When you start planning a Cape Winelands tour in South Africa, one question is likely to come up again and again. Should you stay in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek? It is a fair question. Both towns sit within easy reach of Cape Town, are surrounded by excellent wine estates, and offer memorable food and gorgeous scenery. Where you choose to stay, however, will determine the pace of your days and what scene you’ll wake up in.
At Viva, we tailor every Winelands itinerary around the way you like to travel. That includes choosing the right base, planning how your days play out, and taking care of all the logistics so you can simply enjoy being there. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are close enough to combine easily, but different enough that it is worth understanding what each one offers.
Click through the links to learn more.
Stellenbosch vs Franschhoek at a glance
Stellenbosch as your base in the Cape Winelands
Franschhoek as your base in the Cape Winelands
The practical side, and why planning matters
Two ways your Winelands itinerary might come together
Best time to visit the Cape Winelands
FAQs: Planning your Cape Winelands tour
Stellenbosch vs Franschhoek for your Winelands tour? With the right planning, you can easily experience both.
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, it helps to look at a map.
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are only around half an hour apart by road, connected by scenic routes through the Cape Winelands. Because you can comfortably visit both from either base, choosing one over the other mainly affects how your mornings begin, how your evenings feel, and whether you prefer a busier town atmosphere or a more compact village setting.
Stellenbosch has a lively city centre, a wide choice of restaurants, and things happening beyond wine estates. With its university at the heart of town, it has a young, steady energy and a strong sense of ordinary daily life.
Franschhoek, on the other hand, is smaller, more compact and easier to navigate on foot. It is widely regarded as one of the prettiest towns in the region, with a clear focus on food, wine, and a slower pace. This is where Stellenbosch residents come to unwind on weekends.
“Both are brilliant bases for a Cape Winelands tour, so it often comes down to the kind of atmosphere you want to return to at the end of the day. I personally really enjoy spending the day in Stellenbosch, but absolutely love waking up in Franschhoek."
- Tanya, Viva Expeditions.
The flexibility of experiencing both is built into many of our South Africa journeys. Our A Taste of South Africa itinerary, for example, includes time in the Cape Winelands and can be tailored so you choose where to stay overnight, whether that’s Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, or both.
Bloemhof School, now home to a museum, one of many highlights of Stellenbosch that have less to do with wine and more to do with history and culture. Photo HelenOnline/Wikimedia.
Stellenbosch is the historic heart of the Cape Winelands, and that becomes clear as soon as you arrive. With its wonderful Cape Dutch architecture, museums, bustling street life, art galleries, theatres, cafes and a broad range of eateries, Stellenbosch is a proper thriving town that does not cater solely to tourism. The sheer variety of things to see and do here, both by day and in the evenings, is a huge part of Stellenbosch's appeal.
“The city hosts a fabulous walking foodie experience that we always include in our itineraries, no matter where our guests choose to stay overnight. It's a wonderful way to break up the "wine time" and really gives people a good sense of what the town is all about."
-Tanya
The main thing to be aware of is that Stellenbosch is overall busier and more spread out. During peak seasons, the town centre can feel very lively, especially compared to smaller Winelands villages. If you are looking for somewhere very compact and quiet, this may feel a little more active than you had in mind.
Franschhoek’s main street is lined with boutique hotels, galleries, and many of South Africa's best-rated restaurants.
Franschhoek has a very different feel. It's set in a mountain valley, is incredibly scenic and boasts a much more laid-back feel overall. This is a place where days tend to move at a gentler pace, with long and leisurely lunches and wine-tastings, and time to wind down and soak up the setting. If you're visiting South Africa to recharge your batteries or want a slower pace for a few days after a thrilling safari, Franschhoek would be ideal.
Because Franschhoek is small and very popular, much of the town has evolved around the wine tourism scene. Hotels, restaurants, and tasting rooms are clustered together in a way that makes visiting easy and enjoyable.
Although distances are short, the logistics of a Cape Winelands tour matter more than you might imagine. Because someone has to drive and someone also needs to know how to pace the visit to make the most of the overall experience. This is particularly crucial if you’re planning a Winelands tour around a wildlife safari.
This is exactly how our Magical Cape Town, Winelands and Safari journey is designed. The route combines time in Cape Town, a safari experience, and the Cape Winelands, with the flexibility to choose where you stay overnight in the Winelands.
When it comes to how you might want to explore the Winelands, options abound. Aside from the more obvious private car + driver option, the Franschhoek Wine Tram is also quite popular although its limited route means you are restricted to visiting only the town’s closest vineyards. You’ll find more details in our FAQs below.
What have also become increasingly popular are guided cycling tours, with options for both half- and full-day tours. You can explore on mountain bikes or e-bikes, on easy or more challenging routes, so it’s an accessible option for just about anyone. The routes wind through vineyards and scenic country roads, and can be arranged from either Stellenbosch or Franschhoek.
When you travel with Viva, we take care of all of the logistics. Transfers are organised, routes are planned sensibly, and your days are structured around your likes and preferred pace so they feel relaxed rather than rushed. When you have your own personal travel guide to arrange everything, you never need to think about driving after tastings or keeping track of time.
To give you a sense of how this works in practice, here are two common approaches. These are examples rather than fixed plans, as every Viva itinerary is tailored.
You base yourself in a boutique hotel with mountain views. One day is spent exploring nearby estates at a relaxed pace, either by car or on a bicycle tour, with lunch as a special highlight. Another day, we transfer you to Stellenbosch for a walking foodie experience and selected tastings, before returning you to Franschhoek in the evening.
In the Cape Winelands, wine tastings are rarely just about the wine. Food is part of the experience, particularly in and around Stellenbosch.
You stay in or just outside town. One day combines classic estates with time to explore the historic centre and dine locally. Another day, we take you to Franschhoek for a slower, scenery-led tasting day with a long lunch.
The Cape Winelands can be visited year-round, but the experience does change with the seasons, and it's worth factoring that into your planning.
Summer, from December to February, is warm, dry, and lively. Vineyards are green and full, towns are buzzing, and the long evenings suit slow dinners and wine tastings that stretch into sunset. This is peak season, so both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek feel busier, especially over school holidays.
Autumn, from March to May, is one of the most rewarding times to visit. Harvest season brings a sense of activity in the vineyards, temperatures ease off, and the pace feels slightly calmer. This is a lovely time to combine the Winelands with a safari or coastal stay.
Winter, from June to August, is cooler and greener, with occasional rain. While it’s not beach weather, it can be a very appealing time for food-focused travel, cosy cellar doors, and quieter towns. Franschhoek in particular suits winter well, with its restaurants and relaxed pace.
Spring, from September to November, sees vineyards coming back to life and the days warming up again. It's a great shoulder season option if you want good weather without peak crowds, and it works well for longer itineraries that include Cape Town and beyond.
The Cape Winelands is a year-round destination, with each season offering a slightly different atmosphere for wine tasting.
Can you visit both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek without staying overnight in each?
Yes. The two towns are close enough that you can comfortably stay in one and visit the other on a day trip. This is something we plan into many Viva Expeditions itineraries.
Do you need a car to get around the Winelands?
Most visitors do. Public transport between the Winelands towns and wine estates is very limited, so getting around usually means driving or arranging private transfers. With Viva Expeditions, transport is organised for you, which makes wine tasting days far more relaxed.
What about the Wine Tram in Franschhoek?
The Wine Tram is a hop-on/hop-off tourist experience rather than an actual form of public transport. It runs on fixed routes and time schedules and only serves selected estates close to town. It can be an enjoyable way to spend a day if you like having a set plan, but it's not a flexible way to get around the Winelands region. If you want to choose specific wineries, linger over lunch, or move at your own pace, private transfers or a planned tour tend to work better.
Which base works best after a safari?
Many travellers prefer Franschhoek after a safari, as it offers a slower pace and an easy transition from early mornings to more relaxed days. That said, Stellenbosch can also work well if you enjoy a bit more energy and variety.
How many nights should you spend in the Cape Winelands?
Two to four nights works well for most travellers. Shorter stays suit a focused experience, while longer stays allow you to slow things down and explore both areas more fully.
Can a Winelands stay be combined with Cape Town?
Absolutely! The Cape Winelands pair very naturally with Cape Town, and many travellers include both in the same trip, often before or after a safari.
A few days in Cape Town is a great way to shake off jet lag, get your bearings, and ease into South Africa before slowing things down in the Winelands.
At Viva Expeditions, we’d never ask you to choose between two fantastic options! Instead, we talk through how you like to travel, what you want your days to feel like, and how much structure you prefer. From there, we build a Winelands itinerary that suits you, and we take care of all the logistics along the way.
Contact our South Africa Travel Specialists today, and let's get your Winelands tour on the cards for 2026.
Laura PattaraLaura Pattara has guided overland trips across Africa and now focuses her writing on the continent for Viva Expeditions. She once camped beneath a marula tree that an elephant tore apart during the night, yet somehow she still sleeps best in a tent. But make it glam! From sunrise balloon rides over the Serengeti to following the rhythms of wildlife migrations, Laura brings the wild heart of Africa to life with warmth, depth, and the occasional muddy boot. |
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