Discovering the best of Franschhoek – from boutique wine farms to galleries and the history of the Franschhoek Valley.
After a pickup from your hotel, we start the day with an introduction to the village, discovering the fascinating history of Franschhoek, and visiting some of the best local galleries on foot.
Morning coffee stop at Terbodore coffee roasters. They hand roast their coffee beans and create their own special blends unique to Franschhoek.
The rest of your day can then be tailored to your specific interest, be that fine wine, craft beer, art or gardens. If your focus is on great wine, we will visit three wine farms, or for beer enthusiasts, we have access to three craft breweries. Art lovers can delve deeper into the fantastic collections on three of the estates, and there’s something special for keen gardeners too!
We will visit three of the following wine farms: Le Lude, Boukenhoutskloof, Stony Brook, GlenWood and Atlas Swift. We specially select these farms to visit as they are small, exclusive, off the beaten track wineries, producing exceptional wines, catering for those looking for something unique. Each one produces a variety of cultivars and depending on your preferences we can focus on those producing classic whites, such as chardonnay and Semillon, or the full-bodied reds, shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, or enjoy the wonderful Method Cap Classique’s.
OR if you are more of a beer connoisseur, Franschhoek has two craft breweries: Hey Joe and The Franschhoek Beer Company, producing local ale, lagers and Weiss beer. We will visit both to get a real taste of local beer production.
OR, if you are interested in continuing with your art adventure, we visit the following estate-based galleries based in the valley:
Grande Provence, who showcase works by leading and emerging South African artists. They have an extensive selection of artworks including paintings, drawings, original prints, ceramics, photography and traditional beadwork. Their sculpture garden features specially selected works from world renown artists like Anton Smit and others within the beautifully landscaped estate.
La Motte, one of the oldest farms in the valley, who’s museum and gallery features the history of the estate and its magnificently renovated buildings. It is permanent host to the heritage collection of Jacob Hendrik Pierneef and also presents other excellent rotating exhibitions.
OR a short distance from the village is the magnificent Babylonstoren estate. A must visit for those with a keen interest in gardens. Their extensive fruit and vegetable garden has great botanical diversity and their numerous farm shops sell a fascinating range of goods.
We also visit the iconic Nelson Mandela statue at Drakenstein prison. This is the site where Mandela was released in 1990, with the eyes of the world watching, after spending 27 years in prison, to go on to become the country’s first democratically elected president.
Lunch stop at a local restaurant (for own account).
Afternoon snacks served at the best lookout point on Franschhoek pass.
