Free State
At first glance, the Free State may not seem like the ideal choice of holiday destination. It is, however, starting to emerge as a holiday destination with popular towns like Clarens and Fouriesburg gaining in popularity. This countryside is not the same kind of beautiful as other parts of South Africa, but it has its own scenic loveliness that is enchanting and unforgettable.
This area is dedicated to farmlands, so it is no wonder that it hosts the annual Cherry Festival every year. There are countless gorgeous places to explore on foot for adventurers that want to feel, smell and taste the fresh, crisp air of the area and its farming communities.
The Free State has an intriguing history and tells the story of a multifaceted South Africa in a very special way. Visiting cultural attractions like the Basotho Cultural Village or the Vredefort Dome, peeking into the Free State of yesteryear or even of millions of years ago gives visitors a very real, poignant perspective of this area.
The rivers of the Eastern Highlands are not only beautiful, but also excellent for trout fishing, white water rafting and other water sports. This province’s major water sources include the Vaal River, Orange River and Gariep Dam. The province’s pace is a slow and tranquil one, beating along to the rhythm of the harvest and not slave to the hustle and bustle of the big city…
MORE \ Discover Free State. To find a place to stay visit Free State Accommodation or Free State Hotels on SA-Venues.com. (Popular accommodation searches include Bloemfontein, Clarens and Kroonstad).
Sleep, Eat, Do In Clarens
We’re so full of love for Clarens. It’s romantic and intriguing; a picturesque little village at the foot of Mount Horeb in the Free State. It has lashings of character and is convenient for being on the Free State Highlands Route, near the Golden Gate National Park. What a winning combination.
And, because it’s only three or four hours from Johannesburg, Clarens makes for a gorgeous stop-over or a lovely destination for a weekend getaway.
We’ve put together some awesome Clarens accommodation, things to do, and restaurants to try out while you’re in Clarens.
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Best Places to Stay in the Southern Free State
The Best Places to Stay in the Southern Free State ~ The completely landlocked province of the Free State is divided into regions with names that evoke images of Africa’s wide open plains. Names like Thabo Mofutsanyana, Lejweleputswa and Motheo.
The Free State is given over to huge swathes of farmland, the Maluti Mountains in the distance. It’s a province of wide skies, inspirational scenery and a sense of time having slowed...
The best places to stay in the southern Free State include the Motheo (mostly in the ‘city of roses’ - Bloemfontein) and Xhariep (accommodation in and around the ...
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10 Gorgeous Guest Houses in the Free State
These gorgeous guest houses in the Free State will come as a welcome surprise.
Gone is the dizzying chintz and outdated style often associated with this part of the country.
These Free State guest houses are compelling, elegantly furnished and easy on the eye. They show a flair for generous hospitality, and many of them are in beautiful grounds, or in areas where the views are heartstopping.
Even if you weren’t planning a trip through the country’s interior, these gorgeous guest houses in the Free State will soon change your mind...
Allegro House, Bloemfontein
Not all gue...
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Free State Tented Camps Perfect for a Glamping Weekend
Free State Tented Camps Perfect for a Glamping Weekend - the first one will blow you away! ~ One doesn't anticipate Free State tented camps in a province known as the heartland of the Afrikaner, and famous for its grain farms and rich pasture land.
But it makes sense that the province's wide skies and expansive flat grassy plains, broken only by the odd kopje, would inspire bushveld experiences, and that its fertile soils and excellent farming conditions could double as safari farm stays.
The Free State lies in the middle of the country, sharing a border in the east of the province with ...
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12 Secrets of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park That Will Have You Visiting, Tomorrow
The Free State's Golden Gate Highlands National Park is tucked away just east of South Africa's centre, between the popular town of Clarens, Phuthaditjhaba, and the mountainous boundary of Lesotho.
Famous for its sandstone formations that change as the sun waxes and wanes, the Golden Gate National Park is awash with gullies, wooded ravines and grasslands, its sandstone rocks once home to the San who have left their paintings in the numerous caves of the area.
For whatever reason you visit, you will return.
Because Golden Gate Highlands National Park's underrated beauty is enough to st...
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The 7 Best Small Towns in the Free State
The landlocked Free State lies virtually in the middle of South Africa. It’s considered the traditional heartland of the Afrikaner; countryside through which one drives en route from Johannesburg or the Western Cape. Few choose to tour the province.
Yet for those who do travel the Free State, it is the little artistic towns that seduce.
Scattered in amongst huge swathes of farmland, snuggled up against the commanding Maluti Mountains, and clustered along the Lesotho border, they draw on the free State’s wide skies, expansive spaces and inspiring scenery to charm those who visit them.
Ou...
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Visiting Bloemfontein? Read This
Stay in Bloemfontein for a couple of days and you begin to realise that the city’s reputation as the redneck capital of the country is more than a little unfair. For any of the residents of the country’s judicial capital will wax lyrical, at the drop of a hat, about its laidback vibe, surprisingly pretty gardens and reserves, gorgeous sandstone public buildings and not half-bad nightlife.
We were in the capital recently and uncovered the best spots around Bloem.
Visiting Bloemfontein? Read on...
Photograph: In the grounds of the Armour Museum
ARMOUR MUSEUM
I have to confess to being...
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Top Ten Natural Attractions in the Free State
The term 'free state' dates back to South Africa's early history when, for almost 150 years, the white settlers, who lived between the Vaal and Orange rivers in an area they called the Orange Free State, were independent of British rule.
Today the fundamentally Afrikaans province is also the home of the country's judicial capital and birthplace of the ANC.
However, the Free State's major appeal is its natural beauty, open farmlands, and uninterrupted sky, quirky, idiosyncratic towns and villages, interesting road routes, and the vast rocky mountain area of the East Highlands.
For more...
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I Love Parys Because …
Hi, I’m Andreas Leondios from Le Grand Chateau in Parys in the Free State.
PARYS IS BEST KNOWN FOR being on the outskirts of the largest meteorite impact in the world which resulted in the scenic mountains surrounding Parys. Parys is also renowned for the Vaal River which runs through Parys and the fauna, flora and activities which surround it. Parys also has two beautiful golf courses which have the Majestic Vaal River running through them and a variety of curio, antique and coffee shops.
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AT Kiki’s vintage era photo studio situated on the main road. The photog...
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Take the N6 from Bloemontein to Aliwal North – The Free State’s Flipside
The Free State gets a raw deal. Placed as it is in the middle of the country, most people simply travel through it without giving it more than a once over.
It doesn't have mountains (unless you count the Malutis way over east) nor does it have a coastline to speak of (there is the odd dam) and for those passing through via the N1, its unvarying flatness gives the impression that there is little else to break the monotony bar the odd hay bale.
But actually the Free State has a lot to offer, particularly scenically. Travel through here during early winter or spring and the combination of g...
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Discover Parys
Just an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and the OR Tambo International Airport is the small, but infinitely abundant, town of Parys.
Parys is situated along the Vaal River in the Free State and combines natural diversity and beauty with historical value and a distinct sense of heritage. Being so close to Johannesburg means that Parys can be a day-trip for those staying in the City of Gold, but is also a destination in its own rights.
Discover Parys - some of Parys’ favourite attractions and activities:
Breë Street
the best way to get the most out of the main street in the town is to w...
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I Love Gariep Dam Because …
Hi, I’m Robin van den Berg from Rose Cottage in Gariep Dam.
Gariep Dam IS BEST KNOWN FOR superior accommodation at affordable rates and stunning view of the dam and wildlife.
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AT the Gariep Dam wall.
THE BEST Gariep Dam PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN AT the entrance road leading up to the upper town.
OTHER HAPPY SNAPS AT Rose Cottage restaurant.
WHEN THE WEATHER'S GOOD, I LIKE TO get on my Jetski and head into open waters on South Africa's largest inland dam.
WHEN THE WEATHER'S BAD, I LIKE TO go to our local pub and grub "Chilatyd" and sip on a glass of sherr...
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Lions in Action – Bagamoya Wildlife Estate
Bagamoya Wildlife Estate lies roughly 35 kilometres outside of Bloemfontein in the direction of Maselspoort. Out here the grass is long, the trees reminiscent of the bushveld and the skies a vivid enough blue to evoke many a novel depicting the beauty of the wild plains of South Africa.
Today's open spaces are limited. Many of them, like Bagamoya, are closer and closer to cities and more like animal enclosures than they are game parks or farms. Being rather averse to zoos at the best of times I find I have mixed feelings on entering the estate. Two large, modern and fenced enclosures house ...
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Bloemfonteins Botanical Garden Perfect for Photos
Bloemfontein gets a rather raw deal. Mention that you're spending Christmas there and you're immediately the recipient of sympathetic looks. Some people will even groan out loud, assuming this will automatically make you feel better.
Fortunately I have no attachment to the city one way or the other. I won't go as far as to say that I'm fond of it, but every city has its positive side. It is, however, where my in laws live, and last year we had to make a couple of concessions; sisters out all the way from London did not have Cape Town on their itineraries – more's the pity.
With the w...
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I Love Harrismith Because …
Hi, I’m Alet from Greensleeves Guesthouse in Harrismith.
Harrismith IS BEST KNOWN FOR being a friendly town. It's also well known as the halfway stop between Durban and Johannesburg.
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AT the Platberg Mountain which is in the Platberg Game Reserve adjoining the Botanical Garden.
THE BEST mountain PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN AT the Botanic Garden.
OTHER HAPPY SNAPS AT the town hall and the other beautiful, old buildings in town. The town hall is a National Monument; an impressive sandstone and brick building that was built in 1907.
WHEN THE WEATHER'S GOOD, I LI...
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