Stellenbosch Travel Information

Stellenbosch - Travel Information

Stellenbosch is 49 km from Cape Town. Stellenbosch is names after and by Simon Van Der Stel. - Simon se Bos. Stellenbosch was founded in 1652.

The population of Stellenbosch is +- 110000. [2007]. With its temperate Mediterranean climate, beautiful surroundings, magnificent backdrop of mountain ranges, modern facilities and close proximity to all major places of interest in the Cape Peninsula, Stellenbosch is the ideal get-away holiday destination.

If you want Stellenbosch Tours & Accommodation please call us on +27-0720390184 or fax us at +27-0880218838384 [RZA only] or e-mail us on e-mail.

Soon after the Cape of Good Hope had been established, the newly-appointed Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, set out on a discovery journey east to explore the wild and untouched land beyond the Cape Peninsula. On 6 November 1679 he came across a river running through a beautifully green, fertile valley. He named the river "Eerste Rivier" (First River) and the surrounding area "Van der Stel Bosch" (Van der Stel's bush). Before long, news of the finding of this fertile valley spread and the first families settled there in 1680. The settlement later became known as Stellenbosch, and is the second-oldest city in South Africa. The warm summers and winter rainfall provided an ideal farming environment, and by 1682 the settlement had become an established town. In 1685 it became the seat of a magistrate, whose authority extended over 25 000 square kilometers. The first school was built in 1686, followed soon afterwards by the first church.

A yearly celebration on Simon van der Stel's birthday was held in honor of the founder. This tradition was started in 1686 and included games, parades, festivities and dances. As the celebration took place on October 14th, it was a celebration of spring at the same time. The highlight of the celebration was when marksmen shot at a wooden parrot to win the main prize, and to this day the hill where this event took place is still known as Papegaaiberg (parrot hill). Simon van der Stel launched a project to plant oak trees and the mighty trees still line the streets of Stellenbosch. The town is appropriately known as "Eikestad", or the Town of Oaks. Unfortunately a recent disease has affected the trees, and the towering oaks are slowly dying. Fortunately, since the oak trees are a symbol of Stellenbosch, the town council started planting new trees soon after the discovery of the disease.

In 1866, the Stellenbosch Gymnasium was founded. In 1880 it changed its name to Stellenbosch College, but was renamed in 1887 to Victoria College in honor of Queen Victoria. In 1918 the college officially became the University of Stellenbosch, known affectionately as "Maties". The University has over the years become the heart of Stellenbosch and is regarded as one of the best in the world. During the year, the estimated 17 000 students fill the town with a cheerful vibe and bustling activity in the hostels, lecture halls, restaurants, coffee shops, bars and discos. Holidays are the times when the tranquility of the natural surroundings and the comparative quiet in the streets allows Stellenbosch a chance to breathe and prepare for the influx of young people that is sure to follow with the next semester. Stellenbosch is a treasure of beautifully restored buildings - elegant Cape Dutch, Victorian and Georgian architecture can be seen particularly in historic Dorp Street, which is reminiscent of the rich and colorful past. Several international businesses have their headquarters in this historical university town. Just outside Stellenbosch, nestled between the majestic Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek, Twin Peaks and Helderberg mountains, a "clean" industry settlement has been established at Techno Park. Once a quiet little village, Techno Park has become a centre for industry, business and education, as well as the heart of the wine industry.

Wine and the are of winemaking are woven into the history of Stellenbosch. From its humble beginnings with Simon van der Stel and the Huguenots, the valley has evolved to becoming the centre of the Cape's wine industry, and produces some of the finest wines in the country. The famous Stellenbosch Wine Route, established in 1971, allows you to enjoy our fabulous local wines while undertaking entertaining and fun expeditions into the countryside. Stellenbosch is an amazing place to be. Events and activities take place throughout the year - music, street, wine and art festivals delight both young and old. Outdoors enthusiasts can partake in hiking, mountain climbing, horse riding and cycling, while sports fans can attend international sporting events.

Stellenbosch has a bustling sidewalk cafi scene in the French tradition, excellent restaurants and coffee shops, modern shopping facilities and a vibrant Nightlife. A peaceful, cheerful town and its friendly people, a never-ending choice of entertainment and activities and a breathtaking valley with majestic mountains embracing it - this is what makes Stellenbosch such a special tourist and conference destination.

Stellenbosch History

In 1679 Governor Simon van der Stel undertook his first inspection tour of the outposts of the victual ling station established 27 years earlier. On 8 November he pitched his camp on the banks of the Eerste ('first') River and was so enchanted with the surroundings that he decided to found a settlement there and call it Stellenbosch (for himself).

This was the origin of South Africa's first town after Cape Town. The large number of oaks that line the streets have given the town the sobriquet 'Eikestad' ('city of oaks'). The first of these fine trees were planted in the time of Governor Van der Stel but experts believe that most of those seen today were planted in the early 19th century.

The first wine farms were allocated before the end of 1679 and the village was formally established in 1685 when the first landdrost (magistrate), Jan Mulder, was appointed. By then about 30 farms were being cultivated. They included names that have survived to this day - Koelenhof. Coetzenburg, Jonkershoek, Ida's Valley and Mostertsdrift. Governor Van der Stel himself supervised the surveying of the first residential stands on 15 October 1686. The Drostdy, official residence of the landdrost, was completed in April 1687.

The town was badly damaged by fire three times - in 1710, 1803 and 1875, each time in the month of December. In 1803 more than 40 homes were razed to the ground. Afterwards the architectural trend moved away from the single-storey Cape Dutch thatched homes to Georgian-style double-storey edifices.

The town square, the Braak ('fallow land'), is laid out in true village-green style and is surrounded by several buildings that are of great historical significance. Once known as King's Square and Adderley Square, the Braak was reserved in 1703 as a parade ground for the Stellenbosch infantry and dragoons. In 1908 the square was presented to the town to be used as a public park.

Today there are more than 600 wine farms of between 80 and 130 ha in the 635 km' district. Many of these farms still boast the original Cape Dutch homesteads built in the late 17th and early 18th century. Together these present a magnificent pageant of the architectural heritage of South Africa.

Deciduous fruit and Turkish tobacco are grown in the district but viticulture is the most important activity by far. There are about 600 wine estates or wineries in the Stellenbosch region of the Eerste and Berg river valleys. These are reached by no fewer than five wine routes. Many thousands of visitors follow these routes every year to taste and buy wine and enjoy the hospitality for which the valleys have become famous. The names of some of these estates are household words wherever fine wines are appreciated.

The development of the Jonkershoek valley southeast of the town dates from 1683 when a farm was granted to Jan Andriessen, nicknamed Jan de Jonker. The farm's name, Jan de Jonker's Hoek, was eventually applied to the whole valley and later abbreviated to Jonkershoek. Today the valley is home to a number of distinguished wine farms; a trout hatchery and research station (which dates back to 1893); a forest reserve and research station, and a reserve and research station for waterfowl and game birds on the farm Assegaaibosch, which has attracted more than 100 species of birds since it was started in 1960.

Things to do in Stellenbosch

#1 Things to Do: Tygerberg Zoo
Tel: 021-884 4494
Fax: 021-884 4238
E-mail: tzp@tygerbergzoo.co.za

Website: http://www.tygerbergzoo.co.za/

#2 Things to Do: Pearl Valley Signature Golf Estate & Spa
Tel: 021-867 0442
Fax: 021-867 0440
E-mail: info@pearlvalley.co.za

Website: http://www.pearlvalley.co.za/

#3 Things to Do: White Shark Diving Company - Kleinbaai
Tel: (028)384-0782
Cell: 082 559 6858
E-mail: sharkdiving@xsinet.co.za

#4 Things to Do: Drakenstein Lion Park
Tel: 021-863 3290
Fax: 021-863 3290
E-mail: lionpark@absamail.co.za

#5 Things to Do: Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm - Open 7 days a week
Tel: 021-863 1142
Fax: 021-863 1142
E-mail: N/A
Website: N/A

#6 Things to Do: Monkey Town
Tel: 021-858 1060
Fax: 021-858 1082
E-mail: pro@monkeys.co.za

Website: http://www.monkeys.co.za/

#7 Things to Do: Wiesenhof Game Park
Tel: 021-875 5181
Fax: 021-875 5231
E-mail: wiesenhof@intekom.co.za

Website: http://www.wiesenhof.co.za/

#8 Things to Do: Ruth's Horse Riding Centre
Tel: 021-881 3384/082 960 6680

#9 Things to Do: Butterfly World
Tel: 021-875-5628
Fax: 021-875-5230
E-mail: esther@yebo.co.za

#10 Things to Do: Cheetah Outreach, Spier Estate
Tel: 021-809 1188
Fax: 021-881 3634
E-mail: info@spier.co.za

Website: http://www.spier.co.za/

#11 Things to Do: Two Oceans Aquarium
Tel: 021-418 3823
Fax: 021-418 3952
E-mail: info@aquarium.co.za

Website: http://www.aquarium.co.za/

#12 Things to Do: Devonvale Golf and Conference Estate
Tel: 021-865 2080
Fax: 021-865 2113
E-mail: devonvale@intekom.co.za

#13 Things to Do: Kuilsrivier Golf Course
Tel: 021-903 0222
Fax: 021-906 2197
E-mail: kuilgolf@mweb.co.za

#14 Things to Do: Somerset West Golf Course
Tel: 021-852 2925
Fax: 021-852 5879
E-mail: swge@hixnet.co.za

Website: http://www.somersetwestgolfclub.co.za/

#15 Things to Do: Wijnland Auto Museum
Tel: 021-988 4203
Fax: 021-988 4203
E-mail: iclassic@telkomsa.net

#16 Things to Do: South African Jewish Museum
Tel: 021-465 1546
Fax: 021-465 0284
E-mail: info@sajewishmuseum.co.za

Website: http://www.sajewishmuseum.co.za/

#17 Things to Do: Dorp Street Theatre Cafi
Tel: 021-886 6107
Fax: N/A
E-mail: info@dorpstraat.co.za

Website: http://www.dorpstraat.co.za/

#18 Things to Do: Endler Hall (Conservatory of Music)
Tel: 021-808 2334
Fax: 021-808 2340
E-mail: music@sun.ac.za

Website: http://www.sun.ac.za/music

#19 Things to Do: Spier Amphitheatre
Tel: 021-809 1177/8/9
Fax: N/A
E-mail: boxoffice@spierarts.org.za

Website: http://www.spier.co.za/

Author: Gerald Crawford was born in South Africa, studied electronics, telecommunication, eco-travel and african travel concepts. He taught responsible tourism in South Africa.

If you want Stellenbosch Tours & Accommodation please call us on +27-0720390184 or fax us at +27-0880218838384 [RZA only] or e-mail us on e-mail.

You could also contact us with snail mail at: PO Box 12216 Die Boord 7613 Stellenbosch South Africa.

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