South Africa Tour: Day 30 Capetown

Day 30 of our virtual tour and we visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town! Or what do you think?

Tag 30 unserer virtuellen Tour und wir besuchen eine der schönsten Städte der Welt, Kapstadt.  Oder was denkst du?

South Africa Tour: Day 29 Paarl

Day 29 and we continue our virtual tour and visit the third oldest settlement in South Africa, Paarl is steeped in history and culture. But there’s far more to it than that!

GOLF

The Paarl Golf Club dates back to 1908, so it is not surprising that folks in the Paarl-Franschhoek valley take the sport pretty seriously. Boschenmeer Golf Estate, which is home to the golf club, boasts the first 27-hole championship golf course in the Western Cape.

Once you’ve played all 27 holes, head over to Pearl Valley, which forms part of the Val de Vie Estate. At Pearl Valley, you’ll find a pristine Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Since 2006, Golf Digest magazine has consistently ranked this as one of the top ten courses in South Africa!

WINE

The Paarl Wine Route, which is the second oldest in the country, is known for its full-bodied spicy reds and crisp whites. Shiraz is the most important varietal from the area, but Paarl wineries also produce remarkable chenin blanc, chardonnay, pinotage, viognier and mourvedre.

Be sure to check out Under Oaks, Nederburg Wines, KWV Wine Emporium, Fairview, Black Pearl Wines, Boland Kelder, Ridgeback Wine Farm and Rhebokskloof Wine Estate. Stop for a lazy lunch at the Grande Roche Hotel or at Harvest at the Laborie Wine Estate. (I grew up on the farm Laborie)

CHEESE

Once you are done tasting the wine at Fairview, be sure to sample some of their delicious cheeses. While Fairview also produces cow’s milk cheese, it is famous for its goat’s milk variety. The Saanen goat’s milk is supplied by a resident herd of over 1000 goats and you’ll find a couple of them frolicking in an enclosure near the tasting room. Be warned: you are likely to leave with more cheese than you can stomach in one sitting… or even a week!

Dalewood Fromage, on the Klapmuts-Simondium Road, sells a range of specialty cheeses – including brie, camembert, and the uniquely South African Huguenot – made from Jersey milk and produced on the estate. In your quest for all things cheesy, be sure to pop in to Three Ladies Cheese at the Goedemoed Farm. Here you’ll find a range of light semi-soft cheeses with black pepper, herbs, and cumin and mustard, and a delicate cambrieni.

GRANITE ROCKS!

Remember all that history we mentioned earlier? Here’s what you need to know. In 1657, a chap called Abraham Gabemma set out from the Cape in search of resources. On his journey he came across a giant granite rock gleaming in the distance. He called the mountain Pearl Mountain, and the town that grew at its base eventually became known as Paarl. This big rock is fairly significant as it is the second largest granite outcrop in the world.

Unless geology is your thing, a trip to Paarl Rock would seem a tad boring were it not for the monument erected on it. The Taal Monument, which was designed by architect Jan van Wijk in 1975, is a celebration of the Afrikaans language. At the time rather futuristic, the monument, which acknowledges the languages that contributed to the development of Afrikaans, is unexpectedly beautiful from the inside. Free guided tours are available daily.

NATURE

Whether you are traversing the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve or exploring the Arboretum along the Berg River, this little section of the Cape offers up some spectacular scenery. One of the best ways to take it all in is on a mountain bike.

There are numerous routes, of varying degrees of difficulty, in and around the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. There are also routes that take you around some of the picturesque wine farms. Check out some of the routes here. If you don’t own a bike, you can hire one (delivery and collection included) from Dirtopia.

ARTS, CRAFTS AND BEER

Spice Route is reason enough to head to Paarl for the day. With two fabulous restaurants, a coffee shop that serves homemade ice cream, a winery tasting room, a distillery, a cured-meats deli, a chocolatier, an art studio, a glass-blowing studio, and a shop filled with hand-crafted treasures , Spice Route is a little village all on its own. It also happens to be home to the Cape Brewing Company.

Under the watchful eye of brew-master Wolfgang Koedel, CBC has quickly become one of the country’s favourite craft breweries. In 2014, 45,000 visitors flocked to the brewery to discover where and how the magic happens. Indulge in all four of the key CBC brews – pilsner, lager, krystal weiss, and amber weiss – at the Barley & Biltong beer garden, whilst tucking into a selection of beef, kudu, eland, and springbok biltong.

If you’re after a few new brews, try the Berg River Brewery on the banks of the Berg River in Paarl. Chat to the owners Glenn and Shaun about the niceties of brewing while sampling their helles lager, blonde ale, kristel weizen, and pale ale.

South Africa Tour: Day 28 Slanghoek

Day 28 of our virtual tour and we visit the impressive Slanghoek Valley and surrounding area. Slanghoek Mountains and the smaller Badsberg mountain showcases a restfully pastoral landscape of vineyards and fruit farms. A wine-tasting tour at the popular wine farms is a must for wine connoisseurs - locals and tourists alike! Slanghoek Valley not only offers good wine but a number of attractions and activities such as hiking, horse riding, biking and fishing. You can also enjoy good food and good company while enjoying spectacular valley and mountain views.

Tag 28 unserer virtuellen Tour und wir besuchen das beeindruckende  Das Slanghoek-Gebirge und der kleinere Badsberg bieten eine erholsame pastorale Landschaft aus Weinbergen und Obstfarmen.  Eine Weinprobe auf den beliebten Weinfarmen ist ein Muss für Weinkenner - Einheimische und Touristen gleichermaßen!  Das Slanghoek-Tal bietet nicht nur guten Wein, sondern auch eine Reihe von Attraktionen und Aktivitäten wie Wandern, Reiten, Radfahren und Angeln.  Sie können auch gutes Essen und gute Gesellschaft genießen, während Sie den spektakulären Blick auf das Tal und die Berge genießen.

South Africa Tour: Day 27 Robertson

Day 27 of our virtual tour and we visit, Robertson which is situated in the fertile Breede River Valley on the foot of the Langeberg Mountains,

Robertson offers the visitor wine estates, hiking trails, nature reserves, a riverside holiday resort, racehorse stud farms and above all exceptional hospitality.

The town is surrounded by vineyards and orchards that stretch from the outlying farm lands into the very heart of the town. Columns of red or yellow cannas and flaming bougainvillea line the roads outside the wine estates, gardens overflow and vineyards are banked with roses, while brilliant mauve jacarandas shade the streets.

Around Robertson lie the stately stud farms. Eleven co-operatives, fourteen estates and half a dozen private producers, in and around Robertson, have made this one of the foremost wine-making regions in South Africa. And orchard upon orchard of decidious fruit and olives, destined for the national and international markets, punctuates the landscape that isn't covered by vineyards.

Tag 27 unserer virtuellen Tour und wir besuchen Robertson, das im fruchtbaren Breede River Valley am Fuße des Langebergs liegt.

Robertson bietet den Besuchern Weingüter, Wanderwege, Naturschutzgebiete, einen Ferienort am Fluss, Rennpferdegestüte und vor allem außergewöhnliche Gastfreundschaft.

Die Stadt ist von Weinbergen und Obstgärten umgeben, die sich vom abgelegenen Ackerland bis ins Herz der Stadt erstrecken.  Säulen roter oder gelber Cannas und flammender Bougainvillea säumen die Straßen außerhalb der Weingüter, die Gärten sind überfüllt und die Weinberge sind mit Rosen übersät, während leuchtend lila Jacarandas die Straßen beschatten.

Um Robertson herum liegen die stattlichen Gestüte.  Elf Genossenschaften, vierzehn Weingüter und ein halbes Dutzend privater Produzenten in und um Robertson haben diese Region zu einer der führenden Weinregionen in Südafrika gemacht.  Und Obstgarten für Obstgarten mit Laubfrüchten und Oliven, die für den nationalen und internationalen Markt bestimmt sind, prägen die Landschaft, die nicht von Weinbergen bedeckt ist.

South Africa Tour: Day 26 Franschhoek

Day 26 of our virtual tour and we visit a petite piece of France (Franschhoek means “French corner” in Dutch), where French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution arrived during the late 17th century. Though they would gradually integrate into the culture of the Dutch farmers who worked the land alongside them, their cultural influences were adopted along with those of the Dutch settlers, freed slaves and indigenous Khoi and San peoples to create a rich and unique heritage befitting the splendid beauty of this majestic valley.

Illustrious wine estates, excellent restaurants and secluded countryside retreats abound in this region,   Whether it’s cuisine, wine, culture or outdoor adventures you’re after, you will find that Franschhoek’s fame is well justified.

Tag 26 unserer virtuellen Tour und wir besuchen ein kleines Stück Frankreich (Franschhoek bedeutet auf Niederländisch „französische Ecke“), wo französische Hugenotten, die vor religiöser Verfolgung flohen, im späten 17. Jahrhundert ankamen.  Obwohl sie sich allmählich in die Kultur der niederländischen Bauern integrieren würden, die das Land neben ihnen bewirtschafteten, wurden ihre kulturellen Einflüsse zusammen mit denen der niederländischen Siedler, befreiten Sklaven und indigenen Khoi und San-Völker übernommen, um ein reiches und einzigartiges Erbe zu schaffen, das dem Prächtigen entspricht  Schönheit dieses majestätischen Tals.

 In dieser Region gibt es viele berühmte Weingüter, ausgezeichnete Restaurants und abgelegene Rückzugsorte auf dem Land. Ob Küche, Wein, Kultur oder Outdoor-Abenteuer, Sie werden feststellen, dass Franschhoeks Ruhm durchaus gerechtfertigt ist.