Franschhoek is one of South Africa’s oldest settlements, founded in 1688 by French Huguenots, and is surrounded by vineyards and craggy mountains. It’s only an hour from Cape Town and is the perfect escape from the city, a place to winery-hop, eat at gourmet restaurants, and relax by the pool enjoying the stunning scenery. Stellenbosch is the more well-known base for exploring the Cape Winelands (South Africa’s premier wine growing area), but locals recommend smaller Franschhoek and we loved its charm and scenic backdrop.

Continue Reading →

The biggest problem when exploring wine regions is avoiding drinking and driving. Private or small group wine tours are expensive and being the designated driver sucks (who really enjoys spitting?). The Franschhoek wine region near Cape Town has come up with a novel solution—a hop-on-hop-off wine tram. It’s affordable, fairly flexible, and allows you to visit up to six wineries in one day without driving.

Continue Reading →