Lately since I have been furiously saving for my Thailand Trip (2 months away) I become rather boring or lets call it less active and spend more weekends at home then out on the town.
That changed this weekend past. On Saturday I visited a few places actually. My dear friend bought vouchers ages ago to visit the Big Cat Park and it was about to expire so we had to go on Saturday. The weather in Cape Town has been so unpredictable that we took the chance and headed off to Stellenbosch to Vredenheim where the Big Cat Park is. It is situated about 40 minutes outside of Cape Town so not too much of a drive.
We arrived and joined the guided tour. Where a tour guide took us to each area where the different cats are kept. It’s not very big but still extraordinary to see these animals up close.
There is a lion and lioness kept together,a white lion and white lioness, a cheater, a leopard and 2 bengal tigers. It was truly something awesome to see these animals even though I did feel sad that they were in captivity and not running wild and free as they should be. They are definitely getting well cared for at the Cat Park don’t get me wrong. If you have not seen these cats you should come out and visit Vredenhiem you will not be disappointed.
Not only do they have the Cat Park they also a wine farm and do tastings and sell wine. They host two restaurants on the estate Barrique and Hudson’s and last but not least they have a Guest Cottage too.
The inside dining area is often used for a wedding venue and have a beautiful garden area where the wedding ceremony can be hosted so this place is an all in one, stop if you looking for a wedding venue.
The second place we went to was about 15 minutes away,L’Avenir a stunning wine farm and Guest Lodge. They do a free wine tasting and offer the most amazing cheese platters (cheese and fresh bread is my weakness).
The place is absolutely picturesque situated at the foothills of the Semonsberg Mountains.The rooms are breathtaking and on a warm summers day lazing by the infinity pool over looking the garden sounds like a relaxing dream come true.
L’Avenir produces South Africa’s two emblematic grape varieties; Chenin Blanc and our world renowned Pinotage.
The wine tasting cellar area is absolutely divine love the contrast from big wooden tables and the retro plastic chairs. Another decor feature that caught my eye was the use of blackboard paint on the walls. I thought this was pretty nifty as they drew the process of winemaking on the walls and explained their wines with pictures too.
I am not a huge drinker but do know what I like and don’t like. I enjoy an easy smooth drinking wine and enjoy white more so than red wine. I generally enjoy a good Chenin Blanc and the chennin from L’Avenir was definitely a hit on the palate.
Since we were in the area for lunch we headed off to Brenaissance a place I absolutely fall in love with immediately. It is situated in the beauty of Devon Valley at the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands. We visited there well renowned Cafe Blanc De Nior for lunch, oh what a great choice it was. The vibey, buzzing, cafe oozed comfort and chicness all at once. Definitely the hottest spot in the Devon Valley region. I loved the black and white themed cafe area it worked so well with green vineyards and stream running past with the dark wooden deck area, it just all compliments each other so well. A true gem in the valley.
As we were so starving we decided to YOLO (lol) and splurge a little on lunch well in my opinion it is a great deal. We opted to go for the full house pizza and wine pairing special for R160. The Full House Pizza is a scrumptious combination of 4 pizza’s offered at Cafe Blanc de Noir. Each wine complements each slice of pizza what an amazing burst of flavors. If you like wine and love pizza go for this you will not be disappointed
When you order this option you receive a tasting mat that explains everything that you need to know about the wine and pairing so you can enjoy the company you have without having to listen to someone explaining the paring to you and you can just sit back and eat and drink too your hearts content. I could actually sit there all day. I will definitely be returning to explore more.
Brenaissance Wine & Stud Estate also offers eight double Vineyards Suites & one romantically lavish Bridal Suite. I can just imagine waking up in the beautiful Devon Valley country side as the sun lightly trickles in and it sets the tone as you explore the green pastures around you.
If you looking to explore Cape Town these are a few things that will be worth it. There are so many more hidden gems in this area I have just touched on a few. If you know any worth the try please feel free to let me know below. If you do visit any one of these places also let me know your experience. I will leave you more captured moments below hope you enjoy!
xxx
Cherry ♥
Looks beautiful! this is going on my To Do list!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s my pleasure I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Please don’t hesitate to share your experience with me when you go! Have fun and enjoy the warmer Cape Town days!!!