Environs of Capetown, South Africa Days 12 - 15

Stellenbosch

Outside of the city: Allow a full day for both of these activities: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, about an hour+ drive north into wine country. There are lots of wine tasting stops along the route and spectacular scenery in every direction. The mountain ranges, verdant valleys and acres and acres of cultivated vineyards provide some of the most dramatic scenic vistas in all of South Africa. A stand out: Noble Hill Winery for tour, tasting and lunch in their South Western USA inspired restaurant Cosecha. The owners are originally from California and the desert South West, the wine is superb and very reasonably priced, the restaurant, situated on the banks of a large pond with a gurgling fountain nearby is very peaceful.

Touring the Cape Peninsula: Scenic drive south down to the Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain National Park and Cape Point is a day trip not to be missed, best to plan on a day with a good weather forecast. Start the tour on the (western) Atlantic Coast and include Chapman’s Peak Drive, a road cut into the cliff face. There are many scenic pull offs and picnic spots along the way. After exploring the park on foot, there are a number of hiking trails to choose from but a walk up to the Cape of Good Hope lighthouse is a must, return north along the east coast planning to stop in Simon’s Town for touring or shopping. We continued on to Kalk’s Bay, a rustic fishing village, where we had lunch (as recommended by our B&B hosts) at the Olympia Café. I had the best bowl of mussels that I have ever tasted (and I’ve sampled fresh mussels all over the world) and their bakery is to die for. The place is pretty funky but don’t be deceived, the food is delicious. 

2012 -- Lyell Franke