A unique town for all seasons: The heart of South Africa's wine industry,
Stellenbosch is a place of great beauty and culture that's steeped in South
African tradition. The Stellenbosch Wine Route is arguably the country's most
famous, and the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin area includes 106 cellars - most
of which are open to the public. Enjoy a long day's wine tasting, and wine
buying and you'll sip more than our great South African wines - you'll taste
our South African way of life. The heart of the town lies somewhere near the
oak-lined Dorp Street. With its venerable old buildings, this is the
University's main thoroughfare, where modern student life sits comfortably
side by side with our history and architectural heritage.
The University - Maties - has produced many of the country's great sporting
heroes, including more than 155 rugby Springboks, and Stellenbosch offers
almost every outdoor activity you could desire - from world-class sports
facilities (rugby, cricket and soccer are national passions) to popular
mountain bike routes and six truly great golf courses.
Several Hiking trails within the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve tempt the hiker:
they range from an easy 5,3 km scenic walk to the challenging 17.1 km Panorama
Trail and the 18 km Swartboskloof Trail. Visit Granny's Forest at Helderberg
Farm for easy walking - they also offer various other trails and an overnight
hut. The full-day Vineyard Hiking Trail is best enjoyed in autumn or spring;
it's 24 km long that starts on the slopes of the Papegaaiberg, above the Oude
Libertas Centre and meanders through the forest plantations, vineyards, olive
groves and coastal renosterveld. An important cultural centre, Stellenbosch
has many galleries and museums housing important national and international
art collections and the Stellenbosch Conservatoire is the country's oldest
music school.
Stellenbosch, the centre of the Winelands, is the oldest and most attractive
town in the region, with a large university giving it a liveliness which is
lacking in nearby towns. The centre has a pleasing mix of architectural
styles-Cape Dutch, Georgian, Regency and Victorian houses line broad streets,
dappled with shade from centuries-old oak trees, and furrowed with water
ditches which still info@namibweb.comry water to the gardens. It's a fairly large place, but
with its handful of good museums and fun nightlife is a perfect base for
visiting the wine estates.
