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Durbanville Information

Durbanville, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, is home to a horse race track, a golf course and Tygervalley shopping centre - a large scale mall and popular haunt of locals. The Durbanville Nature Reserve, proclaimed in 1966, aims to promote, protect and further the interest in this unique area of fynbos and is a wonderful place to picnic. The Durbanville Craft Market takes place every first Saturday of the month and every Saturday in December.

Originally named Pampoenkraal (pumpkin fold), one of the oldest municipalities of Cape Town was renamed Durbanville, after Sir Benjamin D'Urban, Governor of the Cape, in 1836. Just 20 minutes from Cape Town city centre, Durbanville is in the heart of the Durbanville Wine Valley, with nine cellars including wine makers Bloemendal, Altydgedacht and Meerendal. One of the earliest farming areas, even today the wine farms of Durbanville are run by families who have been here for generations and this wine route is fast becoming one of the Cape's most popular.

Suggestions for things to see or do in and around Durbanville.

  1. Explore the Durbanville Wine Valley - Spend a leisurely day visiting the valley’s wine farms, with wine tastings, restaurants, cellar experiences and beautiful countryside. Popular estates include Durbanville Hills Winery, Diemersdal Wine Estate and Meerendal Wine Estate. There are around a dozen estates in the broader Durbanville Wine Valley. 

  2. Visit the Durbanville Rose Garden - This peaceful 3.5-hectare garden contains roughly 4,500 rose bushes representing more than 500 varieties. It is particularly attractive when the roses are in bloom and makes a pleasant spot for a stroll or picnic. Durbanville Rose Garden

  3. Walk or cycle in Majik Forest - A surprisingly green escape in the Northern Suburbs, Majik Forest has walking, jogging and cycling opportunities, picnic areas and a children's play area. Dog-friendly trails make it popular with local residents too.

  4. Visit Rust-en-Vrede Gallery and Clay Museum - Housed in a historic complex in central Durbanville, this attraction combines contemporary South African art with an interesting ceramics collection. The building itself has had several uses, including as a prison, police station and magistrate's court. Rust-en-vrede Gallery and Clay Museum.

  5. Spend a few hours at Durbanville Nature Reserve - This small reserve on the site of the old Durbanville racecourse is a good choice for a relatively easy nature outing close to town. Look out for indigenous vegetation and birdlife while exploring the paths. Durbanville Nature Reserve

  6. Go mountain biking at Bloemendal Trail Park – The trails at Bloemendal cater for different levels of ability and wind through the landscape around the Durbanville Wine Valley. It is also a good option for trail runners, with a café providing somewhere to relax afterwards.

  7. Try downhill tobogganing at Cool Runnings - Just outside Durbanville towards Bellville, Cool Runnings offers a fun alternative to the area's more sedate wine-and-garden attractions. It is billed as Africa's first downhill tobogganing track and is particularly popular with families. 

  8. Play a round at Durbanville Golf Club - Golfers can enjoy a round on the established course on the slopes of Durbanville Hills, with broad views across the surrounding area. The club dates back to 1967 and is known locally as the “Jewel of the North”.

  9. Take a wine safari - If you want to sample several estates without having to drive between them, the Durbanville Wine Safari provides hop-on, hop-off routes through the valley. The routes include estates such as Groot Phesantekraal, Diemersdal, D'Aria, De Grendel, Durbanville Hills and Klein Roosboom.

  10. Head up to Tygerberg Nature Reserve - A short drive from Durbanville, this reserve on Tygerberg Hill provides hiking trails and excellent views across the Cape Town northern suburbs and towards Table Mountain. It is a particularly worthwhile option if you want scenery and exercise rather than shopping or restaurants. Tygerberg Nature Reserve.

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