Hi, I’m Joerg from Stellenbosch. We are just 30 minutes from Cape Town International Airport and right in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
Stellenbosch IS BEST KNOWN FOR its friendly people, young student vibe, classic university buildings and Cape Dutch architecture, as well as the fantastic wines and award winning food.
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN in front of Stellenbosch’s most historic icon, the Moeder Kerk (Mother Church) and you will return to Stellenbosch.
THE BEST animal PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN AT Vredenheim Wine & Game Estate with the ostrich, springbok, wildebeest, donkeys, and many more …
OTHER HAPPY SNAPS can be taken while you enjoy yourselves at the weekly Stellenbosch Slow Food Market held at the Oude Libertas Center every Saturday year around.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S GOOD, I LIKE TO sit outside at Java Cafe on Kerk Street and watch the people passing by.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S BAD, I LIKE TO visit some of the many wine farms and taste their new releases.
I THINK THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT IS any time of the year, BECAUSE “Stellenbosch is a town for all seasons – we invite you to touch, taste, smell, listen and enjoy!”
MY FAVOURITE BREAKFAST SPOT IS Eat Well coffee shop at Die Boord Shopping Centre; nutritious and delicious.
FOR LUNCH, I SUGGEST Cafe Dijon in Plein Street, real country style comfort food and their ribeye steaks and chips are out of this world.
MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IS Umami in Dorp Street, TRY THE Tasting Menu, you can experience it with or without a wine pairing, and awaken your “Fifth Sense” of taste.
BEST LATE NIGHT SNACK FROM the very well known American fast food chain, because the rest of the restaurants are closed.
MY FAVOURITE relaxing SPOT IS the University of Stellenbosch Botanical Garden. It is an oasis of tranquillity in the middle of the bustling village. One of the best kept secrets is the wonderful fresh baked bread from their little cafe, but it sells out quickly, so you better get there in the morning before the locals have bought it all up.
FOR A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN TRY Cubanas, a great meeting place where the food and cocktails flow. You can also try one of the many waterpipes or choose from their selection of Cuban cigars.
IF YOU WANT TO MEET LOCALS, GO TO Ginos in Dorp Street, great pub atmosphere where you can also hang out to watch the game with the crowd, or try The Nook on Ryneveld Street for Jessica’s fresh foods and desserts made with love in her cosy little – well the name says it all – Nook . She is open for breakfast and lunch most days, but only Friday evenings when she serves up the best gourmet pizzas and the locals just can’t stay away, so call ahead for a table.
Stellenbosch’s BEST KEPT SECRET IS Amazink; a township restaurant just inside Kayamandi (not what you expect, but excellent African food)!
MY FAVOURITE THING TO DO WITH FRIENDS IS eat and drink, and there is no shortage of places for either in this fabulous village.
FOR SOME LIVE MUSIC and dancing check out the many clubs throughout town; they rock hard and late nearly every night of the week when the University is in session. But if you are more of the classical, jazz, or outdoor concert type like me then go to the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre for their open air summer concerts.
TO RELAX AND RESTORE MY SOUL, I LIKE TO treat myself to one of Stellenbosch’s top Day Spa’s like Lanzerac, Delaire Graff or Clos Malverne. But when I need a really good massage to work out the kinks I always go to Tao at House of Massage in the Eikenhoff Center on Kerk Street.
IF YOU’RE FEELING ADVENTUROUS, TRY a guided wine tasting tour on horseback or bicycle while meandering through the vineyards on a sunny South African day.
MY FAVOURITE hiking and mountain biking spot is Jonkershoek Valley Nature Reserve, where the waterfall flows nearly 365 days of the year.
MY FAVOURITE wine SHOP IS at the Mooiberge Strawberry Farm shop on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West. They have a lot of older vintages that you won’t find elsewhere, not even at the wine estates themselves. If you’re a real wine aficionado, ask to see their cellar.
MY FAVOURITE romantic sunrise or sunset WATCHING SPOT IS from the terraces of the guesthouse rooms at Auberge Rozendal Winefarm Hotel and Restaurant. The rising sun and the colors filling the sky as it sets over the surrounding mountains is truly stunning. The mountain ranges are some of Stellenbosch’s many treasures. A good bottle of the Cape Winelands vino shared on the terrace in the company of someone special as the sun slips slowly down over Table Mountain on a warm summer’s eve is not to be missed!
IF YOU’RE HERE IN winter, JOIN IN THE FUN AT the annual Stellenbosch Wine Festival; a treat enjoyed by many from far and wide.
MY FAVOURITE MUSEUM IS Sasol Art. CHECK OUT THE clothing, weaponry and ritual objects from Southern, Central and Western Africa. And if museums are your thing, Stellenbosch is loaded with them, we have all sorts ranging from paintings & sculpture, history, culture & architecture, wine & clocks, as well as the children’s & toy museum.
MY FAVOURITE BUILDING IS my house, FOR ITS lovely Cape Dutch architecture, its long grapevine covered terrace, and the big old shady oak trees on a hot summer day.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN? A FUN OUTING IS Butterfly World. Not only do you see a multitude of assorted butterflies but you also see a wide variety of birds, and afterward you can sit and relax in their cafe with a cool drink and a little something sweet. Did you know, Stellenbosch even has a “Children’s Route”, specially geared toward entertaining children? Check it out.
BEST CHEAP AND CHEERFUL OUTING IS a day with the family picking (and eating) strawberries.
WHEN MONEY’S NO OBJECT, I LIKE TO have dinner at Rust en Vrede. There is no wonder why they have been in the Top 10 South African Restaurants year after year. Delight your palette!
THE MOST UNUSUAL THING I SEE HERE are the White Lions at Vredenheim Estate on the R310. But you probably didn’t know that Stellenbosch is also home to crocodiles, they live at Le Bonheur Estate (which, by the way, is also a great place to find Chardonnay), located on the R44 direction Klapmuts/Paarl.
MY FAVOURITE WEEKEND GETAWAY is a drive up the West Coast for some fresh crayfish and prawns or a drive along the coastline cliffs between Gordon’s Bay and Betty’s Bay on the R44 watching for whales and dolphins playing in the sea, visiting the penguin’s and taking in the views of the Cape of Good Hope across False Bay.
WHEN I WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, I donate to charity and organisations such as the local animal shelters, children’s’ projects in the townships, and The Children’s Hospital.
I Love Stellenbosch BECAUSE of it diversity and appeal for people of all ages, all tastes, and all budgets. It’s a destination for exploring and enjoying, not a quick stop on the tour. It is also a perfectly located and relaxing home base for touching all the other areas of the Cape & Winelands Region you want to explore, since they can all be reached during day trips. It is your home away from home – welcome home, welcome to Stellenbosch!
Useful Stellenbosch Links:
- Stellenbosch Attractions
- Stellenbosch Accommodation
- Things to Do in Stellenbosch
- Stellenbosch Events
- Stellenbosch Hotels
- Cape Winelands Hotels
- Western Cape Accommodation
Desirable Digits
Java – +27 (0)21 887-6261
AmaZink – +27 (0)21 889-7536
Cafe Dijon – +27 (0)21 886-7022
Umami – +27 (0)21 887-5204
Eat Well – +27 (0)21 887-6339
Ginos – +27 (0)21 887-9786
Nook Eatery – +27 (0)21 887-7703
Rust en Vrede – +27 (0)21 881-3881
