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StellenboschStellenbosch was founded in 1679 by Simon van der Stel on the banks of the Eerste River and was the second main European settlement in southern Africa after Cape Town.
The early Dutch settlers in Cape Town needed supplies of fresh food and explored the hinterland in search of just such a fertile valley.
Stellenbosch retains its 17th century layout of oak-shaded avenues and water furrows running out from the ancient village green - the Braak.
Nowadays, Stellenbosch is known for its excellent wine and the location of the Afrikaans-language University of Stellenbosch, which adds a youthful vibrancy to the town's many bars and pubs.
Besides oak trees for shade, Simon van der Stel and his free burghers planted vines and soon produced the area's first wine. In the 1970s, Stellenbosch created South Africa's first wine route with over 200 wineries and wine estates in the area.
Rhenish Church, Stellenbosch, Western CapeStellenbosch has a number of fine museums showcasing the history of the town. The Village Museum (18 Ryneveld Street, Tel: 021 887 2902) is a collection of 18th and 19th century houses and gardens including Blettermanhuis and Grosvenor House. Dorp Street, to the south, also has a number of beautiful historic buildings.
Sasol Art Museum (52 Ryneveld Street, Tel: 021 808 3693, closed Monday) has both European art and a collection of African cultural items such as weapons, tools and clothing assembled by the University of Stellenbosch. Housed in a restored 19th century building, the Sasol Art museum is a must-see.
The University of Stellenbosch Art Gallery (corner of Dorp & Bird Streets, Tel: 021 808 3489) exhibits contemporary South African artworks.
The Toy & Miniature Museum (42 Market Street, Tel: 021 887 2948) shows a varied collection of model trains (including the Blue Train), cars, cuddly toys, dollhouses and other oddities.
StellenboschThe V.O.C Kruithuis opposite the Braak is Stellenbosch's historic, restored arsenal with a quirky collection of ancient firearms and uniforms. The whitewashed structure is the last remaining powder magazine in South Africa dating from the days of the Dutch East India Company (V.O.C).
The Rhenish Church in Bloem Street was first built as a church school for slaves and Coloureds and is now a South African National Monument.
There are a couple of hundred wine estates in the Stellenbosch area, many of which are open to the public. Some also provide accommodation, tasting sessions and restaurants. Many of the best wineries are located in a 10 km radius of the town in beautiful countryside with views of the Groot Drakenstein and Simonsig mountains. Pinotage, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are some of the signature wines of the area.
Cape Town offers an eclectic mix of good restaurants, bistros and pubs.
Being on the coast Cape Town offers many venues with a variety of
fresh food from the ocean, while the steakhouses offer generous
portions of meat at value prices.
All can be washed down with the local wine,
which for a fair quality bottle will cost anything from Rand 25
upwards.
The price of local
draught beers start at Rand 14 per litre.
Camp's Bay opposite the beach offers many top class restaurants and is the ideal spot to watch the sun setting over the ocean.
Green Point strip also offers excellent restaurants and late night
clubs, as does the nearby Waterkant area which is the center of
Cape Town's gay community.
Long Street just to the west of the CBD, with its many older historic
buildings is a lively late night spot for younger revellers.
Rugby is a major winter sport and the Super 14 side the Stormers
play at Newlands stadium, 6 miles from the center of Cape Town.
Watersports of all kinds are readily available.
Extreme sports - para
sailing and hang gliding from Table Mountain.
Stellenbosch Tourism is at 36 Market Street (Tel: 021 883 3584) and can provide walking-tour maps and information on the wine estates. Brochures in English, French and German.
At present an average of 10 international flights arrive daily
at Cape Town International Airport, mostly from the UK and other
parts of Europe, and to a lesser extent from the Persian Gulf, Malaysia,
South America and other parts of the African continent.
Visitors from the USA and other areas presently have to change at
Johannesburg Airport. There are roughly 30 flights daily in each
direction Johannesburg - Cape Town, with a flight time of 2 hours.
Less frequent daily flights are available to Durban,
Port Elizabeth,
Bloemfontein
and Nelspruit (all
World Cup venue cities).
Stellenbosch is linked to Cape Town by Metrorail trains which
run approximately every two hours and take just under an hour. The station is a short walk to the west of the town on Adam Tas. There are also luxury coach and train services to Durban, Pretoria,
Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Nelspruit
from Cape Town.
Train to Johannesburg
- 26 hours.
There are infrequent buses to Stellenbosch from Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The train is cheaper. Coaches from Cape Town to Johannesburg - 16 hours.
Car hire is a good option for visitors to Stellenbosch to visit the out of town wineries. Otherwise there are bicycle and walking tours to the vineyards.
Stellenbosch is one of South Africa's safest towns even at night.
All the major car hire companies are well represented in all major cities and at the airports. Cheaper less exclusive local companies also offer vehicles for hire.
Stellenbosch
B&B - comfortable, spacious home in the Winelands region
of the Cape.
Green
Point Apartment - flat near Green Point Stadium.
Lovane
Boutique Wine Estate Hote - 4 Star Hotel
Stellenbosch
Hotel - 3 Star Hotel
Just
Joey Guesthouse - 4 Star Hotel
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Stellenbosch is a gourmet's delight with a number of excellent
eateries.
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Being a university town there are scores of bars and pubs to explore.
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The World Cup will take place during the South African winter which
generally is not severe. There can be weeks of blue skies and fine weather, or 3 to 5-day storms off the Atlantic Ocean which will
bring the rain.
On average expect day time temperatures at around 18-20 degrees
Centigrade and lowest night time temperatures of 10 degrees Centigrade.