Rediscovering the Magic of Tulbagh

Posted by Ayanda Khuzwayo on 05 October 2018 4:20 AM CAT

It’s been nearly 10 years since we’ve stayed in Tulbagh and as we drove into the quaint, charming town we had to wonder why it’s taken so long to get back. Tulbagh is a small gem in the Cape Winelands and is packed to the brim with excellent wine farms, restaurants, accommodation and interesting things that will keep you busy for much longer than just one weekend!

Our Accommodation: Kloofzicht Estate

We were hosted for Saturday night at Kloofzitcht Estate in the Farmhouse; a double story, 11 sleepers with  5 bedrooms. 3 of the rooms are downstairs, along with an open plan kitchen, dining room and lounge. Upstairs has another 2 bedrooms and a lounge.

View from the main bedroom’s balcony

This place is magnificent! As we walked out onto the terrace and then on towards the pool overlooking the dam, it really felt like we were in Italy. It’s exactly the image I have in my mind of a big family seated around the outside table, drinking wine, eating freshly prepared pasta, bread and olive oil and laughing together as the afternoon slowly passes into a warm early evening.

The Italian Wedding Terrace

Kloofzicht does cater for weddings as I found out later – so I wasn’t just imagining the picture perfect Italian-style small wedding.

We were very sad to only have had one night here as there are lots to explore including the dam which offers excellent bass fishing and safe swimming and rowing.

Kloofzicht also offers some affordable cottages which are neat, comfortable and perfect for an overnight stay as well as the Loft; spacious accommodation for up to 9 people.

The Pool and Dam

Another Stunning Balcony View

Our Top Picks from the Weekend

MCC Tasting at Mont Pellier

The setting at Mont Pellier is out of a fairy tale. There are secret gardens, tree houses, little streams and wide open lawns. It was so special to sit out on the lawns with the place to ourselves, drinking delicious MCC and feeling very, very pleased at our good fortune.

Need a venue for your magical fairytale wedding? This is the spot!

Wine Tasting at Saronsberg

We’ve tried a number of Saronsberg’s reds over the years and they’re generally one of our first wine choices if we’re out for dinner. But sitting outside the tasting room on a warm winter’s morning overlooking the dam gave us a whole new appreciation for their wines. Of all the wine farms we visited over the weekend, this was definitely our favourite in terms of the quality of the wines combined with the beautiful setting in which to enjoy them.

Lunch at Tulbagh Boutique Hotel

In the centre of town, the Tulbagh Boutique Heritage Hotel makes a convenient and very popular stop for lunch. We had a table reserved and were lucky that we had as the restaurant was completely full! The menu is comprehensive and there are so many choices that it’s difficult to settle on just one meal. We decided on the burger and ribs for mains, and a Creme Brulee and unbelievably delicious chocolate brownies for dessert.

Bubbles Tasting at Krone

This is the perfect place to end your day of exploring. The MCC tasting room is upstairs and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The tastings are generous and the atmosphere is completely relaxed.

Dinner at Readers Restaurant

Readers Restaurant offers simple, honest food prepared by trained chef Carol Collins. Carol is the perfect host; friendly, full of easy conversation and a lot of passion for the food she prepares. The menu changes regularly and reflects the seasonal availability of produce and Carol’s whims. The highlight of the evening was trying to guess the interesting ice cream flavours including olive oil and balsamic vinegar, curry and a host of others!

Things I Love for Breakfast

Our last stop was Things I Love in Tulbagh. This charming, quirky coffee shop, deli and shop was the perfect way to end our time in Tulbagh. The smell of freshly baked scones, as I walked in, meant that I couldn’t order anything else (and they tasted as good as the smelled!) and Alex had perfectly cooked scrambled eggs with salmon.

With thanks to Patty from Tulbagh Tourism for all your help and suggestions, as well as to Kloofzicht for our accommodation.

Original Article was written by Kath for Cape Town Insider