Area Activities
With its conveniently central location there are plenty of activities available to guests staying at Spanish Farm.
The nearby town of Somerset West with its restaurants, shops and spas is just 6km inland from the False Bay coast and the resort towns of Strand and Gordon's Bay, 20km from Stellenbosch - the oldest wine route in South Africa - and a mere 45 minutes' drive to Franschhoek.
All the sights and attractions of Cape Town including the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Table Mountain, are just 40 minutes' drive away.
Nature lovers
Close to Spanish Farm, the Helderberg Nature Reserve is a bird lover's paradise, covering 245 hectares of indigenous fynbos vegetation and with walks and trails to suit both leisure walkers and serious hikers.
The Helderberg Farm Trail close to Stellenbosch has beautiful views across the valley as far as Cape Town.
The Crystal Pools Hiking Trail in the Steenbras Nature Reserve at Gordon's Bay follows the Steenbras River into a gorge with stunning waterfalls and deep rock pools.
The Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary in Somerset West is a natural wetland that is home to many coastal and wading birds including Ethiopian snipe.
Serious hikers and mountain bike riders will enjoy Jonkershoek Nature Reserve just outside Stellenbosch.
Beach & Sea
False Bay is blessed with beautiful white sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The closest beach to Spanish Farm is Strand, a popular and safe swimming beach which is also good for surfing and wind surfing. Nearby Gordon's Bay has some of the best beaches in the Cape. The popular Bikini Beach has been awarded international Blue Flag status.
Whales are often spotted in the bay in season (June to November) as this coastline forms part of South Africa's Whale Route.
All ocean activities such as sailing, canoeing, deep sea fishing and crayfishing can be arranged, as well as adventure sports like paragliding and kite surfing.
Shark cage diving is on offer at Gansbaai, a two hour drive from Somerset West.
Wine Routes
With three major wine routes on our doorstep, wine-lovers will be spoiled for choice.
The Helderberg area forms part of the Stellenbosch Wine Route, the oldest and largest in the country, with more than 100 wine cellars.
The most popular of these are the historic Vergelegen, Boschendal and Lanzerac, all of which offer wine tastings in their exquisite cellars. Vergelegen, established in 1700 and steeped in history, has a beautifully restored homestead and unique underground winery. Boschendal has a French viticultural heritage dating back to 1685 and is famous for its elegant French-style picnics.
The Lanzerac Manor & Winery is located on a private working wine estate in the Jonkershoek Valley and offers many excellent restaurants and bars.
More modern wine estates in the area include the renowned Thelema and Villiera family-owned estates.
Restaurants
This area is the gourmet capital of South Africa and food lovers will find no less than three of the Top 10 Restaurants in South Africa within 10 minutes' drive of Spanish Farm - Terroir, Overture and Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch. Also in Stellenbosch is South African golfer Ernie Els's new restaurant The Big Easy in Dorp Street. The popular restaurant 96 Winery Road is just five minutes' drive from the guesthouse.
There are many other excellent restaurants in and around Cape Town. Choose between beach cafés, buzzing city eateries, quiet village bistros or scenic restaurants on some of the magnificent wine farms in the area.
Wildlife Safaris
Excellent private game farms in the Western and Eastern Cape offer wildlife safaris and game viewing experiences in a malaria-free environment.
Aquila Private Game Reserve is just 90 minutes' drive from Cape Town on the N1 National Road in the Southern Karoo Highlands. Surrounded by spectacular mountains, rivers and valleys it is home to lion, rhino, hippo, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and a number of antelope species.
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve near Barrydale in the Cape Overberg was the first game reserve in the Western Cape to boast the Big Five - lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant.
Further up the coast, an hour's drive from Port Elizabeth, is the famous Addo Elephant Park, sanctuary to over 450 elephants, Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species and the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively at Addo.
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