Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch sits about 50 km east of Cape Town in a valley ringed by granite mountains, and it is the most practical base in the Cape Winelands. It combines three things that rarely coexist: an intact historic core, a serious wine region on its doorstep, and a large working university that keeps the town from becoming a museum piece. That mix is why the accommodation here is broader than in the other Winelands towns.

There are effectively three kinds of address. The historic centre around Dorp Street and Die Braak puts you within walking distance of restaurants, museums and the oak-lined streets, and it is the only part of the Winelands where an evening works without a car. The residential streets just outside the core hold guesthouses and self-catering in quieter surroundings a few minutes' walk further out. Beyond the town, the wine farms along the surrounding valleys have estate lodges, guest cottages and country houses, with vineyards rather than pavements outside the door.

Choosing between them is largely about whether you want to walk to dinner or wake up on a farm. The centre suits shorter stays and anyone combining the town with day trips to Franschhoek and Paarl. The farms suit longer, slower stays, but they commit you to driving, which needs planning if tasting is part of the day.