Paarl offers many attractions - from visits to the Afrikaans Language Monument and Paarl Mountain, with its rocks which are remains of granites which rose and broke through slate and sandstone formations about 500 million years ago, to sampling some local olive oil. The Strooidak Church and Het Gesticht Church (Slave Church) in town are two of the oldest in South Africa and Paarl Museum has an interesting overview of the town’s colourful history. Opening in late 2008, the first phase of Paarl’s exciting new heritage tourism venue, De Poort Heritage Village, is almost complete. Visitors can observe heritage artisans; see a forge in operation; try out the skill of the blacksmith and watch a cooper or farrier. The Drakenstein Heemkring archive is housed in De Oude Woning in Paarl. The collection includes valuable manuscripts, photographs, books, genealogical records and research on original Huguenot farms.

The historic town of Wellington nestles at the foot of the Groenberg, in a picturesque valley including the well-known Bainskloof Pass. This pass was surveyed and built by Andrew Geddes Bain, using convict labour and primitive tools to hack and blast the way through almost impossible terrain. It took 23 days per kilometre, from 1849 to 1853 to open the way to Ceres and the Karoo beyond. Today, much of Bain’s original dry course stonework is still visible. The pass was tarred in 1935 and declared a National Monument in 1980.

The Wellington Museum offers an exceptional Egyptian collection alongside traditional ethnic artifacts, Stone Age objects and pioneering history. Ouma/Granny’s House Museum is a beautiful Victorian cottage and houses a valuable collection of antiques. In 1853 Lady Loch Bridge, a wooden bridge named after the Governor’s wife, was used for access between Cape Town and Paarl across the Berg River. In 1910 it was replaced with an iron bridge and became the first iron bridge in South Africa. The original wooden pillars are now at Wellington Museum.

Wellington info: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
t 021 873 4604/8   f 021 873 4607
Paarl info:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
t 021 872 4842   f 021 872 9376