Last Updated on November 4, 2025 by Hannah Stephenson
Planning a trip to Stellenbosch? Whether you’re here for two or three days, I’ve got an itinerary to help you enjoy all of the best bits!
Two or three days in Stellenbosch is plenty of time to visit lots of wineries and soak in the region’s lush scenery. I’ve also got tips on where to eat, sleep, and even get coffee in between.
I love spending time in Stellenbosch, and if you’re about to go for the first time, I’m honestly a little jealous. You’re in for a really fun few days, filled with wine, sunshine, and delicious food. After all, Stellies is South Africa’s wine capital… and once you visit, you’ll see why!
Day 1
Morning – Get to Know Stellenbosch on a Historic Walking Tour
It’s your first morning in Stellenbosch, so start by getting to know the town with this top-rated walking tour! The town centre is actually quite small, so you’ll cover it all in just 1.5 hours. I recommend booking it for 9 am so that you can fit it in before today’s wine tasting adventure.
Stellies is very pretty with its white Cape Dutch buildings and quaint streets, so walking around is a total pleasure. As you explore, your guide will teach you all about Simon van der Stel, who founded Stellenbosch (and named it after himself) back in 1679.
Stellenbosch is also home to a very well-known South African university, where several of my friends actually studied! While you won’t learn about any of their escapades on this tour, you will learn about some of the uni’s most famous graduates and admire some of the grand buildings.
The tour starts and ends on Church Street, which is right in the middle of town. It’s a short and sweet experience, not to mention an affordable one at just R300 per person!
Read 200+ 5-star reviews and book this tour here!
Late Morning – Get Tipsy on the Wine Tractor
The wine tractor is a relatively new addition to Stellenbosch’s wine tasting landscape but I love it because it makes it so easy to hop between wineries, without the need for a designated driver. Plus, it’s a ton of fun!
I’ve got a full guide to the wine tractor here if you’d like to check it out, but I’ll share all of the need-to-know details with you now.
You’ll need to book your wine tractor tickets in advance. I suggest doing this at least a week ahead of time! Choose the 11:30 am time slot to give yourself time for this morning’s walking tour. Don’t worry, you’ll still have up to 7 hours of wine tasting fun!
Getting There
When the walking tour wraps up, I suggest calling an Uber to Eikendal. Ubers are readily available in Stellenbosch town, so you should be able to get one right away. It may seem a little early, but you want to give yourself enough time to enjoy your welcome glass of rose before you hop on the tractor.
Getting an Uber back later might take a while. It’s a good idea to reserve one in advance, which I suggest doing for 6:45 – 7 pm, as that’s when we finished the wine tractor. You could also get in touch with Stellenbosch taxis, or female-only groups can use SheCab!
The Tractor Experience
Once you get to Eikendal, you’ll head to the tractor office to check in. The staff will give you your tickets and your welcome wine. We sipped ours out in the garden, and one of the guides took the time to chat with us and ask which wineries we wanted to visit.
Honestly, you’re in for a good time whichever wineries you go to, but I highly recommend ensuring that you visit Alto and Peter Falke. Go to Alto for lunch if you can, as the food there is amazing!
We went to Avontuur for our first winery of the day, which was also lovely. In fact, I think Avontuur, Alto, and Peter Falke would make a pretty great lineup! Wineries do sometimes close for renovations and private events, so the guides will let you know where you can visit on the day and advise you on timings.
You can book your wine tractor tickets here, with free cancellation!
Dinner – Post & Pepper
It takes about 15 minutes to get back from Eikendal to Stellenbosch, and you’ll definitely need a good dinner tonight to soak up all of that wine! I recommend heading to Post & Pepper to eat tonight. It’s a really special restaurant that fuses Asian and South African cuisine, with a gourmet twist. Plus, it’s one of the few Stellies restaurants led by a female chef, which I think is pretty cool.
As the name suggests, Post & Pepper is housed in Stellenbosch’s old Post Office. It’s smack dab in the center of town. At dinner time, they offer a 3-course set menu. It’s seasonal and constantly evolving so I can’t tell you exactly what will be on offer, but when I went I had the most amazing venison tartare!
Post & Pepper is popular (try saying that three times really fast!) so you’ll need to book a table. I suggest making a reservation for 8 pm to ensure that you have plenty of time to get back from Stellenbosch after the wine tractor, and maybe even quickly nip back to your hotel if you’re staying in town – convenient hotel recommendations are coming up later in this blog!
Day 2
Morning – Relax
Yesterday was a pretty long day of exploring, with a lot of wine involved. For that reason, I suggest taking it slow this morning. You can grab breakfast in your hotel, or I like the Meeting Place on Dorp Street if you want to head out.
Stellenbosch has some cute shops and cafes to check out. If you like iced coffee, make a beeline for La Coco C because their blended iced coffees are out of this world!
And if you’re staying in a hotel with a pool (like Oude Werf) you could even take this time to go for a quick dip. Stellenbosch gets pretty hot in the summer months!
Lunch – Lanzerac Wine Estate
Once you’ve recovered from yesterday’s wine tasting, it’s time for round two! Well, when in Stellenbosch, right?
We’re heading out on an e-bike adventure this afternoon, and it starts at the beautiful Lanzerac Wine Estate, so why not head there for lunch? There’s even a free shuttle to Lanzerac from town. Just be at the corner of Drostdy Road and Van Riebeeck Street (outside the Fat Butcher Restaurant) for 12 pm to hop on. (You can find out more info about the shuttle here).
When you get to the estate, you can enjoy lunch at the Tasting Room & Deli before your tour begins. They’ve got burgers, salads, sandwiches, and even a bobotie bunny chow! That’s a fusion of two South African classics, so it’s definitely worth a try. It’s a good idea to make a booking, and I suggest doing this for 12:15 pm if you’re planning to catch the free shuttle.
And of course, you can always add a cheeky wine tasting or wine and chocolate pairing if you like! You should have plenty of time before the tour begins at 1:30 pm. It’s roughly a 10-minute walk from the deli over to the e-bike trail center, where you’ll meet your guide.
Afternoon – E-Bike Wine Tasting Tour
After lunch, it’s time to hop on an e-bike and go cruising through the stunning Jonkershoek Valley on two wheels! This tour is such a great way to soak in the beauty of the winelands and enjoy Stellenbosch’s famous scenery in the open air.
Choose the 1:30 pm tour, and I suggest booking it at least a week or two in advance as it often sells out during the summer! The only thing to note is that the tour doesn’t run on Sundays, so if that’s when your second day in Stellenbosch falls you can just swap the days of this itinerary around to make it work.
The tour stops at two beautiful wine estates, which vary depending on the day! This is the great thing about going with a guide – it means you don’t have to worry about the bookings and timings yourself. Plus, I know I would struggle to find my way through the Jonkershoek Valley by myself.
Tastings are on your own account, but the advantage of this is that you can choose whichever tasting options you like. You’ll get around 45 minutes at each winery, and since this is a small group tour the pace is generally pretty relaxed.
Book your spot on this small group e-bike tour here, with free cancellation!
Evening – Down Time
This afternoon’s e-bike wine adventure wraps up at around 5 pm. It’s a short Uber ride back to town, and since Lanzerac is actually just a 7-minute drive from the centre it should be easy to hail an Uber from here. You can always reserve one in advance, too!
Although the e-bikes do a lot of the work, you still might find that you’re a little sweaty and dusty after cycling around the Jonkershoek Valley all afternoon. Take this time to head back to your hotel to freshen up and relax before dinner tonight.
Dinner – The Fat Butcher
The Fat Butcher is one of Stellenbosch’s most famous restaurants. It sits right in the middle of town, with a red-and-white awning out front – it’s actually right where the shuttle picked you up earlier!
South Africa is renowned for its high quality meat, and The Fat Butcher is one of the best places to truly appreciate that. Its steaks are legendary, and I also recommend trying the braaibroodjies (grilled cheese and onion sandwiches cooked over a braai).
You’ll definitely want to make a reservation for The Fat Butcher. Its stellar reputation means that this place is always booked and busy! You can book your table here, and I recommend doing this as far in advance as possible. During the summer, I’m talking months!
Alternatives
If you’re too late to grab a table at The Fat Butcher, then De VleisPaleis is a good alternative if you’re still looking for a steakhouse. It’s very well rated and serves AAA grade cuts of steak, but it doesn’t book up as insanely far in advance as The Fat Butcher. I still recommend booking a table, though!
And if you’re not much of a meat eater, then no worries, neither am I these days! De Eetkamer is a super stylish small plates restaurant in town. Not everything on the menu is vegetarian (that’s rare in Stellenbosch) but with options like Korean fried cauliflower, pan fried gnocchi with caponata, and forgotten carrots on the menu, plant-based diners still have lots of good options.
Drinks – Bartinney Wine & Champagne Bar
If you’ve ever read my Franschhoek wine tram review, you might remember how I kept harping on about how much I loved Bartinney wine estate. So imagine my delight when I discovered that Bartinney also has a chic wine bar right in the heart of Stellenbosch?
After a delicious dinner, I highly recommend heading to the Bartinney Wine and Champagne Bar for a nightcap. I mean, not only do I love their wines, I also really enjoy the vibe of this bar. It’s cosy, but there are some artistic touches including a chandelier made out of old vines!
The bar is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so of course you can always visit on a different night if necessary!
Day 3 (Optional)
If you’re staying in Stellies for another day, that’s wonderful news! I’ve got another fun day of wine, sunshine, and great food planned.
If not, feel free to skip over this section and go take a look at where to stay and some FAQs.
Late Morning – Waterford and Dornier
There’s no rush to get up and out this morning. I mean, that’s not what you want on a trip that’s largely centered around wine, is it? So again, take your time enjoying breakfast and getting ready for a leisurely day visiting two of Stellenbosch’s most beautiful wine estates. Best of all, they’re close together, which makes your life nice and easy!
I suggest calling an Uber to take you from Stellenbosch town out to Waterford. It’s about a 15-minute drive. There’s no rush to get here – Waterford doesn’t even open until 10 am!
As for getting back later, you should be fine to call an Uber mid-afternoon. Just expect a 5-10 minute wait, or you can reserve one for around 3:30 – 4 pm if you’d like extra peace of mind.
Waterford
We’re starting the day off with a visit to Waterford, which is one of Stellenbosch’s best-loved wine estates. It’s a gorgeous, Italian-style winery in the Blaauwklippen Valley and they’re known for their wine and chocolate pairings.
My friend brought me here for a wine and chocolate pairing, and while I was initially skeptical about consuming the two together, it was actually such a great experience! It’s not your average Dairy Milk chocolate here, that’s for sure. I really enjoyed experiencing how chocolate and wine can actually complement one another.
I’d suggest making a booking at Waterford to ensure they can accommodate you. You don’t have to do a wine and chocolate pairing, as other tasting experiences are available, I just really enjoyed that particular one!
Take your time, enjoy your tasting, and of course you can even order a glass (or a bottle) of your favourite wine to enjoy afterwards. Just relax, and then move onto Dornier when you’re ready.
Dornier
Dornier is one of Stellenbosch’s most beautiful wine estates. Where Waterford has that classic Italian feel, Dornier has a sleek and modern vibe. It’s also just a 7-minute walk from Waterford, so you can get between the two on foot – handy!
You can book a tasting at Dornier, although we actually didn’t when we came. You must book for groups of 6 or more, though!
There are a few tasting options available and you can order one of their delicious cheese or charcuterie boards for lunch. We did this and it proved to be an excellent choice.
On a sunny day, you’ll get to enjoy your tasting out on the balcony, with direct views of Stellenbosch’s jagged mountains. Trust me, you’ll want to take your time here and just soak it all in!
Late Afternoon – Free Time
It’s your final afternoon in Stellenbosch – sob – so use the next few hours to tick off anything you haven’t done yet. That could be counteracting this afternoon’s wine with a strong Turkish coffee at the gorgeous and atmospheric Turkspirit Cafe, grabbing some Stellenbosch stash at Stellies Authentic Clothing, or just enjoying the pretty town centre.
Dinner – De Vrije Burger
Tonight, we’re heading to dinner at one of my favourite food spots in Stellenbosch – De Vrije Burger! They do the juiciest, most satisfying burgers ever. Before they opened a spot at Cape Town’s Time Out Market, my friend and I actually drove out to Stellenbosch just to get their burgers one hungover Sunday.
Do bear in mind that De Vrije Burger is only open until 8 pm and it’s a casual spot so you won’t need a reservation. But honestly, you just can’t leave town without chowing down on one of their amazing burgers!
Evening – Drinks
It’s your last night in Stellenbosch, so make the most of it at either Balboa Balcony or Stellenbosch Wine Bar. Balboa is a pub-slash-cocktail bar that often hosts live music performances, while Stellenbosch wine bar is a bit more of a refined choice. They also serve small plates and brasserie-style food here if burgers aren’t your thing!
And if you want somewhere fun to head after, Centraal is a fun spot with music, dancing, and sometimes sports games. Spend your night your way and toast to a fantastic few days in Stellenbosch!
Where to Stay in Stellenbosch
Now that you’ve got your Stellenbosch itinerary sorted, you need a great place to stay. To follow this itinerary easily, I highly recommend staying at a hotel in town. It’s so much more convenient for wine tours, getting around, and eating out! I’ve outlined my top picks below, whether you’re looking for a more luxurious stay or a budget-friendly base.
Oude Werf Hotel – $$$
Oude Werf Hotel is a beautiful 4-star hotel in the heart of Stellenbosch. It’s housed in a historic mansion, with elegant modern decor and a charming garden that has a pool for guests to enjoy. I have a feeling that you’ll be grateful for this if you’re visiting Stellenbosch during the summer!
This hotel is super central, and so the restaurants, cafes, and tour meeting points I’ve mentioned throughout this blog should all be under 5 minutes away on foot. Basically, Oude Werf is both luxurious and convenient – what’s not to love about that? Oh, and breakfast is included for extra ease!
Rooms typically range between R4,000 and R6,500 per night. Read the excellent reviews and secure your stay here!
Batavia Boutique Hotel – $$
Batavia Boutique Hotel is a super comfortable guesthouse right in the heart of town. It boasts an eclectic blend of antique and contemporary furniture, but most importantly it features big beds and bathtubs. What more could you need?
There’s a garden with a small pool, and breakfast is included each morning. Since you’re just around the corner from Dorp Street (Stellenbosch’s main drag) you really can’t get a more central stay than this.
Prices start from R3,600 per night for a double room. Check availability here!
The Stellenbosch Hotel – $
The Stellenbosch Hotel is an affordable hotel smack dab in the centre of town. It’s easier on the wallet than my previous two picks but it’s still set in a heritage building, so you still get that classic Stellies feel. The rooms are on the smaller side but they’re very comfortable, so they’re ideal for wine-soaked naps between adventures. If you’re looking for a clean, modern, and central stay that won’t break the bank, look no further!
Double rooms typically start at R2,300 during peak season. Find the best prices over at Booking.com!
FAQs
Is 2-3 Days in Stellenbosch Enough Time?
Yes, I think that 2-3 days is enough time to get to know Stellenbosch. The town is small so it’s pretty easy to cover, and you can visit a fair few wineries in just a few days as well.
How to Get to Stellenbosch
It’s generally best to drive from Cape Town to Stellenbosch. I always use Discover Cars to rent cars in Cape Town, as they make it easy to compare providers and find the best prices.
Of course, driving and wine tasting don’t mix so once you get here you won’t want to use your rental car much! So depending on your plans after Stellenbosch, it may not be worth it to rent a car. You can always take an Uber from Cape Town to Stellenbosch. Expect to pay around R400 – R1,000 for a one-way trip, depending on the vehicle size you need and whether or not prices are surging.
Getting an Uber back to Cape Town should be fine, too, as long as you’re not traveling super early in the morning or late at night. If you are, then I suggest renting a car instead!
Thanks so much for reading my Stellenbosch 2-3 day itinerary – I hope that it helps you to plan the perfect few days in South Africa’s wine capital. For more resources on all things wine-related, be sure to check out the following posts: