Somerset West

Somerset West is in the southern part of the Cape Winelands, close to the beaches of the False Bay. Here you have easy access to the wine estates of Stellenbosch and Somerset West. But you are also close to the beaches and whale-watching around Hermanus.  So it's an ideal base to explore both the Winelands and the Whale Coast.

Visit the historic Vergelegen Homestead & Wine Estate, especially if you are interested in the history of the Cape. This was the country house of the first Governor of the Cape, Willem Adrian van der Stel. (It was also partly the cause of his fall from grace.) This elegant and tranquil estate has the original Cape homestead, lovely gardens, an excellent restaurant for lunch as well as wine-tasting. It also has a state-of-the-art cellar tour.

Or enjoy wine and chocolate pairing at nearby Lourensford. Somerset West is also known for its golfing options with Erinvale Golf Course and De Zalze Golf course close-by.

One of the other attractions of the southern Winelands is that you can use it easily as a base to also visit other nearby regions such as the Elgin fruit and wine area, or even the Whale Coast with Hermanus being only an hours' drive away.