Around Cape Town

January–March 2026

Coming from Senegal, I flew to Cape Town. I love this area, and so will you once you’ve checked out this website. There’s hardly any other place where the quality of the restaurants and wineries is so high and at such reasonable prices.

After 2013, 2017, 2024 and 2025, this was my fifth trip to South Africa. The website about my visit to Stellenbosch in early 2025, featuring the many wineries and restaurants, isn’t finished yet due to the sheer amount of work involved. My goal was to present every winery and restaurant in detail. So far, I haven’t managed to do that.

Thus, this website features the most beautiful photos of the Cape region, without going into detail about individual restaurants and wineries. Since I visited wineries and restaurants every day for two months, a detailed description would far exceed the scope of this site.

On my previous trips, I focused on the areas around Cape Town and Stellenbosch. This time, I also wanted to discover lesser-known wine regions in the Cape.

Sommerset West

Sommerset West is located about 50 km east of Cape Town on False Bay.

The Strand

It took me 10 minutes by car to get from my apartment to this long beach, which was perfect for jogging.

Idiom Wines and Restaurant

The restaurant is highly recommended and offers excellent value for money. My favorite was the red wine “Idiom Collection Zinfandel 2020”, a brilliant wine!

Drive from Gordon’s Bay to Rooi-Els

One of the most impressive areas in the Cape

The small settlement of Rooi-Els

Vergelegen Wine Estate

This winery is the third oldest in the Cape and operates according to organic standards.

As the many photos show, this little-known winery comes highly recommended. Not only is the large estate beautifully maintained, but the wines and the restaurant are also excellent. I spent the whole day at this winery.

The history of slavery is illustrated through approximately 10 panels.

The Rose Garden

The Tasting Room

My favorite was the complex ‘Chardonnay Reserve Vergelegen 2023,’ which was aged for 10 months in oak barrels.

The winery, located a few kilometers away, can be visited on a separate tour.

Morgenster Winery

This beautifully situated winery is located right next to Vergelegen.

In addition to wine, visitors can also sample the olive oil produced on the estate. In 1992, Italian Giulio Bertrand purchased the estate and emigrated from Italy to the Cape. He was the first to plant olive trees, thereby establishing a new line of business in the Cape.

The olive oil is excellent, but the wines also reflect a strong commitment to quality. The “Lourens River Valley 2020” wine, made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes, offers excellent value for money.

Post House Wines

I wasn’t impressed by this winery’s wines, but the view is great!

Durbanville

Durbanville is located about 30 km northeast of Cape Town. I didn’t find any particularly noteworthy wine here, and the area isn’t very photogenic either.

The Rose Garden in Durbanville

Swartland

This wine region is located about 70 km north of Cape Town. In the summer, it is very hot and dry here, which is why Chenin Blanc and Shiraz thrive best in this climate.

View from Bothmanskloof Pass

Although inexpensive wine had been produced in the Swartland region for a long time, a new era began in 2000 when Eben Sadie established his winery, “The Sadie Family Wines”. Around the same time, Argentine Billy Hughes purchased a wheat farm in the area and launched “The Hughes Family Wines”. In 2007, Chris and Andrea Mullineux joined the scene, having moved here because of the low land prices. Meanwhile, these wines have achieved world-class status, and the wineries are not open to visitors, with the exception of the Mullineux Winery. I was lucky to be able to book this tour, as it takes place only once a month.

Mullineux Winery

During our tour of the vineyards, Chris Mullineux explained how the winery promotes biodiversity, operates as sustainably as possible, and keeps irrigation to a minimum so that the vines develop long, strong roots to absorb water and minerals.

These wines were truly outstanding:

Mullineux Old Vines White 2024 is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and Semillon Gris. It is wonderfully rounded.

Mullineux GRANITE Syrah 2023 is an outstanding, complex Shiraz.

Knolfontein Wines

The owner himself, Pieter du Toit, a descendant of Huguenot settlers, gave me a wonderful 2022 Cinsault to taste, along with some excellent cheese from the Fairview Wine and Cheese estate. The Cinsault grape is known for its heat tolerance.

Ayama Winery

This winery is known for its excellent Italian cuisine. The wines are nothing special.

A sign in the restaurant

Paarl

Fairview Wine and Cheese

I already knew from my visit to ‘Knolfontein Wines’ that they produce excellent goat cheese here. I also had the pleasure of tasting some wonderful wines. I particularly enjoyed these wines:

Fairview OVP Steen 2024 is a bush vine wine made from Chenin Blanc vines that are over 60 years old. It’s a magnificent wine with tropical notes and a light, fresh acidity. The grapes of bush vines aren’t trained on wires but remain as bushes on the ground.

Bloemcool Ploegperd 2023 is also a dream. It is made from 50% Chenin Blanc vines over 60 years old and 50% Grenache grapes. The name ‘Bloemcool’ is a reminder that cauliflower used to be grown on this land.

Meulwater Botanical Garden

Brookdale Estate

Just a 15-minute drive from my apartment in Paarl, this beautifully situated winery has a highly recommended restaurant. Calling it a “bistro” is an understatement. It is a fantastic gourmet restaurant. Of the wines, I especially loved the “Brookdale Twenty Field Blend 2024”. It’s made from 20 grape varieties planted as bush vines. It was an experiment that clearly paid off.

The area is fantastic, too!

Manor Restaurant at Nederburg Wines

This estate is part of the Heineken Group and is therefore a mass producer. I liked the mussels and lamb chops.

Hiking in the Paarlberg Nature Reserve

For a change of pace from the many wineries and restaurants, I went on a day hike in this nature reserve above the town of Paarl.

View of the Paarl Valley

To the right is Gordon’s Rock, and to the left is the taller Bretagneklip, which I climbed

and from the other side

The national flower of South Africa, the King Protea

Afrikaans Language Monument

This impressive monument is dedicated to the Afrikaans language. It was unveiled in 1975 to mark the 100th anniversary of the “Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners” society. This society has worked to promote recognition of the language and identity of Afrikaans-speaking people. The language developed from the South Dutch spoken by the first settlers and the languages of the slaves in the Cape region.

Faber Restaurant at Avondale Estate

Here I enjoyed an excellent 6-course meal with wine pairings, which I highly recommend. Every course was perfect!

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is the most famous wine region in the Cape.

Art in the town

Louisvale Wines

The restaurant is located in this futuristic building. The food wasn’t anything special, but their best wine, “Five Barrels – Cabernet Sauvignon 2022”, made from the finest five barrels, was excellent.

This winery plays classical music for its vines and is convinced that the music has a positive effect. I didn’t taste any wine here, as I had reserved a table at the neighboring Jordan Wine Estate.

The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira

This restaurant is one of the best in the Cape. The wines and every course are a treat! Be sure to make a reservation well in advance!

Rustenberg Estate

The estate is best known for its garden. As for the wines, I recommend the 2024 barrel-fermented Chardonnay from the flagship series. A wonderful wine!

‘The Vine Bistro’ Restaurant at Glenelly Winery

They serve a delicious three-course meal. My favorite was the full-bodied ‘Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2015,’ made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Verdot grapes.

Lanzerac Wine Estate

This winery and hotel is notable for its impressive architecture. This time, I didn’t taste any wine.

Hike up Stellenbosch Mountain

For a change, I wanted to climb Stellenbosch Mountain, which stands at 1,156 meters and is pictured below.

View from the ascent

A waypoint

I was almost alone on this hike. I only passed two paragliders who were heading back down with their paragliding packs because the wind was too strong.

I turned back at this point, since it had rained during the night and the rocks were too slippery.

View on the descent

Rust en Vrede Restaurant

This restaurant is one of the best in the Cape and is on par with Michelin-starred establishments. To be sure of getting a table, you need to make a reservation months in advance. Once again, both the food and the wines were of the highest quality. Chef Fabio Daniel, with his Brazilian and Italian roots, continues to do an excellent job!

Delaire Graff Estate

This winery is one of the most famous in the Cape. The wines are excellent, the estate is filled with art, and it also features a 5-star Relais & Châteaux hotel.

The reception

Tokara Wine Estate

Another winery with a great view

Muratie Wine Estate

Founded in 1699, the winery produces fine wines. In addition, a few curiosities can be found within its ancient walls, which, according to a will, may no longer be altered.

Stark-Condé Wines

The tasting takes place on an island in the middle of an idyllic lake. The wines are generally good, but I particularly recommend the ‘Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch,’ which also contains 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc.

Rainbow’s End Wine Estate

This winery is located at the very back of the valley, offering a fantastic view. The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine to pair with steak. But my favorite was the 2024 Cabernet Franc, their top wine.

Franshoek

When France banned Protestantism in 1685, thousands of Huguenots fled. In 1688, 300 of them arrived by ship in Cape Town and were granted land in what was then known as the Oliphantshoek Valley, named for the many elephants in the area. More immigrants followed. In Afrikaans, Franshoek means “French Corner”. Even today, most of the names in the valley are French, and excellent French cuisine can also be found here.

Huguenot Monument

This monument commemorates the cultural influence of the Huguenots on the Cape region and all of South Africa, as well as the importance of religious freedom.

Art in Franshoek

Monneaux Restaurant

The opulent restaurant is part of the 5-star hotel ‘Franschhoek Country House & Villas’. However, the service, food, and wines did not meet 5-star standards.

Ōku, Eleven und Epice Restaurants

Franshoek offers plenty of options for foodies. Ōku is a Japanese fine-dining restaurant. I had the 10-course meal. The beverage pairing also included beer and sake. At Eleven, I had a 7-course menu with wine pairing, which was just as much of an experience. The most expensive of the three restaurants was Epice, which was in a league of its own. All three would have at least one Michelin star in Europe.

Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve

This nature reserve is located just a few kilometers outside of Franshoek. Unfortunately, a fire broke out there a month ago.

The hike led to the 1,419-meter-high “Du Toitskop” peak, offering a fantastic view of Franshoek and the surrounding area.

This lizard is all set for lunch.

Boschendal Night Market

Every Friday evening, Boschendal Estate hosts a large market with lots of people, stalls, restaurants, and live music. To have something to drink, I bought the “Boschendal Black Angus Bordeaux Blend 2021”, which mainly contains Shiraz and suited my taste.

Franschhoek Motor Museum

This exquisite car museum belongs to billionaire Johann Rupert. 80 of the total 200 cars in the collection are on display on a rotating basis in the four large halls.

Babylonstoren Wine Estate

This large estate includes a hotel, a restaurant, a winery, an olive oil farm, a tea farm, and a sprawling garden. It is so popular that the the visitors are willing to pay an admission fee to enter this estate.

Leeu Estates

The top-rated restaurant ‘La Petite Colombe’ is located on the Leeu estate, which also includes a 5-star hotel. Art is everywhere.

The restaurant “La Petite Colombe” was one of the most expensive on my trip to South Africa, but it was worth the price.

The “Wine Bearer” statue, which stands four meters tall and weighs 560 kilograms, is the most famous sculpture on the winery grounds.

Stony Brook Vineyards

This winery doesn’t have a particularly scenic view, but I tasted a fantastic Chardonnay here, the “Ghost Gum White 2024”, which was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. It’s wonderfully well-rounded, has an intense buttery flavor, and isn’t expensive either. A definite buy!

Leopard’s Leap Restaurant & Wine Farm

The landmark of this winery is a sculpture of a leopard about to take a leap.

The restaurant isn’t expensive, but it’s still quite good.

Eikehof Wines

Just a few hundred meters further on is this rustic winery, whose wines are of good average quality. I liked the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon best.

From Franshoek, I drove about 100 km south to Hermanus, which is located on the coast.

Hermanus

The town is named after the Dutch teacher Hermanus Pieters, who came here to fish and let his sheep graze. From June to December, migrating whales can be spotted.

The miles-long cliff path

Fisherhaven

About 20 km from Hermanus lies the small town of Fisherhaven, where I visited a winery and a great restaurant.

Benguela Cove Winery

I just took a quick look around here, since I had a restaurant reservation afterward.

Le Chalet Restaurant

This restaurant looks Swiss, and it’s actually run by a Swiss family. The owner and chef was born in the Allgäu region in Germany but now holds Swiss citizenship.

The three-course menu with wine pairings was excellent!

Hawston Strand

On my way home to Hermanus, I stopped at this amazing beach.

Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

The main reason for my stay in Hermanus was the Hemel-en-Aarde wine region, which means “Heaven and Earth” in English. It’s a wine region with a cool climate, so the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines turn out particularly well here.

Kostelijk Restaurant

The location of this restaurant is beautiful, and it had good reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. None of the wines by the glas were from the region, and they were served too warm. Additionally, the doneness of the meat did not match my order.

After eating at the restaurant, I went for a hike in the valley.

Hasher Family Wines

Afterwards, I made a trip to the Hasher Winery, which was already closed. The next day, I stopped by for a tasting.

The evening atmosphere in the valley was extraordinary!

Ataraxia Wines

This winery is one of the best in the valley.

I was thrilled by the wines. Their ‘Ataraxia Black Chardonnay 2024’ is a fantastic wine, wonderfully subtle with light woody notes. The ‘Ataraxia Pinot Noir 2024’ is actually a top-notch Pinot Noir. I also tasted the ‘Ataraxia Serenity 2021,’ which contains Cinsault and Pinotage in addition to Pinot Noir, another brilliant wine. Because of the Cinsault and Pinotage components, it’s heavier than the pure Pinot Noir.

Spookfontein Restaurant

The view from the restaurant is beautiful, but I wasn’t impressed by the food or the wines, except for the Chardonnay.

Restaurant at Newton Johnson Family Vineyards

This restaurant is the best in the valley. As for the wines, I liked the ‘Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2024,’ but the wines at Ataraxia Wines were even better.

Elgin Wine Region

On my way back toward Cape Town, coming from Hermanus, I reached the Elgin wine region after 55 km. Although grapes have been grown here for a long time, the region really took off in 1985, when the potential of the cool climate for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay was recognized.

Almenkerk Wine Estate

My first visit to a winery in this region was a real hit. The ‘Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2024’ is one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever tasted. It’s complex with subtle green notes. The ‘Almenkerk Merlot 2022’ is also an outstanding wine.

Cheverells Farm Restaurant

Here I enjoyed a simple but tasty lunch for very little money.

Restaurant ‘The Table at Oak Valley’

They served an excellent three-course meal here, with a main course so big that I could only eat half of it. I really enjoyed the Oak Valley Winery’s Pinot Noir ‘Sounds of Silence 2025’.

Spioenkop Wines

I had the chance to speak with the Belgian owner and winemaker in person. I could really feel his passion for his craft. He was the first to grow Pinotage in a cool climate, and he was proven right. His ‘2021 Pinotage’ is the best Pinotage I’ve tasted so far! It has the typical Pinotage flavor, but it’s not an overpowering flavor bomb, as is so often the case with Pinotage wines, and yet it’s full-bodied enough to pair with a steak.

South Hill Vineyards

Three years after a change in ownership, the winery is still in the process of being established. The website, for example, is still the one from the previous owner. The food and wines were satisfactory.

Cape Town

Sea Point

At the end of my trip around the Cape, I arrived in Cape Town, or rather in the suburb of Sea Point, located 5 kilometers away. This area is right by the sea, is safe even at night, and has a few good restaurants.

In the evening, I immediately strolled along the promenade and enjoyed the sunset.

The promenade at Sea Point with Lion’s Head in the background.

Mouille Point

I went jogging a few kilometers from Sea Point to Mouille Point and back. The red-and-white-striped lighthouse is the landmark of this area.

This year, many historic and exceptional modern cars were on display that participated in the “Cape 1000” car rally, a multi-day tour around the Western Cape.

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront is a must-see on any visit to Cape Town. This former port area is now Cape Town’s main entertainment district, featuring countless restaurants, shops, and a large aquarium.

Newlands Forest Hiking Trail

A waitress at a restaurant recommended this hike through an enchanted forest.

The hike runs along the base of Table Mountain.

There are a few markets taking place on the weekend. In addition to the ‘Oranjezicht City Farm Market,’ there’s also the ‘Neighbourgoods Market Woodstock,’ where I took the following photo of the zebra-skin shoes.

Castle of Good Hope

I had missed this 17th-century fortress of the Dutch East India Company on my previous trips to Cape Town. Now I was finally able to make up for it.

Cape Town City Hall

Carnival

The Carnival Parade

Of course, Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu cannot be left out.

The Chinese community in Cape Town played a rather significant role in the parade.

As I do every time I visit Cape Town, I climbed the three landmarks Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, and Table Mountain.

Signal Hill

Signal Hill, which is only 350 meters high, is famous for its stunning sunsets. Since there’s always a traffic jam after sunset, I hiked up the hill from Sea Point and back.

A view of Cape Town Stadium, which was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

View of Lion’s Head

Climbing Lion’s Head

Another highlight is the climb up Lion’s Head, which stands at 669 meters.

View of Signal Hill, Sea Point is on the left

View of Camps Bay

A couple enjoys the view of Sea Point.

View of Table Mountain

Camps Bay

Back down, I looked back up at Lion’s Head from Camps Bay, another tourist suburb.

Climbing Table Mountain

View of Table Mountain from below

The ascent takes place via Platteklip Gorge.

View of the city

The national flower of South Africa, the King Protea

View of Camps Bay and Lion’s Head

Constantia Glen Winery

A colleague recommended this winery’s restaurant. The view was just right.

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2026

For my last evening in Cape Town, the jazz festival was on the agenda. I was surprised by the hundreds of attendees and the top-notch music.

That brought two very eventful months around the Cape to a close. The next day, I flew to Durban, South Africa, to go hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains.

 

This text is an automatic English translation from the German original by deepl.com.