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At a glance

  • The centre of the South African wine industry, home to some of the finest producers in the southern hemisphere
  • Rolling vineyards set against a backdrop of Cape Dutch estates and rugged, craggy mountains
  • Vineyard tours, wine tasting and some of the best restaurants in South Africa
  • Picturesque towns and villages boasting Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings
  • Excellent hiking, walking, cycling, golfing and horse riding

Overview

Just a short drive east from Cape Town are the resplendent Cape Winelands, where countless vineyards are set against a backdrop of Cape Dutch estates and rugged, craggy mountains. The sophisticated towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek have roots dating back to the mid-1600s. Their rolling vineyards produce some of the finest wines to be found in the southern hemisphere, notably cabernet sauvignon and pinotage among the reds and sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc among the whites.

When to visit

  • January
    27ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    15ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    24mm
    Average Rainfall
    January is the peak of the summer season and a wonderful time to visit Cape Town and the Winelands, with long, warm, dry days, clear blue skies and mild evenings. Such weather lends itself to long, lazy lunches among the vines and afternoons by the pool. Late January is also the start of harvest season in the Winelands so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and in the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
  • February
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    15ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    25mm
    Average Rainfall
    As with January, February is the peak of the summer season and tends to be one of the hottest months in the Cape Winelands, with temperatures in the high 20s. The reliably good weather lends itself to long, lazy lunches among the vines and afternoons by the pool. Late February is also harvest season in the Winelands so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans.
  • March
    25ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    14ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    35mm
    Average Rainfall
    Temperatures start to cool from the height of the summer season, though days are still warm, sunny and dry. This is the last month of harvest season so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans.
  • April
    23ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    12ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    83mm
    Average Rainfall
    April is the Western Cape's best-kept secret. With the winter season just around the corner, the temperatures start to drop and there is increased precipitation, however days are still warm and sunny. Evenings are cooler so an extra layer may be needed. There are significantly fewer tourists, so fewer crowds and queues at popular attractions. March and April are the peak nesting months for the African penguins at Boulders Beach and Stony Point - a great time to visit as most of the penguins are on the beach. There are also various venues across Cape Town and in the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
  • May
    20ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    117mm
    Average Rainfall
    May heralds the end of the summer season and the onset of cooler and wetter weather, however it's still a wonderful time to visit, with mild, mostly sunny days and chilly evenings. Franschhoek in the Winelands hosts the annual Franschhoek Literary Festival, which centres around writers, fine dining and classical music concerts.
  • June
    18ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    9ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    143mm
    Average Rainfall
    The weather can be cool and wet in the Western Cape at this time, with average temperatures around 11°C. Whales arrive off the coast south of the Winelands, offering spectacular land-based whale watching from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay.
  • July
    17ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    8ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    131mm
    Average Rainfall
    The weather can be cool and wet in the Western Cape at this time, with average temperatures around 11°C. More whales arrive off the coast south of the Winelands, offering spectacular land-based whale watching from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay.
  • August
    18ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    9ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    126mm
    Average Rainfall
    The Western Cape is still chilly this time of the year, especially at night, and rainfall is to be expected. The Table Mountain cable car closes in August for annual maintenance. Outside the city there's spectacular land-based whale watching to be enjoyed from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay. August also marks the start of the spring flower season across the Western and Northern Capes. The normally dry landscape erupts in an explosion of colour as up to 4,000 species of flower blanket the landscape.
  • September
    20ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    70mm
    Average Rainfall
    September heralds the start of spring in the Western Cape. The days are getting warmer though evenings are still cool. September is also mid-whale season, with excellent land-based whale watching available from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay. Perhaps head down from the Winelands to the Hermanus Whale Festival, which takes place at the end of September. Although you can see penguins throughout the year at Boulders Beach and Stony Point, during the months of September and October there are fewer penguins on the beach as they spend much of their time feeding out at sea. The flower season is in full bloom on the west coast, when proteas and other indigenous flora explode in a riotous profusion of colour.
  • October
    23ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    11ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    55mm
    Average Rainfall
    October offers beautiful mild and sunny days with less rainfall. Excellent land-based whale watching is available from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay, with Hermanus being one of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) 12 best whale-watching destinations in the world. Although you can see penguins throughout the year at Boulders Beach and Stony Point, during the months of September and October there are fewer penguins on the beach as they spend much of their time feeding out at sea. Wild flowers on the west coast can still be found in bloom. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
  • November
    24ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    13ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    31mm
    Average Rainfall
    November brings an increase in temperature as summertime arrives in Cape Town and the Winelands. It's also the last month of whale-watching season. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
  • December
    25ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    15ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    27mm
    Average Rainfall
    Summer has arrived in Cape Town and the Winelands with hot sunny days, clear blue skies and little to no rain. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.

Accommodation

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