The Perfect 3-Day Franschhoek Itinerary

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A long weekend in Franschhoek (“French Corner”), cradled in a valley in the winelands, is always luxurious – excellent restaurants, art galleries, wine farms, and spas abound. Known as South Africa’s culinary capital, Franschhoek is a foodie heaven, featuring a surprising number of fine dining options for a small town.

The surrounding wine region, established in the 17th century, produces some of South Africa’s best Méthode Cap Classique (or MCC), sparkling wine made using the traditional French Champagne method.

There are several long-established wine farms, but new estates continue to appear, so there is always something different to explore. The best way to do a wine tasting tour here is on the Franschhoek Wine Tram, a suitably chic form of transportation around the winelands.

Whether it’s your first time in Franschhoek or you’re just in need of some relaxation, here’s the perfect Franschhoek itinerary for a fabulously indulgent winelands weekend.

Where to Stay in Franschhoek

You are spoilt for choice in Franschhoek, but for unmatched luxury in the centre of town, my top picks are Le Quartier Français, the Franschhoek Boutique Hotel, or Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa.

If you’re more partial to staying at a wine farm, try Leeu Estates, La Petite Ferme, or the Grande Provence Hotel.

There are also numerous more pocket-friendly options in town, such as Macaron Boutique Guest House or Mont D’or.

Friday: Art Galleries, Artisan Chocolate, and Franschhoek Fine Dining

The driveway up to the Franschhoek Motor Museum. There are thick trees lining the road and the sky is blue with some white clounds. — The entrance to the Franschhoek Motor Museum

Having taken Friday off, dress in your most luxurious breezy linens, pack a Panama hat, and head to Franschhoek. Everything this weekend is about relaxed winelands hospitality, lingering over wine-soaked al fresco lunches, and slowing down.

The easiest way to get to Franschhoek from Cape Town is to hire a car. The drive takes between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on where in Cape Town you’re leaving from. You can also get an Uber from Cape Town to Franschhoek, and the town itself is very walkable if you’re staying centrally.

If you’re wine tasting in Franschhoek, you can use Uber to get around, but keep in mind that they take a bit longer outside of Cape Town.

Afternoon Arrival

Your first stop is Haute Cabriere Wine Estate for lunch. The terrace at Haute Cabriere is casual, but the views out over the Franschhoek Valley are unmatched. Hot tip: Because of the views at sunset, Haute Cabriere is also a great spot for pre-dinner sundowners.

Stay for a wine tasting after lunch if you are so inclined (of course you are, it’s Friday afternoon in the winelands). Try the Pierre Jourdan MCC tasting, and add a macaron pairing if you wish, in the spirit of all things French and fabulous.

For a slightly more formal lunch, go to Le Lude Estate, also known for its MCC (described by one wine critic as “light like a Ballerina” – is there anything more chic?). You can enjoy a leisurely meal in the tasting room, or book at the Orangerie Restaurant for French cuisine – lunch on the terrace, surrounded by the ivy-draped walls, is a very Franschhoek affair.

After lunch, check into your hotel, and then spend the afternoon exploring Franschoek’s art galleries and boutiques. Don’t miss my favourite Huguenot Fine Chocolates, and Ebony Curated, which stocks the much-coveted and absolutely stunning Ardmore Ceramics.

Alternatively, visit the Huguenot Memorial Museum and Monument at the top of town. If you like cars, the Franschhoek Motor Museum is a must-do. I actually am not much of a car fan, but I took my husband there on one of his recent birthdays, and even I was impressed with the collection.

Franschhoek’s Best Fine Dining Options

For dinner, take your pick of Franschhoek’s excellent fine dining restaurants (these must be booked in advance). It would be a shame to leave without having a meal at La Petit Colombe, the little sister to famed Cape Town institution La Colombe.

However, there are many alternatives – also in the La Colombe group are Epice (awarded best restaurant in South Africa) and Protégé (newly opened, and slightly more casual by La Colombe standards, but definitely still fine dining). Other excellent choices are Le Coin Français, Eleven, or Ōku, for Asian-inspired food.

Not into fine dining? Book a ticket for Boschendal’s night market, which operates on Friday nights in the summer.

Saturday: The Franschhoek Wine Tram, Wine Tasting, and Lunch in the Sun

The Franschhoek Wine Tram, which travels between different wine estates in Franschhoek. This is my favourite thing to do on a weekend in Franschhoek. — The Franschhoek Wine Tram and Tram Bus

Breakfast and the Franschhoek Wine Tram

Onto the real fun: this is your wine touring day, and Franschhoek does it in style. Book a tour (again, in advance) on the iconic Franschhoek Wine Tram, a hop-on, hop-off wine estate tour.

This Franschhoek Wine Tram Tour includes transport from Cape Town. Check availability and prices here.

Another hot tip: it is vital to have a proper breakfast on a wine tasting day. If your hotel does not provide breakfast, try Terbodore Cafe or Smit ten, or get coffee and pastries at the bakery at Haute Cabriere.

There are several different tram routes to choose from, which stop at different wine estates, and you choose the route you wish to take in advance when booking. The tour leaves from central Franschhoek (check your particular line for the precise departure point), and takes place on a combination of the tram and a tram bus, for those wineries which are not located next to the railway.

The routes and the wine estates change from time to time, but my top choice currently would be the Orange Line, because you want to be able to go to Babylonstoren, Boschendal, and Vrede en Lust, which are all great wine farms. The Red Line, featuring Grande Provence, Rickety Bridge, and Mont Rochelle, is also a good option.

The tram or tram bus stops at every wine farm along the route, and then comes back along the same route later in the day. Travellers pile off at each stop and either walk or are driven to the wine farm’s tasting room. At Boschendal, for example, which is very big, they fetch you from the tram stop in a tractor and drive you to the tasting room.

Franschhoek Wine Farm Lunching

A cheese platter at the tasting room at Babylonstoren in Franschhoek. Babylonstoren is a must-do in your Franschhoek itinerary. — A cheese platter at the tasting room at Babylonstoren

Check the timetable for your particular tram line on the website, and plan where you want to stop and when you will come back. Most importantly, make a reservation in advance at the wine farm where you want to have lunch.

Trams arrive at each stop roughly every hour, which is about enough time for a tasting, but you can choose to spend two or even three hours at a particular wine farm (the lunch stop usually takes at least two hours). Note that the ticket you purchase for the Wine Tram does not include the cost of wine tastings or lunch, which must be paid for at the wine farms that you visit.

When planning a Wine Tram outing for big groups, I find that the maximum number of tastings most people want to do is four (and a lot of people fade after the third one). You should aim to have lunch at the third stop, and a pre-lunch charcuterie platter at the second stop never hurt anybody.

I usually pick Babylonstoren for lunch, an absolutely enormous and very “country luxury” working farm with several shops and restaurants, really excellent food, a hotel, and one of the best spas in South Africa. Note, Babylonstoren is the only wine farm on the Franschhoek Wine Tram route that requires visitors to pay an entrance fee.

Alternatively, Grande Provence is a Franschhoek institution, a stunning wine farm with manicured lawns and sculptures throughout, with two restaurants as well as catered picnics. Vrede en Lust and Zorgvliet are also classic choices, both with multiple options for lunch.

Mont Rochelle (owned by none other than Richard Branson) is slightly more casual, also with multiple lunch options, as well as lawn games.

NB: Please keep in mind that wine estates will not serve you alcohol, and you may be asked to leave if you are messy or badly behaved. The tram also has open sides, and if you present a hazard or are in danger of falling off, the staff may prevent you from getting on. Have fun by all means, but keep it classy.

A Casual Dinner in Franschhoek

IMHO, people don’t usually want a complicated meal after a day of wine tasting, and Franschhoek’s more casual restaurants are just as good. Try Reuben’s for really excellently done classics (Reuben Riffel is a very well-loved South African chef, and Franschhoek is his hometown), or Frank’s Corner for burgers and steaks.

If you prefer a pizza and an early night after a day of wine tasting in the sun (there is no shame in that!), there is a Col’Caccio in Franschhoek, in an idyllic setting under the oak trees.

Sunday: Spa Treatments and a Winelands Tapas Lunch

The interior of the Leeu Spa in Franschhoek. — The Leeu Spa at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek

A Morning Massage at a Franschhoek Spa

Spend your last morning relaxing at a spa – I recommend the spa at Leeu Estates, which feels like a secret, high-end escape (seriously, if I were Beyoncé and wanted a spa treatment in the Cape winelands, this is where I would go). After your treatment, enjoy both indoor and outdoor pools, and the luxurious gardens filled with sculptures.

Tapas Lunch at a Franschhoek Wine Farm

Views from Maison Wine Estate in Franschhoek. Maison is always my last stop on a Franschhoek weekend. — Views at Maison in Franschhoek

There are few things better than a relaxed outdoor lunch after a spa treatment. Have your last meal at Maison Wine Estate, at the outskirts of Franschhoek, where you have booked lunch under the trees at Chef’s Warehouse.

Lunch at Maison is in the form of a four-course tapas menu, which changes regularly but is always incredibly inventive, with an optional wine pairing. There are also pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan menus available.

Despite the food being top-notch, Maison has a very laid-back vibe as a working wine farm. If you have a table outside, there are chickens wandering around, and goats and ponies, which make an occasional appearance, much to the delight of diners.

(I am also convinced that there used to be a pig here – on a recent visit, the staff were baffled by this, but I maintain that I cannot possibly have hallucinated an entire pig).

When you absolutely must leave, wend your way home relaxed and happy, with a very full belly.

Winelands whet your appetite?

If you liked this Franschhoek itinerary, there’s lots more wine tasting to explore – see my guide to the best Franschhoek wine farms here. If you’re into more under-the-radar wineries, see my guide to the best hidden gem Franschhoek wine farms.

If you’re going back to Cape Town, have a look at my guide to the Constantia wine route.