Headed to Wine Country in Cape Town. What Would You Recommend? Planning a trip to Cape town in early March and spending 2 days in wine country there. Haven't booked...
arbitraryuser replied:
Just to clear up some possible confusion, there are really two district "Winelands" near Cape Town. Constantia (closer, more fancy, less options) and Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch etc (which kinda blur into one big area). The latter has way more farms and options. There are some boring farms (some who even have decent wine but just suck to visit)
How many days are you planning to spend doing wine stuff?
If you've got a few hours, go to Constantia. Buitenverwachting is a good option (good food and wine). I take any visitors who are in CT and only have a few hours to spend on wine farms here. (You can also Uber here and back. Check Google maps, is amazing how close this is to the city)
If you've got a solid day, build a trip around Fairview for lunch. Visit a few other nearby farms.
Staying in the Winelands for a night is probably cool, but I' don't know much about the accommodation options. Franschhoek is probably the most convenient option as it is very tourist friendly.
pd_conradie replied:
Firstly, good timing. March is usually slightly cooler than high summer (which can easily soar past 100°F), but still nice and balmy.
*What's the best way to get there from Cape Town?* Just stick to the N1 (name for one of the major national roads)
*Is there a company you'd recommend using to visit the different vineyards?* Check out [Springbok Atlas](http://springbokatlas.com/) - Haven't used them personally, but I know they arrange tours for various things. My experience of and approach to the winelands is obviously different to yours (since I live here), I've personally never made use of this kind of service, although I have once joined in on a tour arranged by the aforementioned.
*What were your favorite stops (either for the wine, food or ambiance)?* Gosh, not an easy question. I love the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek areas for the sheer volume of options and general ambiance. Bunch of great restaurants as well. A bit more on the pricey side, compared to say the Robertson wine valley (where I'm originally from) which is great for other reasons (in addition to being cheaper, yet damn good value for money). I think your best bet might be to zoom in on the Stellenbosch/Franschhoek area, just from a practical point of view as it's not too far out of CT. Less traveling, more boozing. ;)
*Where would you recommend staying? Are there any Vinyards that you'd recommend staying at?* No place in particular that I can recommend personally. Depends on your budget really. I'll ask my one friend who lives in Franschhoek if he could recommend something. There is this thing called a [wine tram](http://winetram.co.za/) in Franschhoek that takes you past various wine estates, which might be something worth considering.
The *wine country* is huge, with many different ambiances. Quite overwhelming, I can only imagine. From a tourist's perspective, I think Franschhoek gives you a pretty comprehensive and beautiful collection of places to visit, all situated within an incredibly beautiful valley. It has all the charms of a small town, yet equipped with most comforts. Oh, and if you do decide on setting up camp there, you must definitely visit [Babylonstoren](https://www.babylonstoren.com/) for lunch. You're only going to be here for two days, which I think is way too short, so I think trying to squeeze a large amount of wine farms into that time frame won't necessarily be the wisest decision. So I'd opt for focusing on general setting, which Franschhoek most definitely offers.
Sorry man, you'll find that you will have to come back - there's just so much to do.
Zastro_the_frog replied:
Avoid any place that gives you a sticker. Those the tourist mills. To echo what has been said, Constantia Steenberg is awesome and so is Beau Constantia. Stellenbosch: Muratie Wine Estate, Delheim, Warrick Franschhoek: Chamonix, L'olmerans Somsert West: Waterkloof
lourensloki replied:
Babylonstoren Spice Route Fairview Spier Basically anywhere in Franchhoek is going to be great. Someone mentioned the wine tram and that is a great idea. Cape Town has a few smaller vinyards, but they are also pretty great and can occupy a full day: Eagle's Nest Groot Constantia Beau Constantia
bzuter replied:
I was at [Delaire Graff](http://www.delaire.co.za/) yesterday and can highly recommend it. Amazing views from the terrace.
elsmar replied:
I'd recommend [Eikendal](https://www.eikendal.com/) between Somerset West and Stellenbosch for a relaxed and casual wine tasting and lunch.
osunde87 replied:
JC Le Roux!
NoNameMonkey replied:
I cannot recommend having lunch at http://sweetwell.co.za/ enough. Its become a go to place for me when I am there. Delicious pork meals. Slow roasted pork belly...drooolllssss.
African_With_WiFi replied:
I attended a wedding in the area a few years ago and we did a one day wine tour prior to the wedding, where we visited a few places including Boschendal, Spier, and the Franschoek main road. But by far our favourite was the gourmet picnic lunch at Warwick. We had it arranged prior for the wedding party, so I'm not sure if it's available to smaller parties. All the food was delicious with freshly baked bread rolls, salad, cheese board, and dessert. And we tasted many more varieties of wine at Warwick than anywhere else.
Good Morning Somerset. does anyone of you know where I can buy the Royal Canin brand, on a Sunday? Any vet or pet shops? Thank you! Enjoy your Sunday all!
Meegyn A. replied:
Go past Dog Father next to Builders Warehouse. Not sure if they are open but they are the cheapest in town!
Good Morning Somerset West. Does anyone of you know where I can buy the Royal Canin brand, on a Sunday? Any vet or pet shops? Thank you! Enjoy your Sunday all!