Time to sample a Cape Town wine route together!

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We have enjoyed many a Cape Town wine route, from the student variety (drink as much as you can) to the family one (where can the kids play and eat?)

Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl Valley Wine Day Trip

Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a lover of natural beauty you'll be swept away on this wine tour to the famous Stellenbosch and Paarl Valley wineries. Combining historic villages, stunning scenery and fabulous wines, this day trip will have your senses working overtime!
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There is so much more to a Cape Town wine route than wine!

Most visitors (our family included!) are not wine connoisseurs, so don't feel left out if you don't know a Chardonnay from a Chenin Blanc...

Which Cape Town wine route?

The Cape Winelands stretch for miles and you can spend as much time as you like exploring them.

They are divided by area, so I’ll mention them in order of closeness to Cape Town, (closest to furthest)

Constantia – the original vineyards and home to some prestigious estates. “Constantia wine” was even mentioned with deference by one of Jane Austen’s characters in Sense and Sensibility! 20 minutes drive south from central Cape Town

Durbanville is a relative newcomer to the scene but one to be reckoned with. Some old architecture, some new and it is home to restaurants like Bloemendal with SPECTACULAR Table Mountain vistas. 20 minutes drive north from central Cape Town

Stellenbosch Wine Route is the next oldest Cape Town wine route after Constantia and is named for Simon van der Stel. This is the most extensive route, comprising some 130 estates. It covers widely differing terrain and sprawls from close to Paarl all the way to Somerset West.30 – 40 minutes drive east from central Cape Town

Paarl is next to Stellenbosch both geographically and in age. It is home to (among some fantastic golf estates!) the Paarl Monument as well as beautiful Huguenot historical buildings. 45 minutes drive north-east from central Cape Town

Franschhoek is named for its French origins and is tucked away into a little valley of its own. It’s a magical, picturesque corner although (to my mind) somewhat overpriced. Despite that it is a very sought-after destination, so obviously people think it’s worth it!An hour and 10 minutes drive north east from central Cape Town

(You can do an incredible circular drive from Stellenbosch which takes in 3 spectacular passes: Helshoogte Pass, Franschoek Pass and Sir Lowry’s Pass. The round trip will take 3 or 4 hours, but staged over a few days it’s a great way to explore this area)

Then it’s on to the ‘secret’ wine routes a little farther afield.

Wellington Wine Route is local residents best kept secret and deserves more international visitor attention than it gets...

Robertson Wine Route is making a name for itself thanks to the fame of Graham Beck.

Montagu is a fast growing weekend destination with a rising wine profile to match.

Calitzdorp is the port wine capital of South Africa – whew, potent stuff! It’s worth the four-and-a-half hour drive even if you like port because it’s the perfect excuse to drive up Route 62 through the Klein Karoo.

So, how DO you choose a Cape Town wine route?

You needn’t confine yourself to one route at a time.

Depending on time constraints we often do a circular Winelands tour, driving out on the N1 towards Paarl then following the R44 to Stellenbosch before taking the R310 and the N2 back to Cape Town.

Or you could do a day trip that just takes you to Franschhoek.

Or allocate a week or more and extend your wine route experience by exploring Robertson, Route 62 and the Garden Route in an all-encompassing "Grand Tour".

What else is there?

These days we look for weekend family entertainment for the kids just as much wine.

One of the joys of living in Cape Town is its easy access to outlying areas. That means you can leave the city behind on a whim and soak up awesome days out in the country.

Stellenbosch now boasts a Childrens’ Route which showcases its family appeal.

(We discovered these places long before they were proclaimed an was an official ‘route’!)

Here are the outings joyously embraced by the junior members of our family.

You can even go hot air ballooning (if you have the budget!)

With so much to do, it’s worth finding Cape Town winelands accommodation to make the most of it for a night or two...