Having found a delightful place to stay, we opt to stay for a week in Franschhoek, instead of moving into Cape Town and back out. During that time we walk the backroads, as well as a beautiful trail in the Mont Rochelle preserve in the mountains above town. We enjoy traipsing through the art galleries and curio shops, the stunning La Motte Estate’s art gallery, and take breaks at different coffee shops in town, slowing down the rhythm of touring rather substantially. There is a brief –almost obligatory—visit to the area’s oldest winery grounds at Boschendal, which has gorgeously restored Cape Dutch buildings and ample grounds that are being worked by an army of gardeners. The weather varies from beautiful and hot to windy, icy and rainy, but on the whole we manage to take advantage of what’s on offer. We even swing by the nearby Drakenstein prison grounds—from which Mandela walked out a free man. We dedicate one day to exploring the nearby town of Stellenbosch and the rolling hills of vineyards that surround it. Finally, we take in the small museum depicting the history of the Huguenots in the area, and the landmark monument commemorating their struggles and accomplishments in the region.
We also make side trips into Cape Town, which lies about an hour away. One day we wander the waterfront, backed by the impressive Table Mountain, and then drive down to the national park incorporating the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point.
We return on a separate day to meander the fascinating and utterly gorgeous Botanic Gardens at Kirstenbosch, which unfurl over the back side of Table Mountain. We never find the right weather to make the trip up the famed Mount—it’s decked with its “tablecloth”. Cape Town and its other landmarks will have to wait for another trip.
