South Africa Part 3: Wine, Art & More

Hi Everyone,

This is the 3rd and last chapter about this trip to South Africa. I will of course admit to now really being bitten by the “South Africa” bug and am already in the throes of planning a next trip.

Wine was obviously going to be included in our final étape of the trip. However, I had no idea at just how impressive the wine culture truly is in this part of South Africa. Many, many super prestigious wine cellars to visit. Offering so much more than simple wine tasting. Not that there is anything simple about wine tasting – smile.

The art scene also truly blew me away. South Africa has such a fabulous art scene. I was totally tempted to buy a piece myself. Speaking of art, you might be interested  in my framed street style photography available to buy – see here.

We stayed in a beautiful eco-friendly resort in Paarl with the most spectacular gardens and its own vineyard – more details to follow. Our final stop was Cape Town from where we took a lovely coastal discovery drive as well as taking the cable car up Table Mountain.

Enough of an introduction, time to scroll down for the pictorial account of “South Africa Part 3: Wine, Art & More”.

 

South Africa Part 3: Wine, Art & More

Day4:

Part 3 of our South Africa trip starts in Paarl, in the Cape Winelands staying at the Adara Palmiet Valley Resort.

We stayed at the lovely Adara Palmiet Valley Resort, which has such a pretty feel to it with rooms spread over various Dutch colonial style buildings. Fun fact: they even have a sister property in Germany where I stayed with my daughter in 2016.

The resort has its own vineyard and beautifully kept gardens, so even a simple walk around the property feels special. A photographer’s paradise – smile.

Our suite was more like a small apartment — plenty of space and our own private pool. Unfortunately end April is a little cold but in summer this would be an awesome way to end the day.

The food was a real treat, with a nice mix of local flavours and modern touch.

The Adara Palmiet Valley resort also has its own vineyard and we particularly enjoyed our private pre-dinner wine tasting experience.

 

Day 5:

We started the day by heading to Franschhoek, which really is a must‑visit. A great experience was seeing what looked like a simple deli from the outside. We went inside only to discover there was the cutest cafe hidden in the back.

There are also lots of unexpected art shops popping up as you wander around. It’s one of those places where you don’t need a plan — you just stroll and enjoy.

Driving through the region means passing vineyard after vineyard, each one looking more tempting than the last. We eventually stopped at La Motte Wine Estate, which was a lovely way to round off the day.

La Motte Wine Estate has so much to offer, we had lunch at the family brasserie but there is also a shop, farm pantry, sculpture walk, creative art suite and much more.

Best of all it was super easy for us to order wine and have it delivered to Switzerland.

This part of the trip had such a nice balance — a bit of culture, a bit of indulgence, and plenty of beautiful scenery. Exactly the kind of mix that makes South Africa so special.

 

Day 6:

Our final stop before heading home was Cape Town.

We had planned just one night, and with the weather turning grey we decided to keep things simple and spend the afternoon at the V&A Waterfront. Not a bad place to be when the rain sets in — plenty of shops, cafés and people‑watching to keep you entertained.

 

Day 7:

The next morning brought an unexpected twist: our flight was delayed by 12 hours. At first we weren’t sure whether to laugh or cry, but it ended up being the best gift.

We took the car and drove down the Cape Peninsula, stopping to see the colourful beach houses at Muizenberg Beach.

Next stop was the penguins at Boulders Beach.  Always a highlight no matter how many times you’ve seen them.

Later we took the cable car up Table Mountain. We were so surprised as whilst it was super sunny down by the beach, the clouds were thick and rolling at Table Mountain. Still it was fascinating to walk around at the top.

The mist gave everything a slightly mysterious feel, and we even spotted a few dassies tucked between the rocks.

We finished our unexpected bonus day with lunch in the centre of Cape Town before finally making our way to the airport.

 

See Part 1 & 2 South Africa here.

 

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