106 Best Sights in The Western Cape and Winelands, South Africa

Dating from 1811, the archetypal Cape Dutch manor house is festooned with flowers and framed by majestic peaks. L'Ormarins is the main estate and part of the Rupert empire, but there are five labels produced by their various farms dotted around the Western Cape. The farm has three state-of-the-art cellars and two tasting rooms. At the Anthonij Rupert Tasting Room, in the manor house, you can try the Cape of Good Hope and Anthonij Rupert wine ranges. You can try the other ranges at the Terra Del Capo Tasting Room. There's an antipasto bar below the tasting room, where you can enjoy tasty tapas. The AR Merlot is exceptional: look out for mulberries, blackberries, and hints of fynbos along with fruitcake and cloves. The TDC Sangiovese is a brilliant, light drinking wine, and the Pinot Grigio is always a pleasure. Visit the estate's Franschhoek Motor Museum, home to more than 80 vintage cars in mint condition.

There's a lot happening at this farm: take a guided tour of the estate's artworks or join a hike along one of the farm's stunning trails. And then there's great wine tasting, food-and-wine pairings, and high tea; the estate's restaurant is considered among the country's best. The farm also has a wonderful collection of Jacob Hendrik Pierneef's art; view his iconic landscapes in the gallery. But don't get too sidetracked—the wine is excellent as well. The Pierneef Collection is the farm's premium range, and the Syrah Viognier blend is being snapped up for its whiffs of dark chocolate, smoked beef, black cherry, and blackberry. The estate's Sauvignon Blanc is also outstanding.

True to its name, this small estate produces just enough wine for the restaurant and to keep its faithful customers happy. Try the full-bodied, barrel-fermented Chardonnay or the Shiraz, which scoops up awards year after year. The Verdict, a Cape-style blend, is also a crowd-pleaser. Taste on the deck, with marvelous views over the valley. Advance bookings are essential.

With a name meaning "crown of the land" in Afrikaans, this venerable estate, run by the ninth generation of the de Villiers family, produces a Cabernet Sauvignon—with hints of spice and oak—that's up there with the best. Look out for the Paul de Villiers Wine Range. For a little something to sip after a long, leisurely dinner, try the Cape Vintage—a dark, fortified port-style wine with aromas of black prunes and tobacco. As well as tastings, there are food and wine pairing options, or you can buy a bottle and bring a picnic to enjoy in the grounds.

The three-hour Langeberg Tractor Ride takes you to the summit of the Langeberg (Long Mountain) and back. The tractor winds up some tortuously twisted paths, revealing magnificent views of the area's peaks and valleys. After a short stop at the summit, a similarly harrowing descent follows, but you won't be disappointed by the views or the driver's chirpy banter. If you're here in spring or summer when the flowers are in bloom, you might even get to pick some gorgeous proteas on the way down. Following your trip, you can enjoy a delicious lunch of potjiekos (traditional stew cooked over a fire in a cast-iron pot) for an additional fee. Reservations are essential.

If you need to stretch your legs, take a hike in the Marloth Nature Reserve. Four walks, ranging from two to six hours, explore some of the mountain gorges. There is also a challenging and beautiful multiday hike that must be booked well in advance. An office at the entrance to the reserve has trail maps and hiking information. If you're doing a day walk, park outside the entrance boom. Although you can stay in the reserve until sunset, the gates close at the time advertised.

An unpretentious destination, McGregor Wines makes good, inexpensive wines. Try the unwooded Chardonnay; previous vintages won Veritas Gold awards. Their fortified wines are perfect for sipping near a log fire in winter. The white Muscadel and the Cape Ruby Port are very different, but both are delicious. The ice cream and wine pairing is fun, and there's a kids' version as well.

A visit to Meerlust, one of South Africa's most celebrated estates, provides an introduction to Cape history. In the same family for generations, the vineyard was bought by Johannes Albertus Myburgh in 1757. When Nicolaas Myburgh took over the reins in 1959, he began restoring the farm's Cape Dutch buildings. The entire complex was declared a national monument. Nico Myburgh did more than just renovate. In the '70s, conventional wisdom had it that Cabernet Sauvignon was king, but Nico went against the grain and opted for a Bordeaux-style blend, planting both Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The first wine, made in 1980 and released in 1983, was named Rubicon (an allusion to Julius Caesar) to symbolize the crossing of a significant barrier. Rubicon garners awards year after year and is rated as an international best seller. The estate makes only one white, a delicious, full-bodied Chardonnay. Meerlust's other wines—Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot—are also notably good. The low-key, relaxed tasting offers great value for money

This picture-pretty estate has one of the best views in the valley. Mont Rochelle, owned by Sir Richard Branson, boasts more than 90 acres of vineyard, and the wines produced here are excellent. Book ahead to visit the tasting room and sample a variety of Mont Rochelle wines—try the Mont Rochelle Sauvignon Blanc and the signature Miko Syrah. For relaxed and formal dining, the hotel has two restaurants: the Country Kitchen, which is the perfect place for a light lunch or a picnic and Miko, a contemporary gourmet restaurant where you can enjoy a cocktail at sunset or an intimate meal.

You can't drive down the R44 between Somerset West and Stellenbosch without noticing the bizarre scarecrows at Mooiberge Farmstall. They're riding bicycles, driving tractors, and working in the strawberry fields, where you can spend a morning picking the luscious red fruit. The strawberry season varies but usually begins in October and runs to January. You pay for what you pick, and you can also buy jams, dried fruit, and other refreshments at the farm stall. There's a restaurant here, too, with a great range of local and imported beers and an innovative pizza menu.

A leading producer of excellent extra-virgin olive oils and wines is the historic estate Morgenster (Morning Star), which was part of Cape Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel's original 17th-century farm. In the mid-1990s the estate was restored to its original splendor, and thousands of olive trees were imported from Italy. It is now producing some internationally recognized olive oils. Seventeen different olive cultivars on the farm have been carefully selected from all the regions in Italy. For R75 you can taste the olives, the oil, balsamic vinegar, and the delicious olive paste with a range of breads and crackers — it's great value and you can tack on a wine tasting for the full experience. Phone a day ahead if you're traveling in a group bigger than six. Reservations are recommended on weekends.

A long and beautiful driveway emerges at Mulderbosch's tasting room and restaurant, both of which overlook a small lake. It's a relaxed and family-friendly spot, with a small jungle gym and unpretentious food like wood-fired pizzas and burgers. On the wine side, try the Steen op Hout Chenin Blanc, with notes of apple, peach, and pear, perfect for summer drinking. A large portion of the farm has been left to indigenous vegetation and wildlife, and they're attempting to restore endangered native renosterveld and fynbos vegetation.

Ancient oaks and a cellar that truly seems to be more concerned with the business of producing wine than with decor make this a refreshing change from the "prettier" wineries. It's a small estate, specializing in rich, earthy reds and full-bodied dessert wines. Muratie's port is an old favorite in the Cape, and the well-balanced Amber Forever is a fortified dessert wine with pleasing citrus notes to counter the sweetness. Worth looking out for are the Pinot Noirs, from some of the oldest vines of this cultivar in the Cape. The farm's flagship wine is the Ansela van der Caab, a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, named after the freed slave who married the first owner of the farm, Laurens Campher, and helped set up the vineyards in the early 1700s. The Ronnie Melck Shiraz and Muratie Martin Melck Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon also come highly recommended. There are hiking trails, on-site cottages, and an unfussy restaurant serving steaks, salads, and a few South African specialties.

A long avenue of pines leads to this lovely estate, which traces its origins to 1692. The magnificent 1814 Cape Dutch manor house looks out across formal rose gardens to the Stellenbosch Valley and the Hottentots Holland Mountains. The Gewürztraminer is an off-dry, very elegant wine with rose-petal and spice aromas, and the Maria Noble Late Harvest (named after the feisty woman who built the manor house) is one of the best of its kind. The farm's Owl Post Pinotage is a single-vineyard wine matured in Hungarian oak, which makes it a funkier take on an old South African favorite. Look out for mocha, raspberry, and cherry flavors. Book ahead for the food-and-wine pairings, which include five bite-size servings paired with the estate wines—there's even a kids' version available. The restaurant is more casual than most found in wineries, serving salads, steak, burgers, and wood-fired pizza.

Hermanus was originally a simple fishing village. Its Old Harbour, the oldest surviving example in South Africa, has been declared a national monument. A ticket to the museum allows access to three small museums a short walk from each other. The Old Harbour Museum bears testimony to the town's maritime past. A small building at the old stone fishing basin displays a couple of the horrific harpoons used to lance whales and sharks, as well as some interesting whale bones. The white building next to the parking lot on Market Square houses the Old Harbour Museum Photographic Exhibition. Here are photos of old Hermanus and of many of the town's fishermen proudly displaying their catches of fish, sharks, and dolphins. The museum's third—and most interesting—component is the Whale House, with loads of information on whale behavior, a full-size skeleton, and some interactive exhibits.

Head back toward Kleinmond, continuing on the R43 toward Hermanus and across the Bot River. The R43 swings eastward around the mountains, past the not particularly attractive fishing village of Hawston, one of the Overstrand communities hardest hit by abalone poaching and drug peddling, and the small artists' colony of Onrus. The Onrus lagoon is a great swimming spot for children; the water is always a couple of degrees warmer than the sea and is safe for the newly waterborne.

Redolent of tobacco, dried fish, and spices, this 19th-century-style general store is one of Stellenbosch's most popular landmarks. In addition to the usual Cape kitsch, Oom Samie sells some genuine South African produce, including witblits and mampoer, both Afrikaner versions of moonshine.

This museum stands at the entrance to Church Street and is the logical departure point for a self-guided tour of the area. The church has been extensively restored and has an interesting collection of artifacts from the area, including carvings made by Boer prisoners of war. A ticket includes admission to two other buildings on Church Street, which operate as annexes of the main museum. These show a practical history of events before, during, and after the quake. The buildings have been painstakingly reconstructed.

Among the established estates on Stellenbosch Kloof Road, Overgaauw definitely deserves a visit. You can admire the pretty Victorian tasting room while exploring the range of big red wines. David van Velden is the fourth-generation winemaker on the farm. Tradition hasn't stood in the way of innovation, however. In 1982 Overgaauw was the first South African estate to bottle a single-varietal Merlot, but it also experiments with other varietals, and you should, too. Try the wonderful Cape Vintage Port made with Portuguese varietals such as touriga, tintas, souzao, and cornifesto. The result is a richly balanced blend. The Tria Corda, a red blend, sells out faster than it can be released. The spicy, fruity Sylvaner is named for a grape of the same name. To date, Overgaauw is the only Cape estate to grow this varietal, which comes from the Alsace region of France, so it's definitely worth exploring.

Coming from the north, Main Road doglegs to the right at Lady Grey Street before continuing its way south. On your left, the Paarl Museum, formerly the Oude Pastorie, occupies a fine Cape Dutch home built as a parsonage in 1787. The building itself is of more interest than the collection, which includes odds and ends such as silver, glass, and kitchen utensils donated by local families.

East of Clanwilliam, the R364 becomes a spectacularly scenic road called Pakhuis Pass (Warehouse Pass, so named for the rock formations that look like crates piled up in a packing shed). A steep, narrow road to the right leads to the mission town of Wupperthal, with its characteristic thatch houses and sleepy air. This used to be a thriving Moravian mission station, and remnants of the old industries remain. A baker still turns out soft, yeasty loaves that are snapped up as fast as they come out of the oven, and you can see shoes being made in the local shoe factory. The main industry here today though is the cultivation of rooibos tea. You can drive this road in an ordinary rental car, but be very careful in wet weather. A community tourism project here offers guided hikes and donkey cart rides between these frozen-in-time villages.

The name means "Pleasure of the Blackbird" and has its origins with the original French owners of the farm. This huge estate is the showpiece of Distell, a big wine and spirit producer. With its innovative architecture and conservation area, it truly feels different from the ubiquitous oak-and-gable wineries that you see all over the Cape. But forget the frills—it really is all about the wine. Don't miss the full-bodied, barrel-fermented Chardonnay, which spends nine months in the barrel developing its lovely rich and layered flavor. The farm's flagship wine is the Grand Plaisir, a complex red blend. When tasting, look out for flavors of ripe plums, oak with hints of tobacco, vanilla, and cedar. There is also a range of pairing experiences on offer, including wine with nougat, fudge, or chocolate truffles.

At its best in August—when the Clanwilliam Flower Show takes place at the old Dutch Reformed church—the Ramskop Wildflower Garden is a wonderful opportunity to see many of the region's flowers all growing in one place. The best time to go is between 11 am and 3 pm, when the sun is at its apex and the flowers are open. You pay to enter the flower garden at the entrance of the Clanwilliam Dam, on the road out of town past the garden. They won't charge you if the weather isn't great and the flowers aren't at their best—that's small-town hospitality for you. There is a simple coffee shop in the garden.

This winery sits at the head of a shallow valley, backed by hillsides covered with vines and fynbos. It's a lovely place for lunch on a sunny day, and you can explore the estate and beyond on a series of walking, biking, or horseback trails. The restaurant serves à la carte meals and teas on an oak-shaded terrace overlooking the gardens and mountains. There's also a pizzeria, or you can order a picnic basket for two brimming with fresh baguettes, cold meats, salads, delicious cheeses, and a bottle of wine (must be booked in advance). Try out the wine and chocolate pairing for dessert. The estate makes an excellent Shiraz, thanks to its unique terroir, which is composed of old decomposed granite soils. Other wines to look out for are the Pinotage, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.

One of the most impressive restoration projects ever undertaken in South Africa and a good example of what early Stellenbosch must have been like, this complex consists of an art center, which melds elements of English and Cape architecture; and a two-story building that is typically English. The complex is west of Die Braak, facing a large lawn. The Toy and Miniature Museum is based here (entrance R40) and houses a collection of scale dollhouses and antique toys, as well as a miniature model of the famous Blue Train.

Capetonians have long considered Rooiberg Winery, between Worcester and Robertson, one of the best value-for-the-money wineries in the area. If you don't have time to taste much, delve straight into the reds from the reserve range, which count a few award winners in their ranks. The Red Chair Bistro serves light meals and delectable pastries, making this a good place to stop for lunch. It's named for the giant red chair outside, reportedly the largest of its kind in Africa.

On the outskirts of town, a pair of white gateposts set well back from the main road signal the start of Rotary Way. This scenic drive climbs along the spine of the mountains above Hermanus, offering incredible views of Walker Bay and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The entire mountainside is laced with wonderful walking trails, and there are a few scenic lookout points. It's a short drive, just 4 km (2½ miles) of tarred road. There is a short section of rough gravel road that continues up the mountain and leads to the border of the Hamilton Russell wine estate, but you can't access the winery from here. The start of the drive is about 2½ km (1½ miles) west of the Old Harbour.

This vast, modern building on the outskirts of town houses the art collection of Huberte Rupert, wife of local magnate Anton Rupert. The collection rotates but includes a wide selection of artistic styles spanning several centuries. There's a popular coffee shop inside the museum as well.

Nestled against the base of Helderberg Mountain, the peaceful Rust en Vrede winery is shaded by giant oaks and looks out over steep slopes of vines and roses. This comparatively small estate specializes entirely in reds and produces some of the very best in South Africa. In fact, Nelson Mandela chose this wine to be served at his Nobel Peace Prize dinner when he was president. Rust en Vrede Estate is the flagship wine, a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. Enjoy it now, but you can also put it away to mature in the bottle for another 10 years or more. Another weighty wine is the 1694 Classification (named after the year the farm was established), a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The celebrated on-site restaurant is only open for dinner, but at lunchtime you can enjoy the winemaker's lunch—a set menu in the cellar. Choose between steak and salmon, accompanied by a generously poured glass of wine.

This estate may date back to 1682, but it's been brought thoroughly up to date with a state-of-the art winery and underground vaulted maturation rooms. It is known for red wines, particularly its 100% Cabernet Peter Barlow (named after the present owner's father), which is made from grapes from one lovely, well-tended vineyard. The Five Soldiers Chardonnay is delicious and also made from a single vineyard, which gives it its unique character. It's named for the five tall pine trees that stand guard on top of the hill above the Chardonnay grapes. Make time to explore the estate's beautiful gardens and labyrinth. These are open year-round but are best in summer. The lovely manor house gardens are open to the public one weekend a year in late October or early November. Book ahead for tastings if you're traveling in a group larger than four people.