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Stellenbosch Accommodation: Nearby towns with accommodation:
Franschhoek Accommodation | Paarl Accommodation | Robertson Accommodation
Strand Accommodation | Gordons Bay Accommodation | Somerset West Accommodation
Stellenbosch is the second oldest European settlement in the Western Cape Province, South Africa after Cape Town, and is situated about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away along the banks of the Eerste Rivier.
The town became known as the City of Oaks or Eikestad in Afrikaans and Dutch due to the large number of oak trees that were planted by the founder to grace the streets and homesteads.
The town is home to the University of Stellenbosch. The Technopark is a modern corporate and research complex situated on the southern side of the town near the Stellenbosch Golf Course.
Stellenbosch is located just 55km to the east of Cape Town. Stellenbosch is in a hilly region of the Cape Winelands and is sheltered in a valley at an elevation of approximately 100m, flanked on the west by Papegaaiberg (Afrikaans: Parrot Mountain), actually a hill. The south and east are high mountains, with Stellenbosch Mountain to the south, and Simonsberg (Afrikaans: Simon's Mountain), Jonkershoek Mountains and Great Drakenstein Mountains to the east and south-east. The Tweeling Pieke (1494m) (Afrikaans: The Twins) is a signature peak of the Stellenbosch region, highest being Victoria Peak (1590m).
The Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek valleys form the Cape Winelands, the largest of the two main wine
growing regions in South Africa. The South African wine industry produces about 1,000,000,000 litres of wine annually. Stellenbosch is the primary location for viticulture and viticulture research. Professor Perold was the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University. The Stellenbosch wine route, established in 1971 by Frans Malan from Simonsig, Spatz Sperling from Delheim and Neil Joubert from Spier is a world renowned and popular tourist destination.
The Stellenbosch region has a mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Stellenbosch lies at the foot of the Cape Fold mountain range, which provides soil favourable to viticulture. Grapes grown in this area are mainly used for wine production, as opposed to table grapes. The region possesses a wide range of soils in the area, from light, sandy soils to decomposed granite. Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is beginning to get a good reputation as a fine wine.
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