Fine brandy, quality wines and breathtaking mountain passes to be found in the Breede River Valley town of Worcester.

Worcester is the capital of the Breede River Valley between the Breede River and the Hex River Mountains, only a 2hour drive north east from Cape Town, past Paarl. It will take a little longer if you avoid the Du Toitskloof tunnel and take the old and scenic Du Toitskloof pass; it is a slow winding road over the mountain where the view is simply breathtaking.

If you enjoy those scenic drives on mountain passes, while you are in Worcester take the historic Bain's Kloof Pass to the winelands town of Wellington, the pass is as scary as it is beautiful.

With its magnificent mountain ranges (at times with snow covered peaks in winter) Worcester feels like you are in the heart of the countryside, and worth a stop when exploring the surrounding towns of Tulbagh, Ceres or Robertson or to venture onto the route 62 expedition including towns Worcester Robertson, Montague, Barrydale, Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn.

This is very much wine & brandy country and is one of the larger wine producing regions in South Africa, and the first Braille wine bottle originates from Worcester. It is also home to the largest brandy-distilling cellar in the world the KWV Brandy Cellar is well worth a visit for a tour and a tasting. A brandy and wine tasting of the award winning brandy and wines of Worcester certainly should be on your list of things to do in Worcester.

The Kleinplasie (small farm) museum in Worcester is a living museum where you can experience the life the way early European settlers lived from grinding their own flour in an original watermill to making Witblitz alcohol. Be more then a little careful though with the Witblitz, it means white lightening and it packs a punch.

A more relaxing option would be taking a stroll around the Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens with a wide array of plants, many that are indigenous only to the region.

Molo Says: Worcester may not be the trendiest or glamorous of destinations, but is situated in an area of natural beauty and is perfect base to tour other places in the Winelands.

South African wine is well renowned worldwide, read our wine and dine articles (l) to learn more about South Africa’s award winning wines. See our things to do in the Winelands and accommodation options in the Winelands towns of Worcester, Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch and Robertson on CapeTownMagazine.com.

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