Wine has been part of the Cape culture for several hundred years. Unshackled after the advent of democracy, South African wine now makes headlines for both its quality and innovation. Lovingly paired with good food, it is also a very easy experience to access, with the beauty of the landscape making the Cape Winelands a great place to visit even if you <em>don’t </em>drink wine.
There are several distinct wine regions around Cape Town: two in particular are very visitor-friendly. The Constantia Winelands are the original vineyards of Cape Town and lie just 40 minutes from the city centre; the Cape Winelands generally refers to the region of the classic ‘wine towns’: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, each about an hour’s drive from Cape Town.
How to experience the Winelands? There is plenty of accommodation in the Constantia area; you could have a morning on Table Mountain or at Cape Point, and then enjoy lunch and an afternoon of wine tasting at a Constantia wine farm.
Out of town, the Cape Winelands can certainly be visited on a day tour (we’d suggest a guided tour – for the designated driver if nothing else!) but many visitors prefer to spend several nights there. The Cape Winelands has a wide range of accommodation (especially boutique and honeymoon-style) as well as award-winning wine and a well-deserved reputation for fine dining.
It’s not all about the wine in the winelands however. Visitors to both the Constantia and Cape Winelands also have access to amazing hiking trails – both easy and challenging – as well as birding hot-spots and whale-watching in season. The region is malaria-free, well-served by infrastructure and caters as easily for families with children as it does for wedding couples and wine connoisseurs.
Combine the Cape Winelands with Cape Town, the Kruger and the Garden Route for an unforgettable South African holiday.
Browse our recommended Cape Wineland holidays or contact us for a tailor-made itinerary based on your needs.
Our Top Places to Visit in the Cape Winelands
Lying at the extreme south-west of Africa, both Cape Town and the Winelands experience a different climate to the rest of southern Africa. The Winelands are hot and dry in the summer – November to April – and cool and wet in the winter – June, July and August especially. It is the opposite climate to southern Africa’s safari destinations – the Kruger, Botswana, Victoria Falls – which experience summer rain and dry winters. Keep this in mind when planning a holiday to the Cape Winelands in combination with a safari; our travel experts can tell you more.
The best time to travel to the Winelands would generally be over the summer months when you are almost guaranteed warm, sunny weather. It is, however, the windy season in the Cape, and is also the busiest time to visit. Consider also a visit in the quieter months: August, September and October are warm and mostly dry, have the most flowers in bloom, and migrating whales appear on the Whale Coast.
The Winelands are well-served by accommodation. You can visit the Constantia Winelands from accommodation anywhere in Cape Town but if you are planning a few days in the Cape Winelands away from Cape Town, then you can choose from boutique guesthouses, grand hotels or luxury suites set among the vineyards.
There is plenty of great Cape Winelands accommodation in both Paarl and Stellenbosch, and we’d also highly recommend accommodation in Franschhoek: these are the ‘wine towns’ that are easiest to access from Cape Town via a transfer or on a self-drive, and each has a range of accommodation to suit all budgets.
Talk to an expert about which Winelands accommodation is best for you, and remember that you’ll need to make early bookings for the Cape’s peak summer season – December and January – as accommodation is at a premium at this time.
Spanning 39 hectares, the estate boasts a 37-hectare vineyard producing award-winning wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Guests can indulge in wine tastings and in two on-site restaurants, explore the scenic grounds, or relax at the Mont Rochelle Spa.
Just a 15-minute drive from Cape Town city center, the five-star estate boasts 51 elegant rooms and suites with views of Table Mountain. Guests can enjoy amenities such as two solar-heated pools, a tennis court, the Fresh Wellness Spa, and The Conservatory restaurant. The property’s lush grounds feature over 2,500 roses and 250 camphor trees, providing a tranquil retreat with easy access to nearby attractions like Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.
Established in 1692, it stands as one of the region's oldest and most esteemed estates. Renowned for producing the world's first bottled Pinotage in 1959, Lanzerac remains a pioneer in South African winemaking. The estate boasts 54 elegantly appointed rooms and suites, offering guests a blend of old-world charm and modern luxury.
Delaire Graff Estate, perched on Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, is a luxurious destination known for its stunning vineyard and mountain views, award-winning Bordeaux and Chardonnay wines, exquisite dining including South African and Japanese cuisine, a world-class spa, exclusive boutiques, and impressive art collection—making it a top-tier Cape Winelands retreat.
Perched atop the Helshoogte Pass, this luxurious retreat is known for its stunning vineyard and mountain views, award-winning Bordeaux and Chardonnay wines, exquisite dining including South African and Japanese cuisine, a world-class Spa, exclusive boutiques, and impressive art collection—making it a top-tier Cape Winelands destination.
Nestled within the historic Steenberg Estate, which dates back to 1682 and is a national monument, the hotel features 24 elegantly appointed rooms. Guests can indulge in world-class amenities, including two renowned on-site restaurants, an award-winning winery, a championship 18-hole golf course, and a tranquil Spa.
Five-star boutique hotel with only nine elegantly appointed rooms and suites. Guests can relax by the sunken swimming pool, enjoy gourmet breakfasts, and explore nearby world-renowned wine estates and fine dining establishments. Its prime location provides easy access to Cape Town’s top attractions, including Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the V&A Waterfront.
The Winelands are usually visited in combination with other destinations in South Africa. The most obvious is Cape Town, one of the world’s most attractive cities to visit, and the Whale Coast (centred around the seaside town of Hermanus); both are little more than an hour away by car and are destinations that can be experienced on your own with a self-drive holiday, or with guided tours and transfers all the way.
It’s also easy to add a safari to your Winelands holiday: you could self-drive along the scenic Garden Route to the Eastern Cape’s malaria-free Big Five reserves, or take a domestic flight to South Africa’s classic safari destinations – the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands, or the malaria-free Waterberg Biosphere. Add on an hour or so to your flight, and now you can add Victoria Falls or Botswana to your itinerary.
Our team of destination experts will design a holiday to meet your budget and interests. Let’s start planning your tailor-made African safari today!
A holiday to the Winelands is always part of a bigger journey. With world-famous Cape Town and the Whale Coast just an hour’s drive away, you have a complete holiday right there, ideal for nature lovers, families with children or honeymooners – it’s all there. Venture a little further afield and you have the Garden Route with its picture-perfect beaches and tucked-away towns – easy for a self-drive.
But most people include the Winelands on a larger itinerary that includes Africa’s big game destinations; it’s a short flight from Cape Town International Airport to the Kruger National Park and its private reserves such as the Sabi Sands. Add another hour or so by aeroplane and now you are disembarking at Victoria Falls or the Okavango Delta – ask us for details.
