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On our trip we stayed at Villa Tarentaal and loved it. Go to their listing to make a booking for a wonderful weekend in Tulbagh.
Feeling deflated after a long week at work, we made our way out of Cape Town along the N1, crawling through the traffic with nerve-wracking sluggishness. We had two choices to reach our destination: either continuing along the clogged main artery that leads out of town and through the northern suburbs or taking a turn onto the N7 which runs parallel to the coast and eventually becomes the Cape-Namibia route. We opted for the second option and were rewarded with stunning scenery of green fields, large bodies of water and exquisite arum lilies dotting the countryside.
Chugging along in our faithful little Mazda Midge, rain clouds hovered above and there was a general sense of chaos in the air. Passing through Malmesbury, we turned in the direction towards the Riebeek Valley and, passing this, we took a left onto the R46 which would eventually lead to our destination, Tulbagh.
As we drove along Van der Stel Street, Tulbagh's wide main road, a sense of calm overcame us. So much room, so little chaos, space to breathe and get in touch with one's senses. Just the reasons we had come for.
Our accommodation was very easy to navigate, being just a stone's throw away from the main road and famous historical Church Street. Arriving in the dark, we were warmly welcomed by our amazing host, Graham, who showed us to our Swallow Suite at the Villa Tarentaal. We stepped into a stunning en-suite room with extra-length king size bed covered in crisp linen, a spacious couple's shower, fully equipped tea and coffee station and a fantastically stocked honesty bar with all sorts of goodies (including a toothbrush and toothpaste, should you have forgotten yours in the last minute packing rush).
Our stomachs reminded us fairly soon that it was dinner time, and we were keen to try The Olive Terrace Bistro & Lounge Bar. We found a lovely old dining room with bar, tables and couches in front of a roaring fire. With the rain battering down outside, the atmosphere was cozy and friendly. We felt relaxed and happy with our glasses of Tulbagh Winery Shiraz / Pinotage and delicious Olive Terrace Lamb Burgers with hand cut French fries. When we returned to our room, a comfortable bed and handmade chocolates awaited us. With a cup of tea, we settled under the fluffy blankets to a 1990's comedy on DStv which seemed fitting in a town where time had come to a standstill.
The following morning we were awakened by a gentle serenade of birdsong and the sun was trying its best to break through the clouds. We took a walk around the property and found a roaring river, olive groves, and beautiful mountain scapes in the distance with peaks covered in glistening snow. A Cape eagle owl flew past us gracefully, possibly on its way to breakfast! We reached the terrace and found a romantically set table for two with toast, jams, a carafe of freshly squeezed orange juice and pots of tea and filter coffee. As we sat down, Graham appeared with two plates of mouth-watering French toast croissants with bacon.
Fueled for a day of exploring, we followed Graham's suggestion to meander through Church Street whilst the sun was out. We felt as if we had stepped into another era. Charmingly restored Cape Dutch houses line the road from beginning to end, making this the street in South Africa with the most national monuments in one road. Some of the buildings are private residences and many have been transformed into delightful shops and restaurants worth exploring. The severe 1969 earthquake had damaged the town and buildings substantially, but today one can appreciate them in their lovingly restored glory. A small museum at the end of the road allows one to read up on the history of the town and on each individual monument. Colourful peacocks strutted across the road and proudly showed off their dazzling wheels of feathers, tempting me to take several pictures. I was quickly put in my place by the entourage of peahens looking after their male counterparts, and as the winter rain clouds began soaring back towards us, we strolled once more past the thatch-roofed houses and bright green gardens towards our car.
Our next stop was Moniki chocolates which is nestled on a farm in the mountains above Tulbagh town. Our Midge went on its obligatory off road adventure up onto the dirt path that leads to the chocolatier. We reached an old cape Dutch house set amongst luminous green fields where horses and donkeys grazed. Inside we found a table laden with heavenly cocoa filled goodies and without any hesitation decided to partake in the difficult task of chocolate tasting (difficult in a sense that we had to choose three flavours out of the grand selection of equally delectable looking chocolates). We settled for the Amarula heart, coffee-infused square and nougat log all of which were delicious.
As the rain had started to fall on and off again, we took the decision to explore the area by car a little bit more that afternoon. We drove past beautiful wine farms, including Twee Jonge Gezellen, known for pioneering night harvest wines. There is an abundance of wine estates in the region, producing a good variety of both white and red wines. As we were doing some driving, we decided to save our "wine tasting" for dinner and drove past lush farm scenery and across Mitchell's Pass to Ceres. After spending the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in our luxurious suite, we were drawn back to The Olive Terrace Bistro to try their Pie of the Day with our long awaited glass of warming red wine.
On Sunday morning, after a delicious hot English breakfast and fresh fruit and yoghurt with granola on the terrace, we reluctantly bid Graham and Villa Tarentaal farewell. Feeling energised, revitalised and pampered, we took the long route home over the beautifully rugged and waterfall-dotted Bainskloof Pass and via Wellington, ready for the new week ahead.
To book a weekend in Tulbagh at Villa Tarentaal go to their listing.
