Franschhoek  (French Corner in Afrikaans) is a lovely town located in the picturesque valley at the foot of the mountains, 75 km from Cape Town. It’s one of the oldest towns in South Africa. Its history goes back to 1688 when French Huguenot refugees started settling down in the valley bringing along the tradition of growing grapes and making wine.

Don’t be surprised by the French origin of the names of many wine farms in the area.

Franschhoek is a must-visit place in Cape Town for wine and food lovers. Here you can find some of the best wine estates and the finest restaurants in the country. It a perfect place for a day trip from Cape Town or a weekend getaway from the bustling city. Every year we spend our wedding anniversary here and it’s always a great experience.

If you’re choosing between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch (another town in the Winelands) I recommend Franschhoek for couples and Stellenbosch for solo travelers and travelers with children. There are many great things to do in Stellenbosch to keep your kids busy. You can combine both places in one trip though you’ll need more than a day to do it.

• The area is stunning.
• Many gorgeous wine estates with great wines.
• Many restaurants serve delicious food.
• Franschhoek is close to Cape Town, it’s easy to include it into your Cape Town itinerary.
• There are many things to do in Franschhoek; wine tasting, hiking, chocolate tasting, MTB, visiting museums and art galleries, spa, scenic drives, etc.

There are many guesthouses in the town itself but I’d really recommend staying just outside Franschhoek at one of the wine estates or farms it’s a totally different experience and even if it’ a bit more expensive (not always) it’s definitely worth it. Farms around Franschhoek are some of the most beautiful estates in the country.

We’ve stayed at La Terra de Luc it’s a guesthouse on a farm just outside Franschhoek. The room was good a bit rustic but very neat and clean, with a comfortable bed and great shower. Each room has AC, wi-fi, mini-fridge, and TV. The best thing about the place is the location, it’s very close to Franschhoek but far enough from the road and the town’s life, hidden in the vineyards, a spectacular place.

• Budget | Franschhoek Travellers Lodge |
• Middle price | Chevandeaux 1 – Merlot | Royal Gala Cottage | Franschhoek Country Cottages | Cherry Blossom Cottage |
• Luxury | Umami Mountain Retreat | Maison du Cap | Lavender Farm Guest House | Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa |

Wining and dining in Franschhoek is definitely a must-do thing in Cape Town. There are 50 wine farms and even more restaurants in the Franschhoek Valley obliviously you won’t be able to visit all of them in one, two, or three days. We’ve been to Franschhoek many times and managed to visit only about 15 of them, but we have a couple of favorites that we go to every time. Some of the wine farms do tasting only by appointment but most of them are open regular hours.

Ride a wine tram

If you don’t have a car to drive around the wine farms or simply don’t want to limit your testing because you have to drive, taking the wine tram is the right thing to do. In fact, it’s a combination of a tram and a bus, due to the limited tram access the bus was added to add more farms to the route. There are 8 different wine routes each includes 8 wine farms. It’s a hop on hop off tram/bus you can get off and on at any farm you want. The ticket office is on Huguenot street, next to the River Cafe. There is a parking lot at the ticket office you can safely leave your car there.

Enjoy spectacular views at Dieu Donne

Dieu Donne is our favorite wine estate in Franschhoek and one of the most favorites in South Africa. We love their wines they’re great and not expensive, the view from the tasting room is breathtaking (one of the best views in Franschhoek), the staff is very friendly and knowledgable about wines. We come here for tasting every time we’re in Franschhoek and buy a couple of bottles of their Wooded Chardonnay. If you feel hungry you can order a cheese platter with your wines or have lunch at Roca restaurant on the estate. Dieu Donne is on the red and yellow Franschhoek tram routes.

Taste exquisite wines at Chamonix

This wine estate is famous for its Pinot Noir the wine that is not very common in South Africa. They have a great variety of whites and reds in different price ranges though in general, their wines are quite expensive. The tasting area is nice but offers no views we usually stop here on the way to or from Dieu Donne. You can stay in Chamonix in the middle of the vineyards at one of the luxury cottages with stunning views of the Franschhoek Valley. Chamonix is on the yellow and red tram lines.

Take amazing photos at Haute Cabriere

A beautiful farm with great wines and amazing views. Located between the Huguenot monument and the Franschhoek pass. They have different tasting options from a single wine tasting to wine cellar tour and 6 wine tasting combination (Mon-Sat at 11am and 3pm, Sun at 11pm booking is advisable). You can choose whichever suits you better based on how much time you have. There is a nice restaurant at the estate so you can combine wine tasting with lunch. Don’t miss a photo spot – a big yellow frame where you can take beautiful photos with the mountains on the background. Haut Cabrier is on the pink and grey tram lines.

Picnic at Boschendal Wine Farm

Boschendal farm is a bit further away from the town. The estate is absolutely stunning, it’s a great place to combine wine tasting with a picnic, you don’t have to bring anything you can buy a picnic basket right here. We really like their Shiraz and usually, just buy it without tasting. There is a restaurant on the estate, it offers delicious food and beautiful views of the garden and the mountains.

This farm is a great place to come for a romantic lunch under the huge oak trees. I love their garden with funky sculptures places here and there. You can spend at Boschendal the whole day enjoying the tranquility of the place, great wines, and delicious food. If you want to spend more time here you can stay in Boschendal overnight at one of the cottages in the vineyards. Boschendal is on the purple and orange tram lines.

Enjoy simplicity at Leopard’s Leap

It might be a good farm to start wine tasting with, located on the way to Franschhoek, 2km before the town. Leopard’s Leap is quite a big set up compared to the most local farms. The views from the restaurant area are stunning. We’d recommend coming here when the restaurant is open otherwise this huge place looks a bit deserted without people. They have a wide range of wines; reds, whites, sparkling. They serve breakfast here as well. The farm is on the grey and pink tram lines.

Explore the beautiful gardens of Babylonstoren

Babylonstoren is a huge farm near Franschhoek where you can find pretty much anything local wines, freshly baked goods, fruit and vegetable gardens, a spa, a restaurant, and a farm shop. The fruit and vegetable gardens here are amazing if you’re into gardening or landscape design you’ll definitely enjoy the garden tour. You can spend here half a day just walking around, tasting, eating, and relaxing. They have luxury chalets on the estate where you can stay for a couple of nights, the chalets look amazing but they’re very pricey – luxury accommodation for a very special occasion. Babylonestoren Farm is on the purple and orange tram line.

Go for romantic dinner at a wine estate

Many of the wine farms have restaurants with great food and beautiful surroundings that will be perfect for a romantic dinner. We went to Grand Provence Estate for our wedding anniversary dinner and it was an amazing experience. Everything from the location to the food and wine was just impeccable. The garden is very beautiful with flowers, small fountains and huge oak trees decorated with lights on a warm, not windy night I’d recommend sitting outside. Saldana Bay oysters as one of the starters is a must-try for oysters and seafood lovers. You can do a wine tasting at the estate as well. The farm is on the pink and grey tram lines.

Learn how to make chocolate

Tasting is one of the main activities in Franschhoek, alter your wine experience with some chocolate tasting. During your visit to the Huguenot Chocolat Factory, you’ll learn about the chocolate-making process and get to try some delicious local chocolates and sweets. The whole experience takes about 30 min., at the end of it you get small sweet presents.