Welcome to Stellenbosch, South Africa!
Situated about 30 miles east of Cape Town and the second-oldest European settlement in South Africa, Stellenbosch is where you will make your home during your time abroad. Stellenbosch has a longstanding tradition of being one of the most dominant and important producers of wine in South Africa as well as being known for the many oak trees that surround the city. While not as large as its neighbor, Cape Town, Stellenbosch has distinguished itself as great town for students thanks to the prestige of Stellenbosch University.
What is there to do?
With Cape Town so close by, you will be able to visit for a weekend just about whenever you want. There is plenty to do there: hike Table Mountain, visit the awesome aquarium, enjoy some beach time with penguins at Boulder’s Beach. The options are endless! Read more about Cape Town on Lonely Planet here!
You might also want to go for a hike in the many mountains and hills that surround Stellenbosch, check out one of the hundreds of wine cellars, or take a trip around the Cape Winelands to see the vineyards! For more ideas, check out this page!
Transportation
When visiting Cape Town, you can use ride-sharing services like Uber or Findalift, as well as local taxis. You can also choose to rent a car to travel between Stellenbosch and Cape Town.
In addition, Stellenbosch University recommends Calvyn Heyns as a method of transportation between Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Contact calvynstours@yahoo.com for a quote.
A Tri-Lingual City
Most people in Stellenbosch speak Afrikaans as their primary language, but don’t worry! All of your classes are conducted in English and English is still spoken by most of Stellenbosch’s population. Xhosa, one of the Bantu languages, is also spoken by a considerable number of the population.