The biggest and most down-to-earth of the wine towns, under the granite domes of Paarl Rock. Big cellars like KWV and Fairview, the gardens of Babylonstoren nearby, and a mountain reserve above the vines.
Paarl is the biggest of the three Winelands towns and the most down-to-earth, a working place set in the broad Drakenstein valley about 45 minutes from Cape Town. It takes its name, the Afrikaans word for ‘pearl’, from the giant granite domes of Paarl Rock that rise over the town and shine after rain. Founded in 1687, it has the longest main street in the country, oak-lined and stacked with Cape Dutch and Victorian buildings.
The wine here runs to big names. KWV, the old cooperative, pours wine and brandy in its grand cellar, and Fairview is a favourite for its cheese, its wines and the goat tower that everyone photographs, with the Spice Route farm right next door. A short drive south at Simondium, Babylonstoren is the area’s showpiece, a celebrated formal garden wrapped around a working farm, a farm-to-table restaurant and its own label.
Above the vines, Paarl Mountain and its nature reserve give you the granite domes up close and walks among them, with the tall Afrikaans Language Monument on the slope and long views over the valley. There’s history in the valley too: it was at the nearby Drakenstein prison, then Victor Verster, that Nelson Mandela walked free in 1990. Paarl is more practical base than postcard, and it pairs easily with Stellenbosch and Franschhoek on a single Winelands day, as long as nobody has to drink and drive.
Big cellars, granite domes and gardens, in the largest of the wine towns.
Paarl runs to big names: the KWV cellar for wine and brandy, and Fairview for its cheese, wine and famous goat tower. A short drive south at Simondium, Babylonstoren pairs a renowned formal garden with farm-to-table food and its own wines. Book the garden and lunch ahead.
Above town, the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve wraps around the giant granite domes that glisten after rain, with walks up to the rock. On the slope stands the Afrikaans Language Monument, a tall concrete landmark to the Afrikaans language, with long views over the Drakenstein valley.
The two big-name cellars are the easy Paarl tastings, with brandy at KWV and cheese and the goat tower at Fairview, plus the Spice Route farm next door.
The formal garden and the farm restaurant at Simondium are the area's highlight and fill up. Reserve the garden and a table well ahead.
Drive or walk up into the nature reserve for the granite domes and the Afrikaans Language Monument, with the best valley views around.
The Winelands rule. Join a wine tour or hire a driver so the tastings don't end at the wheel.
Paarl's oak-lined main street runs for kilometres past Cape Dutch and Victorian buildings, a slow scenic drive through the old town.
Paarl pairs easily with Stellenbosch and Franschhoek in a day, especially on a guided Winelands tour that takes in Fairview and Babylonstoren.
Book the cellars and the valley through our trusted partners, at the same price as booking direct.
A guided wine day taking in Fairview, Babylonstoren and more, the food-and-garden side of the Paarl valley.
Book on GetYourGuide →A guided quad-bike trail through the vines on a Drakenstein wine estate, an active break from the tastings.
See estate activities →A private wine tour of the wider Winelands, easy to combine with the Paarl and Drakenstein estates.
See wine tours →Guesthouses and wine-estate stays in Paarl and the Drakenstein, or in nearby Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
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Paarl is the big, granite-backed corner of the Winelands. See the rest of what the wine country holds.
