Indulge the Senses

Indulge the Senses
It happens very often. You go on Holiday to a destination for the first time and there's just so much to see and do. You want to explore, do and see everything but you have a limited amount of time, so you do as much as possible with the time you have available that you end up with a sensory overload, no clear sense of enjoyment and a feeling that you need an holiday to recover from your holiday. Sound familiar?

In the Western Cape of South Africa, and especially in the city Of Cape Town, this is a trend very easily fallen into by many tourists. But the good news is that there is a part of the western cape where you can indulge all your senses, especially those of the sense of Taste and Smell,

where you can take the family and relax, where time spent will not only allow you to experience the beauty of the Western Cape in all in splendor but will also rejuvenate the spirit and mind. What's more is that the gateway to this wonderland lies a mere 40 kilometers from Cape Town City Center.

The Wines routes
That’s right, lying just 40 kilometers to the East of Cape Town, on the N1, is Stellenbosch, the Gateway of the Wine route from the west. The Wine Routes of the Western Cape are not only the crowning glory of the wine industry in South Africa but is arguably one of the most beautiful Wine Routes in the World.

Catering to more than 200 wine cellars, the wine route covers an area that includes, but not exclusively, towns like Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington, Tulbagh, Ceres, Worcester, De Doorns, Robertson, Ashton and Montagu.

Route 62
All who have ever traveled along the Route 62 Wine Route have remarked that there is hardly a place on earth that is more beautiful than this. Although Route 62 officially starts in Montagu, when traveling from Cape Town, Winelands which include those of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, Worcester and Robertson are considered to be part of the Route 62 wine route. It extends all the way into the Klein Karoo Region of the Western Cape ending in Oudtshoorn, making for close on 700 kilometers of meandering mountain passes, villages, and Winelands.

Wine and Din
Of Course all the wine tasting would be nothing if it weren't complimented by some really great food. Almost all the wine farms that offer wine tasting facilities, also offer restaurants were you can partake in the wonderful cuisines of South Africa as well as the wine.

None are more famous than in Franschhoek, the Culinary/ Gourmet Capital of South Africa. Offering a little taste of France, the town of Franschhoek commemorates a proud French heritage and the French influence on the area, with many of the wine farms keeping the original French Names as well as hosting annual Bastille celebrations during the month of July.