• rose-garden-cape-winelands

    Dreamy Gardens to Explore Year-Round Near the Cape Winelands

    5 January 2026 - By 

    I love all things garden-related and over the years, I have had the pleasure of exploring many wonderful gardens in and around Cape Town and the Western Cape. Some have been during special, annual Open Garden events while others have come from impromptu solo missions. Regardless of the occasion, the Cape has some glorious gardens to explore. And in this post, I share my pick (so far) of the best gardens to explore year–round near the Cape Winelands! Cape Winelands’ Gardens for Every Season Gardens are always great during spring and summertime. But I want to show that in the…

  • hazendal-wine-estate-homestead

    Celebrating 50 Years of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes

    14 April 2021 - By 

    In 2021, the beautiful Stellenbosch Wine Routes celebrates 50 years of forward-thinking wine innovation and pioneering (wine) tourism. As South Africa’s first official, recognised wine route – founded in 1971 by Frans Malan (Simonsig), Niel Joubert (Spier) and also, Spatz Sperling (Delheim) – this stunning wine route has only grown from strength to strength. Stellenbosch Wine Routes have put South Africa on the wine map globally in a big and powerful way during these past 50 years. Today, with five sub-routes (namely, Bottelary Hills, Greater Simonsberg, Helderberg, Stellenbosch Berg and Stellenbosch Valley) and a plethora of diverse wine farms, gorgeous…

  • villiera-wines-stellenbosch-wine-estate

    Villiera Wines’ Best Experiences to Enjoy

    6 February 2019 - By 

    Villiera Wines is a unassuming, family-run wine farm and wildlife sanctuary, situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. With its impressive mountain views (including of Table Mountain in the distance) and its somewhat secluded location, Villiera quietly and instantly packs a punch… Even more so once you learn that it offers a range of unique wine estate experiences! Our arrival at Villiera Wines came bright and early, before the summertime sun properly had a chance to start baking… As we rolled up through the avenue of trees edging the drive, Villiera peeped around the corner, tempting us closer. The estate’s homely, working farm…

  • ceres-rail-steam-train

    18 Best Experiences Near Cape Town for 2018

    26 December 2018 - By 

    2018 was a challenging year for many, including me. But, despite this, it was one of the most rewarding and successful years for my blog and a year in which I experienced some stunning places and experiences. In light of this, here are my 18 best experiences for 2018 (listed in chronological order): 1. Winelands Tea at La Motte To kick-start 2018, we had the pleasure of enjoying an elegant Winelands Tea at La Motte, back when talented chef Michelle Theron was still at the helm. (She has since been replaced by chef Eric Bulpitt, who, from my past visit…

  • spier-wine-farm-stellenbosch

    Travel Review: Most Amazing Spier Experiences

    11 November 2017 - By 

    Recently, we finally had the chance to experience Spier Wine Farm first-hand and I couldn’t have left the wonderful wine farm any more besotted! The beautiful Stellenbosch estate boasts a proud, long-standing wine-making history, dating back to 1692… And though Spier may be one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms, it has lost none of its youthfulness. In fact, Spier is one of the most family-friendly and engaging Cape wine farms I’ve ever been to – and I’ve explored my fair share! We made the most of our day trip, exploring almost every inch of the stunning Stellenbosch estate and these…