Cape, Winelands & Whales

South Africa

Just an hour’s drive inland from Cape Town, at the heart of the Cape winelands, is the historic town of Franschhoek.

Founded in 1688 by French Huguenots who brought with them a Gallic appreciation of all things epicurean, Franschhoek is the gastronomic capital of South Africa, its many excellent restaurants offering a world-class gourmet experience.

The vineyards around Franschhoek and nearby Stellenbosch produce some of the finest New World wines, best sampled on a tour of the local wine routes which pass through picturesque landscapes punctuated with characteristic Cape Dutch architecture.

Moving on from the winelands, the small coastal town of Hermanus is famous for its superb whale-watching, especially between May and December when the Southern Right whales are in residence in the bay. Other activities at Hermanus include sea-kayaking, deep-sea fishing and hiking, mountain biking or horse-riding in the local hills with their unique ‘fynbos’ heathland.