Stellenbosch

The Cape Winelands is the main wine producing region of South Africa and Stellenbosch one of its most charming towns. It's almost impossible to come here and not be seduced by the unique atmosphere of this place, at the same time enjoying some truly fine wines.

The town itself dates back as far as 1679 when a group of Dutch settlers were given some land here. The land was particularly fertile and The Dutch East India Company encouraged the growing of fruit and vegetables in order to supply the ships sailing to and from the East Indies. There followed a steady growth of the town and its university was established in 1918, since which Stellenbosch has become an important centre of learning.
The architecture is a real mix of styles reflecting the changing influences over the last 300 years or so, but what strikes you the most as you make your way through the town is how well-kept the buildings are. There's a real feeling of civic pride and it gives the impression of almost being in a living museum.

A significant number of the visitors are here for the Stellenbosch Wine Route. It has a little over 100 cellars, most of which are open to the public. You can spend your days wine tasting to your heart's content, but one or two tips if this is what you decide to do.

It's not a bad idea to take at least one guided tour of a cellar to give you a little of the local history and some indication as to what to look out for at the other cellars.

Give yourself at least an hour at each cellar - enough time to look round, taste some wine and buy some if it takes your fancy. Note that the cellars are well experienced in shipping their wines all over the world, so don't be put off from buying some that you like because of worrying about getting it home.

Most cellars have restaurant or picnic facilities, the former generally closing at 15.00. Therefore before setting off in the morning decide which cellar you'd like to have lunch at and get there no later than 13.30 if you don't want to rush your meal.

Closing times vary from cellar to cellar so check your guide. Don't forget to get to the last one an hour or so before closing so as to give yourself enough time to taste what they have to offer.

Most cellars ask that you drink their wine only from their glass, which you have to buy. You'll finish the day with quite a few glasses but at least you have some souvenirs. The cellars all have a tasting room assistant who will help you through what can sometimes be a minefield of etiquette.

It's unwise to actually drink all that you taste, not only because by the end of the day it'll add up to quite a large amount but because your taste buds will no longer be able to distinguish one from the other. Your assistant will help you with the order in which the wines should be tasted  - this is usually white first, followed by red and then finally sweet, with a good sparkling wine between each to clean the palate.

If wine's not your thing you can still have a great time here doing one of a large variety of outdoor activities such as horse-riding, canoeing, fishing, golf, hiking, off-road biking or even just a gentle walk enjoying the spectacular local scenery. This is the type of place where just being outside is a thrill - it doesn't matter what you do! If you're here in the summer, December to February, it gets up to the mid thirties during the day but gets quite cool at night, around 16º. If you're here in the winter, June to August, it only reaches twenty degrees or so, going down to a chilly two or three at night.

Finally, a quick word about the accommodation. There is something to suit every pocket, from 5-star hotels to B&Bs. I stayed in a 3-star B&B for less than $40 US and it was like everything else in this wonderful region - clean, tidy and well looked after.