111 Best Sights in The Western Cape and Winelands, South Africa

On the outskirts of town, a pair of white gateposts set well back from the main road signal the start of Rotary Way. This scenic drive climbs along the spine of the mountains above Hermanus, offering incredible views of Walker Bay and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. It's a highlight of a trip to Hermanus and shouldn't be missed. The entire mountainside is laced with wonderful walking trails, and many of the scenic lookouts have benches. The start of the drive is about 2½ km (1½ miles) west of the Old Harbour. 

Nestled against the base of Helderberg Mountain, the peaceful Rust en Vrede winery is shaded by giant oaks and looks out over steep slopes of vines and roses. This comparatively small estate specializes entirely in reds and produces some of the very best in South Africa. In fact, Nelson Mandela chose this wine to be served at his Nobel Peace Prize dinner when he was president. Rust en Vrede Estate is the flagship wine, a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. Enjoy it now, but you can also put it away to mature in the bottle for another 10 years or more. Another weighty wine is the 1694 Classification (named after the year the farm was established). Look out for raspberry, cedar, and pencil shavings on palate and nose.

This estate may date back to 1682, but it's been brought thoroughly up to date with a state-of-the art winery and underground vaulted maturation rooms. It is known for red wines, particularly its 100% Cabernet Peter Barlow (named after the present owner's father), which is made from grapes from one lovely, well-tended vineyard. The Five Soldiers Chardonnay is delicious and also made from a single vineyard, which gives it its unique character. It's named for the five tall pine trees that stand guard on top of the hill above the Chardonnay grapes. The farm uses screw caps on about half of its wines for quality and environmental reasons. Make time to explore the estate's beautiful gardens and labyrinth. These are open year-round but are best in summer. The lovely manor house gardens are open to the public only once a year over the last weekend of October, alas. Book ahead for tastings.

Based in a converted old wine cellar, this complex between Franschhoek and Paarl can occupy a whole family for the afternoon. There's an award-winning craft brewery here, specializing in unique, barrel-aged beers, some fermented with yeast harvested from surrounding fynbos. It's also home to the tasting room of Painted Wolf Wines, best known for their spicy Shiraz, and Stillman Distillery, who make great gin. For kids and artsy types, you can design and paint a glass bowl at Fanglasstic, or just shop for some of their beautifully etched glassware. Papi's Eatery provides sustenance after all the beer, wine, and gin, with hearty burgers, smoked meats, and excellent milkshakes.

Sitting in a sea of vines is this estate with tremendous views back toward Stellenbosch and the mountains. Simonsig has more than a dozen white and red wines of impressive range, both in terms of taste and price. But quantity certainly doesn't mean that it has compromised on quality. This family-run farm produces exciting and consistent wines. Kaapse Vonkel was South Africa's first Méthode Cap Classique, and since 1971 this classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a touch of Pinot Meunier has been among the best. The Pinotage demonstrates how well this varietal fares with no wood aging, but the Red Hill Pinotage, from old bush vines, shows just how much good oaking can improve it. This is a good place for kids, with a small playground, a labyrinth that takes about 10 minutes to walk through, and a small vineyard they can explore. Cuvee restaurant offers seasonal, locally inspired dishes in a relaxed environment.

In 2002 neuroscience professor Mark Solms took charge of Delta wine estate and set about altering wine-making traditions in the region; the grapes grown at Solms-Delta are French, but the technique used is from ancient Greece. This process is called desiccation: grapes are clamped on the vine, cutting off the flow of nutrients, leading to dehydrated fruit with intense flavor. The estate produces three ranges: the Lifestyle, Heritage, and Terroir collections. On the farm you can also visit the Museum van de Caab, where you'll learn the story of the farm and the fascinating history of the Cape. Produce from the estate's 5-acre garden of veldkos (indigenous edible plants) is used in Fyndraai Restaurant, which serves traditional Cape cuisine with strong European and Cape Malay influences. If you'd prefer an informal lunch, you can opt to picnic on the grounds.

Abrie Bruwer, owner and winemaker at Springfield Estate, has a fan club, and for good reason. If the wine doesn't meet Bruwer's stringent standards, it isn't released. Although the Whole Berry Cabernet has its loyal following, this innovative estate is also known for its unusual approach to white wines, especially Chardonnay. The Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay is made in the original Burgundy style, a technique that uses wild yeast and no fining or filtration. It has tropical fruit flavors, layered with lime and cream. The creamy Wild Yeast Chardonnay, with its all-natural fermentation, is an unwooded version of the above and comes highly recommended. Another great white is the Special Cuvée. It originates from the estate's prime Sauvignon Blanc vineyard and has notes of passion fruit and nettle. Miss Lucy, an unusual white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Pinot Gris, was created as an ode to the ocean. Free cellar tours are available weekdays.

Located deep in the Cederberg, this complex of caves is wonderful at sunset, when the rays light up the russet landscape. It's highly likely that the San once called these caves home, and as you wander through the different caverns, you could imagine it making a pretty spectacular place to live. Nearby is a San rock art site, where you'll find centuries-old paintings of elephants and people etched onto the rocks. Although it's a long and bumpy drive to get here from the N7, it's still one of the most accessible rock art sites in the Cederberg because it requires only a gentle stroll from the car park. Permits to visit the caves and rock art can be purchased at Algeria Campsite or at Sanddrif Farm, home of Cederberg Private Cellar. When you pay for your permit you'll be given the combination to a lock on the entry gate.

This museum includes four dwellings scattered within a two-block radius. Dating from different periods in Stellenbosch's history, the houses have been furnished to reflect changing lifestyles and tastes. The oldest is the very basic Schreuderhuis, built in 1709. The others date from 1789, 1803, and 1850.

Because of its location in the less fashionable part of the Winelands, this large cellar a few miles outside Malmesbury has had to work hard for its place in the sun. Previously a well-kept secret among local cost- and quality-conscious wine experts, it's garnering an international reputation. In 2013 and 2014 alone, the winery won four bronze and two silver Decanter World Wine Awards. It is particularly proud of its Bushvine range, and the Bushvine Shiraz and Bushvine Pinotage were ranked among the top 100 SA wines in 2012.

On the slopes of the Simonsberg, just off the Helshoogte Pass, this is an excellent example of the exciting developments in the Cape Winelands since the early 1980s, when farmers began to eye land that hadn't traditionally been earmarked for vineyards. When Gyles and Barbara Webb started the farm in 1983, there was nothing here but very good soil and old fruit trees. It's a testament to their efforts that the winery has regularly won prizes for both its reds and whites ever since. To cap it all off, the view of the Groot Drakenstein Mountains from the tasting room is unforgettable. Ever the pioneers, the Webbs have also bought Sutherland, an old fruit farm in the Elgin area. The Sutherland wines, which can be tasted at Thelema, are wonderfully fragrant; look out for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The local favorite, however, is Ed's Reserve, a single-vineyard Chardonnay named after the farm's matriarch, the late Edna McLean, Barbara's mother; she originally bought the Thelema farm and was a stalwart in the tasting room.

From August to early October, the wonderful Tienie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve is an unpretentious, uncommercial little gem showing off a range of South African veld plants. Look out for the geophytes—plants uniquely adapted for this type of environment—which come in a striking array of sizes and colors.

The House of Krone at Twee Jonge Gezellen specializes in the production of sparkling wine. One of the finest and oldest wineries in the area, it's known for its fantastic Cap Classiques, particularly Krone Borealis Vintage Cuvée Brut. As well as the standard tasting, you can opt for a fascinating vertical tasting of vintage bubblies from 2015 to 2018.

Next to the Burgher House, just across from the Braak on a traffic island in Market Street, stands the V.O.C. Arsenal, often called the V.O.C. Kruithuis (kruithuis means "powder house"). It took 91 years for the political council to decide that Stellenbosch needed its own magazine, and just six months in 1777 to complete the structure. Today the arsenal contains a wide selection of guns, gunpowder holders, and cannons. If the arsenal is closed, call or pop into the Toy and Miniature Museum and someone will open it up for you.

This winery between Robertson and Bonnievale produces around 60 wines, as well as whisky, brandy, and wine coolers, so there's something to suit most palates. In addition to sampling the wines, be sure to visit the unusual grounds of this family-owned farm. An established garden of native and exotic plants and trees surrounds a fountain that supplies the entire farm. Instead of visiting the usual tasting room, sit out under the trees and have the various wines brought to you. It's very relaxed and friendly, and you may feel like part of the family before you know it. The tasting room offers 10 different tastings, including pairings with cheese, chocolate, and a selection of sweets. There are even nonalcoholic tastings and a pairing for kids. 

Since starting in wine making in 1984, the Grier family has notched numerous successes. As John Platter, one of South Africa's foremost wine writers, once said, "Other winemakers might jog or work out in the gym; Jeff Grier gets all the exercise he needs stepping up to the podium for wine industry awards." The farm is famous for its range of Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines. Try the Brut Natural, which is 100% Chardonnay and made using wild yeast; it has no added sulfur and no added sugar. The creamy Monro Brut made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is a multiple award winner. The barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc is also very popular. Registered as a biodiversity farm, the winery produces chemical-free wines as much as possible; they use ducks to help control the snails and work to attract raptors to scare off the smaller birds that feast on the ripening grapes. You can combine a wine tasting with a drive through the 545-acre wildlife sanctuary (2 hours, R260), where you'll see eland, gemsbok, giraffe, bush pig, and other wild animals. Booking is essential.

This 19th-century home and the houses on either side of it form one of the best-preserved Georgian buildings in town.

Driving down Bain's Kloof Road, keep an eye out for the tasting room of Wellington Wines on the right. Constructed in 1907 in traditional style, the building itself is not noteworthy, but it has a vast picture window offering a stupendous view of the undulating vineyards beyond. Be sure to try the Centennial Range Shiraz-Mourvèdre blend, which promises great things. With plenty of well-priced, good-quality wines to choose from, you likely won't go away empty-handed. Unusual tasting options include a wine and doughnut pairing and a juice tasting option for the little ones.

About 20 minutes from Langebaan, West Coast Fossil Park is one of the richest fossil sites in the world. It was discovered by chance while the area was being mined for phosphates in the 1950s. Since then, more than 200 kinds of fossilized animals have been collected, including the fearsome African bear, which used to roam this area. The park has been declared a national monument, and the curators have done much to make the park as accessible as possible. There are interactive guided tours, cycling trails through the areas, and interesting archaeological workshops for all ages. There's also a children's play park and a coffee shop where you can have a toasted sandwich.

Even if you don't stop at the West Coast National Park, consider driving along the scenic road that runs through it. The park is a fabulous mix of wetlands and coastal fynbos. On a sunny day the lagoon assumes a magical color, made all the more impressive by blinding white beaches and the sheer emptiness of the place. Birders can have a field day identifying waterbirds, including curlew and bar-tailed godwits. The little mountain at the tip of the reserve where ships would drop off their mail on their trip around the Cape, is open only in flower season, which changes from year to year but falls somewhere between August and early October. 

It's easy to run out of superlatives when describing West Coast flowers, but imagine acres of land carpeted in multicolored blooms as far as the eye can see. If you're lucky, you may catch glimpses of zebra, wildebeest, or bat-eared foxes. Keep an eye out for tortoises crossing the road. There is a handful of cute cottages dotted around the park if you'd like to stay over, or for something a little more unusual, check out the houseboats permanently moored in the lagoon. Accommodations get booked up months in advance for flower season, so plan ahead.

Although it's looking a little worn around the edges, the Worcester Museum makes a welcome change from dusty artifacts in glass cases. It's a collection of original buildings from the area that have been re-erected around a working farmyard. Museum staffers bake bread, twist tobacco, make horseshoes in a smithy, and distill witblits (meaning moonshine).  There are witblits tastings, but keep in mind that some types have an alcohol content of almost 80%. The museum also has a shop where you can buy produce from the farmyard.