Settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, the area now known as Stellenbosch had its first grape vines planted in 1690 by French Huguenot refugees. The famous “Cape Dutch” architecture is still found throughout the town with its sloping roofs similar to those found in modern-day Amsterdam.
Stellenbosch is also home to Stellenbosch University, which is popular with international students. Most travelers stop here for a few days to visit the wineries or come for the day from Cape Town. I spent two full days after a long bus from Storms River, which was probably too much. But if you’re super into wine, it might not be enough!
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The Wineries of Stellenbosch
Some wineries are a short drive from central Stellenbosch, while others are more like 30 minutes away. There are a few ways to visit, depending on what you want to do. I wanted to visit as many as possible in one day, so I bought a hop-on-hop-off pass with Vine Hopper, which visits five or six in a day. I highly recommend going slow and eating plenty of lunch.
If you only want to visit a few and have a designated driver, it’s easy to rent a car and drive. And while you can take Uber out to many of the wineries, most won’t pick you up and you’ll have to call an overpriced taxi to retrieve you. There are also cycling tours that visit wineries.
Also, if you want to bring bottles home, most major wineries ship internationally. There’s also a great selection at the Johannesburg airport’s duty-free shop!
Other Things to Do in Stellenbosch
If you’re sick of wine or don’t drink, Stellenbosch is still worth the stop. After a long first day of drinking, I scrapped my second day tour and instead opted to wander around the city. This worked out because I got food poisoning the night before and could barely eat, let alone sip a glass of wine.
So I ended up touring the gorgeous Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, which has species from around the world. Entry is 10 ZAR, or around 70 cents USD. I also visited the Stellenbosch University Museum, which is free to visit. Set in a 1907 Flemish Renaissance Revival building, there are exhibits on South African history, the history of the school, and artwork.
Where to Eat in Stellenbosch
I was surprised at how many great restaurants were in Stellenbosch. I went to Blue Crane for coffee and breakfast after hearing about it from Kate, which was one of my favorites. They also have a full-service restaurant. I also enjoyed my burger at Craft Wheat and Hops. I had a nice breakfast at Greengate Bakery. I also heard good things about Schoon Bakery and Man’ousche.
Unfortunately, I also had the bad luck of getting food poisoning while in Stellenbosch, which meant I didn’t eat much the next day. I suspect it was the fish tacos from Tiger’s Milk that I had delivered on Uber Eats after my wine tour, but I can’t be sure. Thankfully I kept down a juice from Kauai, my favorite while in South Africa, and a sandwich from Vida e Caffe.
If you want to try wine without going to the wineries, there are a number of shops and tasting rooms in town. Bartinney Wine & Champagne Bar is one option.
Shopping in Stellenbosch
I used my downtime in Stellenbosch as an opportunity to pick up the souvenirs I had been holding off on getting. I browsed Verbatim bookstore, which has a number of titles on African history and children’s books. There are also multiple restaurants selling local crafts like woven baskets and carved wooden animals. When you need chain stores and to fill up your phone plan, head to Eikestad Mall.
Where to Stay in Stellenbosch
I was nearing the end of my trip, so I booked a cheap hostel listed on the BazBus site. I’ve written about my experiences at iKhaya Backpackers already, but in case you didn’t hear, I do not recommend this place. It’s a bar with some upstairs rooms and has no sort of social environment. The rooms are more like student apartments and dorms.
Instead, splurge on a room at one of the many wineries with onsite accommodations. Zorgvliet Wine Estate is one that I’d like to stay on a future visit!
Getting There
I arrived by BazBus, which stops in the town of Somerset West around 20 minutes away. The stop is at a BP gas station, which was fine for drop off to get a car, but it was tricky when I needed to pick up again. The bus ran late so I awkwardly stood inside with my backpack while a man got arrested outside and a lady asked me if I needed help. In town, it’s easy enough to walk, but there’s also Uber for longer distances. There are also day trip tours from Cape Town.
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