Alison Budge

Updated 30 May, 2025 South Africa is known the world over as a producer of exceptional wines, so it’s no wonder travellers flock to the wine farms (the proper South African term for estates) of the Western Cape. Cape Town is bordered by six viticultural regions – all less than an hour’s drive from the city centre – where hundreds of wineries beckon, with the promise of wide-open spaces, stunning outlooks and, of course, world-class wine. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of it all. You can find wine farms as far along the Garden Route as Plettenberg Bay, up the West Coast to the Namibian border and inland for about 250 miles to the dry Karoo area. The different climates, topography and soil types, known as the terroir, influence the taste of wine produced from the different varietals, as does the skill of the winemaker and the varietal chosen. Many of the wine estates are historical farms home to strikingly beautiful Cape Dutch manor houses, gardens, hotels, and fine-dining restaurants. Plus, in order to differentiate themselves, each farm tends to add something extra to their offering. In fact, you don’t even have to like wine to enjoy a trip to the Winelands: Cape Town’s wine farms offer experiences for all, from families and sports fans to history lovers and foodies. Read the latest in our new Mother Sippy: Fairview grows Regional Revival series If you’re staying in Cape Town itself, and only have time for a day trip to visit some wine farms – well, you real

Cape Town has no shortage of chic malls and glitzy boutiques if you’re looking to shop up a storm, but the heart of the city is found in its vibrant markets, hosted anywhere from open lots to cavernous hangars, from wine estates to suburban gardens. Do as locals do and use these markets for fresh produce, artisan goods, clothing and so much more. Here’s our selection of the best in and around town, picked by three local writers. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Cape Town🍽 The best restaurants in Cape Town☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town🏖 The best beaches in Cape Town🍕 The best pizza in Cape Town Ishay Govender, Alison Budge and Richard Holmes are travel writers based in Cape Town. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts.

What is the most beautiful place in the world? Well, beauty is subjective – it’s in the eye of the beholder, so they say – so that’s really up to your own definition. To some, there’s nowhere more beautiful than Bolivia’s otherworldly mirrored salt flats; to others, California’s rugged coast takes the crown.  Luckily, the world isn’t held to the same rigid beauty standards as humans are. We asked our network of globetrotting travel writers to tell us the most beautiful place they’ve ever been to. The resulting list is a definitive, but by no means exhaustive, guide to the most stunning spots our planet has to offer. We update this list regularly, ensuring we’re including the big-hitters while considering the impact of overtourism and spotlighting lesser-known beauty spots. From gigantic glaciers and shape-shifting beaches to ancient woodland and lantern-lit cities, here’s what we reckon are the most beautiful places on Earth – chosen by travel writers who’ve seen them all IRL. Grace Beard is Time Out’s travel editor, based in London. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts.RECOMMENDED:⛰️ The most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites🗺 The most underrated travel destinations in the world🧭 The best places to travel solo🏝 The best beaches in the world