Why choose car hire from Cape Town International Airport?

Are you wondering whether you should choose car hire from Cape Town International Airport for your holiday transport? If you’re planning to explore the area, especially the Winelands, car hire is a great choice. The Cape Winelands is an unforgettable place to tour with its striking vistas, dramatic mountains, scenic vineyards and famous wine routes. Only a self-drive tour will give you the “real deal” experience of this amazing region. Make sure you put Paarl, Stellenbosch, Pniel and Franschhoek on your itinerary!

Self-drive tours with your car hire from Cape Town International Airport

Paarl

The drive from Cape Town to Paarl will take you an hour or so. This lovely, leafy town is one of the many jewels in the crown of the Cape Winelands. Paarl is named for the huge granite rock formation above it-a round shaped rock which led first to the name Peerleberg (Pearl Mountain) and later, “Paarl”. A number of well-respected wines are produced in Paarl, and the town is a pretty one with plenty of Old Dutch architecture and a tree-lined Old Main Road (which happens to be the longest in the country at 11km)! Historical old buildings now home contemporary shops and eateries, and the odd vineyard separates buildings from one another right in the middle of town!

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is South Africa’s second oldest town and an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Picturesque and quaint, the town is filled with fascinating old architecture. The Stellenbosch area is well known for its fantastic wines, wine route and respected university. Stellenbosch University is the only varsity in the country which offers studies in viticulture and oenology. Stellenbosch has an impressive wine route which includes over 300 wineries. Due to the number of cellars, the wine route is subdivided into a number of smaller routes, including Bottelary Hills, Devon Valley Vintners, Helderberg and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch.

Franschhoek

Franschhoek (French Corner) is an enchanting village full of antique shops, art galleries and upmarket eateries about half an hour’s drive from Stellenbosch. If you’re a wine enthusiast or a foodie, you’ll definitely want to make the trip here. The area is renowned for producing premier wines and being a centre of fine food with eight of the “Top 100” restaurants in the country. Franschhoek is home to some excellent cellars and a number of them are known not just for their outstanding wines but for their fabulous restaurants, picnics and entertainment as well.

Pniel

If you drive the road between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch (the R310) you’ll drive through a small, historic town called Pniel. Pniel was established when land was donated to homeless freed slaves in the 1800s. The land was divided into plots and given to the slaves to live on and pass down to their children. Today the road through the town is lined with oak trees and surrounded by verdant vineyards and majestic mountains. Historical tours with resident guides can be arranged.

The Cape Winelands is the perfect place for a self-drive holiday, especially with Paarl, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Pniel on the map. Arrange car hire from Cape Town International Airport and take to the road for an exceptional holiday!