Cape Town

Exploring the City, we recommend for first time visitors especially, that you orientate yourselves by taking the open topped red bus, this you can hop on and off as many times as you like and get a true feel for our beautiful city. We suggest that you park your car at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront (V & A) and take the bus from the Aquarium.

Table Mountain

Pick a day when there is no "table cloth" on the Mountain, easy to see from our garden, but we can also check for you on the internet as sometimes high winds can prevent them from running the Cable car. Our top tip is to drive past the ticket office before parking the car, this way you are on level ground - so no steep hill to walk!

Queuing for Cable car can take up to an hour, to reduce this time we recommend arriving by 9am or after 2pm, there is a great Cafe at the top for refreshments and snacks. If you are planning a long walk please remember to take water and sun screen with you.

The V & A Waterfront and Robben Island

Plan a day for these wonderful attractions, and be prepared to go back! Tickets for Robben Island need to be booked in advance, 021 419 1300. Sometimes crossings can be booked up to two weeks in advance, so we recommend that you plan and book this well in advance. Also whist you are here the Two Oceans Aquarium is also worth a visit.

There are many restaurants and eateries to take refreshments during the day, but a great place for Sunday Lunch is the Table Bay Hotel, they have a wonderful buffet and the views of the harbour and Table Mountain are stunning.

Kirstenbosch Gardens

Entrance fee to the gardens, but well worth a visit (plenty of free parking) two restaurants, but you can also take a picnic. Many additional events, open air concerts exhibitions, galleries etc, call 021 799 8800 for information. Guided walks can also be booked from the main entrance.

Constantia Wine Route

This is where South Africa's first vines were planted. There are five great wine farms close to each other which can be visited, Groot Constantia (1685 the oldest) Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg.

False Bay and Cape Point

A full day is required for this trip, please ask us for tips and advice, but places you must visit are, Kommetjie, Scarborough, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point, Simons Town, Kalk Bay, St. James and Silvermine Nature reserve. There are many great walks some lasting just an hour but many for 4-6 hours, we have two great walking books in the garden room for you to view and would be happy to photo copy a route should you wish to walk it!

Local to Vrede Manor

We have Milnerton beach, Milnerton Links Golf course, Century City - Canal Walk one of the most visited shopping complexes in the Southern Hemisphere and also houses a huge multi screen cinema. Next door is Ratanga Junction theme park, home to the hair-raising Cobra rollercoaster. At Goodwood you will find the opulent Grand West Casino which apart from the obvious also has plenty of acclaimed restaurants, bars, entertainment and cabaret venues.

Durbanville is home to many more wine farms, Durbanville Hills Winery, Meerendal and Altydgedacht.

Blouberg

Great beach for kite flying and kite-surfing has a youthful atmosphere with many popular restaurants and bars. From the beach you can get the picture postcard view of Table Mountain, Lions Head and Signal Hill, yes we will test you on the names of all the hills and mountains!

Further Afield

There are many day trips you can do comfortably from Vrede Manor, again you will find many guide books in the garden room to assist you with your planning plus we can help too. Here is a list of places for you to consider.

Stellenbosch

University Town, Dorp Street, Ryneveld Street, many wine farms such as Delheim, Morgenhof, Rust-en-Vrede Simonsig and Spier (also home to Moyo's Bedouin-inspired restaurant).

Paarl

Main Street, Mountain Nature Reserve, wine farms such as Backsberg, Fairview and Simonsvlei.

Franschhoek

One of our favourite little getaways. Main Street with lots of interesting shops and crafts. Some of South Africa's finest restaurants are also here, Ruben's, Le Quartier Francais, La Petite Ferme and many more. Also a great wine route here including Bellingham, Boschendal, Chamonix, Clos Cabriere and L'Ormarins, one would think you were in France!

West Coast

Most famous for its spring flowers, but worth a trip anytime of the year, stunning coast line and lots of little quaint villages, Darling, Langebaan, Hopefield, Saldanha and Paternoster, we can recommend a great guest house here called AH! And it certainly is! Ask us for more details.

Southern Cape Coast

Hermanus can be done in a day it's about one and a half hours from Vrede Manor and if its Whale season well worth the visit. On the way you will drive through Strand, Gordon's Bay, Betty's Bay.