routes include Worcester,
Tulbagh, Wellington and Somerset West. With a selection of more than
200 cellars to choose from, the Cape Winelands boasts some of the
finest wines in the world.
In addition to savouring the fruits of the vine, visitors can
sample superb culinary fare at some of the finest restaurants in the
country, browse the art galleries and local craft shops, visit
historic monuments and museums, and partake in an array of activities
from walking, horse riding and fly-fishing to golf and paragliding.
Food and wine festivals take place throughout the year and are a great
introduction to the bewitching charms of the region.
Attractions
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Afrikaanse Taalmonument (Afrikaans Language
Monument) and Museum
The Afrikaans Language Museum pays tribute to a unique language
that is only 300 years old, created from the melting pot of
nationalities and languages in the Cape. The Dutch settlers, French
Huguenots, slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar and West
Africa and the local Khoi people all needed to communicate, and so
was born the language that could be used by all. The struggle to
gain recognition of Afrikaans as an official language was carried
out from Paarl, and the museum commemorates the people that played
an important role in the process, as well as exploring the language
in its diversity and learning about the people who speak it today.
The Language Monument on Paarl Mountain was erected in 1975 to
honour the Afrikaans language and is the only language monument in
the world. The contribution to Afrikaans from the Western world, as
well as from Africa, are represented by the three linked columns and
three rounded shapes respectively, while the 187-foot (57m) pillar
symbolises the growth of the language. |
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Address: Museum: Gideon Malherbe House, 11
Pastorie Avenue, Paarl. Monument: Paarl Mountain; Telephone:
021 872 3441; Website: http://www.taalmuseum.co.za/;
Opening time: Museum: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 9am
to 1pm. Monument: Daily 8.15am to 5pm (until 9pm from September to
April); Admission: Museum: R10 (adults), R2 (children).
Monument: Adults R10 (R5 for South Africans), R2 for children |
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Constantia
Constantia is the origin of wine production in South Africa, and
one of Cape Town's most exclusive suburbs. The Constantia wine route
is the oldest yet smallest wine route in the Cape, consisting of
just five wine farms that concentrate on producing few wines of
international quality. Groot Constantia is the oldest wine estate in
South Africa, home to the first governor of the Cape, Simon van der
Stel, and the valley's most recognised wine farm. Between the
estates of Klein and Groot Constantia, Steenberg, Buitenverwachting
and Constantia Uitsig, visitors will also find some of the most
highly acclaimed restaurants in the country. |
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Website:
http://www.constantiawineroute.co.za/ |
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Franschhoek
Fleeing religious persecution in France in the 1700s, more than
200 French Huguenots arrived in the Cape and were settled in the
valley that soon became known as Franschhoek (French Corner), which
is today situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands region. Many of
the settlers were experienced wine producers and they soon
recognised the potential of the region for wine and fruit
production, establishing wine estates throughout the spectacular
Franschhoek Valley in surroundings of magnificent scenery and
towering mountains. Today the town is famous not only for its
splendid wines and beautiful vistas, but also as the gourmet capital
of South Africa, boasting the highest number of award-winning
eateries in the country. Restaurants such as Le Quartier Français,
La Petite Ferme, Haute Cabriere and Boschendal are among those that
are internationally acclaimed and some of the top restaurants in
South Africa. The Huguenots did not only bring their viticulture and
French culinary flair however, they also left behind a rich legacy
of arts, architecture and hospitality, which are still visible
today. |
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Website: http://www.franschhoek.org.za/ |
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Huguenot Monument and Museum
A major tourist attraction in the Franschhoek valley, the
historic Huguenot Monument was erected in 1938 to remember and
honour the French Huguenots who arrived in South Africa in 1688
after fleeing persecution in their home country. The nearby museum
documents the history of the settlers, from their flight from France
to their arrival and successful establishment of the Franschhoek
wine region in the Cape of Good Hope. The museum contains a variety
of Bibles, documents, furniture, utensils and artefacts, which
illustrate the life of the Huguenots in the Cape. |
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Address: Franschhoek; Telephone: 021
876 2532; Website: http://www.museum.co.za/; Opening time:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 2pm to 5pm; Admission:
R5 (adults), R1 (children) |
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Oom Samie se Winkel (Uncle Sam’s shop)
This famous Stellenbosch institution is a shop set back in time,
where a huge variety of interesting products can be purchased from
shelves crammed with sweets, dried fish, wine, clothing and tobacco.
It is well worth a look, if not to buy anything, then to experience
how locals traded 200 years ago. |
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Address: 84 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch;
Telephone: 021 887 0797 |
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Paarl
Situated at the foot of the second-largest granite outcrop in the
world, the town of Paarl in the picturesque Berg River Valley is the
biggest town in the Cape Winelands, and features some of the most
superb examples of Cape Dutch, Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco
architecture. It has a rich history, boasting the Drakenstein Prison
where Nelson Mandela spent his last years in captivity, and
overlooking the town from the slopes of the Paarl Mountain is the
Language Monument, which symbolises the birth of the Afrikaans
language. Along with its historical background, Paarl is also known
for its award-winning wines, particularly its reds, which can be
sampled along the world's first 'Red Route'. Paarl's wine route
includes over 40 cellars, among them Nederburg and KWV, and many of
them also make a variety of delicious cheeses. |
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Website: http://www.paarlonline.com/ |
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Spier Wine Estate
Not only one of South Africa's most famous and most popular wine
estates, historic Spier is also an internationally renowned cultural
resort that offers luxurious accommodation, conference facilities,
shopping, fine dining, and a variety of recreational activities,
including golf, horse riding, picnics, and a cheetah park. An
outdoor amphitheatre traditionally presents a variety of music,
theatre and dance during the Spier Summer Arts Season that also
seeks to promote, showcase and develop emerging South African
talent. Situated in the heart of the Stellenbosch winelands region,
Spier also boasts world-class wines in what is the oldest working
cellar in South Africa, and together with its other facilities, is
the most unique development in the wine world. |
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Address: R310 Lynedoch Road; Telephone:
021 809 1100; Website: http://www.spier.co.za/ |
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Stellenbosch
At the heart of the wine industry is the pretty town of
Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa and regarded as
the wine capital of the country with over 110 cellars in the area.
The Stellenbosch vineyards were established by the Dutch governor of
the Cape, Simon van der Stel, who arrived in 1679 and noted that the
combination of rich soil and ideal climate were perfect for
viticulture. In 1971 the first wine route in South Africa was
opened, and today the Stellenbosch wine route is perhaps the best
known and finest that the country has to offer, producing
award-winning wines from estates such as Morgenhof, Kanonkop,
Warwick and Zewenwacht. Spier Estate is renowned as a unique
cultural resort that is famous for its Summer Arts Festival, and
boasts the oldest working wine cellar in the country. Stellenbosch
is also steeped in South African history and Afrikaans culture and
was settled by the Dutch East India Company to produce food for
passing ships. Old oak trees line the streets where Cape Dutch
architecture, museums and national art collections are a reminder of
the town's heritage. The town also boasts the world's only Afrikaans
university, a premier educational institute, which has produced many
great sporting heroes, including more than 155 Springbok rugby
players. |
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Website: http://www.stellenbosch.org.za/
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