Savour Stellenbosch

The vibey student town was founded in 1685 after then governor of the Cape of Good Hope Simon van der Stel discovered the valley in 1679. After camping on a little island on the Eerste River, he declared it Stellenbosch, commemorating his name and the wealth of natural vegetation growing there. These days Stellenbosch is known for the wine flowing through its arteries, moreish dishes served overlooking vineyards, and an art scene to rival most. This is how you should experience Stellenbosch.

Hear(t) the history 

Join a Stellenbosch On Foot Walking Tour – you’ll be clued into the town’s rich heritage and get the chance to admire the charm and harmony of the Cape Dutch architecture while listening to tales and fables about the colourful inhabitants of three centuries.

Then head out to the Knorhoek Valley to discover everything on offer at Muratie Wine Estate, one of the oldest estates in South Africa. You’ll hear fascinating stories about the rich heritage that make Muratie a must-visit destination and taste excellent wines named after the more lively characters in their tales.

Wine and dine 

Boozy lunches don’t get better than those at the Vine Bistro at Glenelly Estate, where chef Michael Saville serves classic French bistro food with a modern twist and distinctive, award-winning wines from the estate. Evenings should be spent dining on the simple French sophistication that awaits you at Le Siemma in Dorp Street and satiating your carnivorous desires at The Fat Butcher with one of its signature steaks.

Fine dining lovers will fall head over heels for Gåte (“gah-tey” meaning “the entrance of a labyrinth” or a “riddle”), a fine dining experience at Quoin Rock where chef Paul Prinsloo’s focus is not on a specific cuisine, but the elevation of singular ingredients.

Also, make sure to schedule enough days out for wine tasting. Our favourite tasting experiences include Jordan Wine Estate, the IWSC White Wine Producer of the Year. It has some of the most beautiful panoramic views of Table Mountain, False Bay and Stellenbosch from its hillside vineyards. And don’t miss out on some of the world’s finest Bordeaux-style wines at De Toren Private Cellar. Here grapes are hand-harvested exclusively by a team of women in the cool of the early morning before successive rounds of hand-sorting ensure only the finest, unblemished berries make it into the cellar and ultimately into the bottle.

Art and activity 

Visiting the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden is a highlight of every trip to Stellenbosch. Ten years in the making, the garden is a place of expansive vistas, scents and the sounds of nature, with tranquil groves, hidden paths and lush indigenous vegetation. You can easily spend a lazy day discovering more than 60 sculptures from Lewis’ comprehensive record of artistic development, carefully placed in harmony with the landscape: the human form, shamanic figures, monumental abstracted fragments and his iconic great cats.

And if you’re up for something much more active, the Cape Country Routes’ Adventure Shop will cater to your every whim with e-bikes, cycle tours, 4×4 experiences, and more. So you can discover the town as actively as you wish before turning in for the night.

Sleep in

The slopes of the Helderberg don’t only make for excellent wines, but for great sleepovers too! At Taaibosch, the three new exclusive-use villas offer the best in luxury – modern amenities, butler service and meals prepared in your villa by Taaibosch’s private chef. Each stay also includes an exclusive wine tasting in the cellar with winemaker Schalk Willem Joubert. With panoramic views stretching to the horizon, the opulent modern hilltop offering, Farsight Villa, offers guests uninterrupted and spectacular views of the Cape Peninsula.

But if you’re looking for something more Stellenbosch old-school, staying at Cape Country Routes’ Eendracht Hotel is just the ticket. Situated in historic Dorp Street in the core of the oldest part of Stellenbosch, this village hotel is a quaint, comfortable and historic building with characterful corners.

And for those who love a modern meets vintage stay – book a night or two at the Oude Werf Hotel and Restaurant – the oldest running hotel in South Africa. It has a history spanning three centuries, and rooms where you’ll want to luxuriate and forget about exploring.

Stellenbosch is a town that can only be described with adjectives aplenty and some “oohs”, “aahs” and “you-have-tos” thrown in to encapsulate an immaculate description.