WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2020 -- SOUTH AFRICA
What to do with a gap between two travel adventures - the end of our thrilling Kenyan safari and the start of an exotic cruise from Cape Town? What else but explore another of the world’s iconic wine regions. Since we met three decades ago, whenever possible, my husband and I seek out wine country pleasures - bucolic views, charming inns, leisurely tastings and casual fine dining. If trips bring us near vineyards - Virginia to Oregon, France to Australia, we visit for an afternoon or several days. This time our wine country destination was South Africa, one of the oldest wine-making regions outside of Europe, where Dutch and French settlers began tending vines in the mid-1600s. For a week, including Valentine’s Day when we celebrated our 31st anniversary, we explored the stunningly beautiful Winelands of the western cape, less than an hour drive from Cape Town.
What to do with a gap between two travel adventures - the end of our thrilling Kenyan safari and the start of an exotic cruise from Cape Town? What else but explore another of the world’s iconic wine regions. Since we met three decades ago, whenever possible, my husband and I seek out wine country pleasures - bucolic views, charming inns, leisurely tastings and casual fine dining. If trips bring us near vineyards - Virginia to Oregon, France to Australia, we visit for an afternoon or several days. This time our wine country destination was South Africa, one of the oldest wine-making regions outside of Europe, where Dutch and French settlers began tending vines in the mid-1600s. For a week, including Valentine’s Day when we celebrated our 31st anniversary, we explored the stunningly beautiful Winelands of the western cape, less than an hour drive from Cape Town.
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Northern Cape
The Northern Cape shares borders with
Namibia and Botswana and four languages are
spoken here - Afrikaans, Tswana, Xhosa and English.
The highlight of this province is its location on
the Namaqualand flower route, a botanical wonder.
In August and September, the landscape is
transformed into a sea of vivid and brightly colored
wildflowers. The Big Hole of Kimberley, in an
old mining town, takes you inside a hand-dug
open-pit and underground mine that produced an
impressive 5,000 pounds of diamonds between
1871 and 1914. To learn more about its history,
pay a visit to the onsite museum.
Free State
Nestled in the center of South Africa is the Free
State where the main languages are Setho and
Afrikaans. My favorite highlight here is the
charming town of Clarens with its distinctively
Old World feel. Only the main road to the village
square is paved. For nature lovers there are
plenty of hikes and trails. It’s also a great place for
bike festivals, cherry picking in Fouriesburg, and
pinotage sampling for wine lovers. There are no
big retail outlets here; most of the shops are home
grown and locally owned. One of my favorites is
Clarens Brewery with ales, beers and ciders for
every palate, all made in this small town.
Clarens Brewery team photo courtesy of Clarens
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WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2020
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