About Stellenbosch
Art, Wine, Mountains, Festivals, Vineyards, Culture, Sport, Wine Farms,
Stellenbosch ………Wish You Were Here
Stellenbosch is one of the most beautiful towns in South Africa. Majestic mountains and bountiful vineyards surround the town with views guaranteed to inspire awe.
Stellenbosch is also known for its prestigious University adding to the vibrant atmosphere in town. The town is full of history, heritage, music, art and students, giving a feeling of warmth and excitement that’s almost tangible. Stellenbosch’s forefathers were encouraged to plant oak trees and so the town is also known as “Eikestad” or the village of oaks, due to its beautiful oak lined streets. The mix of modern and historical architecture is evident all around you, with the legendary Dorp Street boasting some of the oldest and best preserved buildings in South Africa.
The sidewalk cafes gives this town a distinctly European feel with restaurants to entice the most discerning palate, to student pubs and everything in between.
Wine is the lifeblood of Stellenbosch where your choices of wine far exceed any other region in the country. The Stellenbosch Wine Route, is the best known in the country and most visited. Wine farms range from traditional estates to glamorous boutique wine estates.
Incredible
Many of these estates boast state of the art wine cellars, wine tasting facilities and some of the region’s top restaurants. Stellenbosch recently won the “Wine Town of the Year Award” for 2011 by the influential Swedish wine club Munskänkarna, the first time this award has gone to a wine region outside the European borders.
Stellenbosch and surrounds are hosts to a variety of year round festivals, food and wine, arts and culture and horticulture. See our Events & Entertainment for details.
History
Click here to read about the history of Stellenbosch.
What to Do
Stellenbosch is best known for its award winning Wines with numerous wine tours on offer. Prestigious restaurants, cosy bistros, al fresco cafes and student pubs, Stellenbosch has it all, a food and wine connoisseur’s heaven. Have a picnic with the family; packed baskets are available for sale at numerous wine farms. Seasonal Strawberry picking is another favourite and for the more adventurous and active, a variety second to none.
Mountain Biking, Hiking, Golfing, Sight Seeing, Fly Fishing, Quad Bikes…. its all here for you !
Visit art exhibitions & galleries, theatres or join a tour of Stellenbosch on foot. With Stellenbosch as your home base, numerous day trips are possible, ranging from Shark Cage Diving to Rock Climbing, Abseiling, and Scenic Drives.
Stellenbosch and Sport goes hand in hand, with Rugby the most popular sport in town. The very famous Danie Craven Stadium (named after Danie Craven maybe better known as Doc Craven) is home to the Maties Rugby Club – one of the oldest and biggest rugby clubs in the world. Maties produced more Springboks than any other club and claimed the Varsity Cup from inception in 2008 for three years in a row, missing out in 2011.Thanks to the University of Stellenbosch, Coetzenburg Stadium – a multi sport stadium, offers world class sporting facilities which include Astro turf hockey fields, cricket fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, swimming pools, the list goes on. The Stellenbosch University Sport Performance Institute (SUSPI) is situated on the Coetzenburg grounds. Coetzenburg is highly rated around the world for team training camps as well as individual athletes, thanks to all the world class facilities.
Stellenbosch surrounds offer a variety of Wild life and Animal Rehabilitation Centres well worth visiting.
Getting Here
Stellenbosch lies in the heart of the spectacular Winelands, along the banks of the Eerste Rivier, between the Cape’s two major arterial roads, the N1 and N2 approximately 45km east of Cape Town with off ramps clearly sign posted. The nearest airport is Cape Town International, a 30 minute drive away.
Climate
Stellenbosch summers are dry and warm to hot, with some February and March days rising to over 40°C. Winters are cool, rainy and sometimes windy, with daytime temperatures averaging 16°C. Snow is usually seen a couple of times in winter on the surrounding mountains. Spring and autumn are shoulder seasons and daytime temperatures hover in the 20°C’s. The Mediterranean climate proves ideal for viticulture.
Nature Reserves
Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, which includes Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve, lies just 8km east of Stellenbosch in the Jonkershoek Valley. Surrounded by the Jonkershoek Mountains this is a favourite with hikers, mountain bikers, birders and general nature lovers. The Jonkershoek Nature Reserve offers five hiking trails varying from easy to relatively difficult and several mountain bike routes.
Heaven… Magnificent views , a must for any nature lover,hiking enthusiast and mountain biker
The views are simply magnificent no matter which hike you do. The 10 kilometre circular route in the Reserve can be done in a vehicle, it is a gravel road – well maitained, easy negotiable for a Sedan. Assegaaibosch offers three walking trails.
It is advisable first timers to join a guided group on the hikes.
For info call Cape Nature: +27(0)21 866 1560
Jan Marais Nature Reserve a small preserve close to the centre of town with relatively busy roads on all sides, almost like a “town park” rich in fynbos, with picnic sites and a labyrinth.
Entrance is free.
See our Tourism page and Lifestyle page for a comprehensive list of attractions, activities and many more options on what this awesome town has to offer the visitor and those lucky enough to call Stellenbosch home.
