
Uncovering one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets means getting out of the city centre and heading south

Situated at the end of a suburban street is the oasis of Stellenberg Gardens. Originally a 60 acre farm dating back to 1697, it’s now home to wonderfully ornate formal gardens that are a delight to stroll in. Set out in a series of 19 ‘rooms’, the garden actually is the lifework of not one but three professional gardeners who owned and lived in it particulalry over the last 200 years.

The main house itself escaped the ‘Victorianisation’ suffered by many Cape Dutch manor houses and is considered one of the finest examples of the style.

Stellenberg is not even 20 minutes from Cape Town’s centre. We recommend staying at Hedge House, a wonderful Arts and Crafts era house filled with the scent of jasmine and a garden full of tree ferns and views of Devil’s Peak. Prices start at R1 900 per room per night B&B ($132 / £105 / €128)
