No trip to the Western Cape is complete without visiting the winelands of the beautiful valley of Franschhoek. Only 45 minutes from Cape Town, and surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges, the Franschhoek Valley offers breathtaking scenery, world class restaurants, luxurious accommodation, wine tastings in exquisite settings, charming art galleries, quaint shops, and much more.

This picturesque village, named the French Corner, after the French Huguenots who settled here in the 17th century, boasts 8 of the country's top 100 restaurants. Boutique wineries and larger scale vineyards happily coexist, offering a range of choice for visitors.

Things to do in Franschhoek:

• Dine out at one of the many world class restaurants

• Visit a wine farm offering an exquisite range of Franschhoek wines

• Experience a once in a life time food and wine pairing at L'Ermitage Franschhoek Chateau and Villas

• Enjoy a walk through town, and experience the art galleries, shops and restaurants
  Toast the sunset with a picnic from the viewing deck at L'Ermitage set above the hotel on the mountain

• Take a wine tour on horseback

• Enjoy the indigenous fynbos while hiking on the Cat se Pad or one of the many other mountain trails

• Play golf at the nearby Jack Nicklauss Pearl Valley golf estate

• Take a helicopter ride or paraglide over the valley and experience unsurpassed views

• Go fly-fishing

• Play boules at the courts in the village

• Go cycling in the mountains

• Sample the local cheeses and French cheeses

• Walk 'the long walk to freedom' from the prison where Nelson Mandela was released

• Experience Achim von Arnim sabrage at Cabriérè estate

• Enjoy live jazz on Friday evenings at the Vineyard Brasserie