Bellville

Cycling down Tygerberg hills, photo courtesy Damien du Toit

Bellville is set among the Tygerberg hills about 25km (15mi) from central Cape Town and has spectacular views of the winelands and Stellenbosch mountains.

Escape the city and visit the Tygerberg Nature Reserve (+27 21 913 5695) at Totius Street, Welgemoed. Entrance is free, though visitors will need to fill in a permit. The reserve covers 278ha (687 acres) of extremely endangered west coast renosterveld-type vegetation.

Put on your hiking boots and go on one of the many hiking trails, which cover about 7km (4mi) in all and can be covered comfortably in about two hours. The Induli trail, which means “hill”, takes you up to the reserve’s picnic area and viewpoint, where you can enjoy a scenic lunch.

If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of a tiger, then head for the Tygerberg Zoo (+27 21 884 4494), along the N1 highway about 40km (25mi) from Cape Town. It’s the only local zoo. It houses 61 mammals, including lions and chimpanzees, 160 bird species and 63 reptile species.

Feeling thirsty? Spend a day visiting the nine wineries that form the Durbanville Wine Valley (www.durbanvillewine.co.za) in the Tygerberg Hills. Most of them offer tours of the vineyards and cellars as well as wine tasting, history lessons and even carriage rides for children.

Golf lovers can enjoy sweeping views of the Hottentots Holland Mountains while playing a few holes at the Bellville Golf Club.

For the shopaholics, the sprawling Tyger Valley shopping centre (+27 21 914 1822; www.tygervalley.co.za) is nearby, while old-style shopping can be done on Bellville’s High Street, where the shopping complex has much to offer, including a theatre.

Take a morning to relive South Africa’s struggle history at the Mayibuye Centre (+27 21 959 2954) with its impressive collection of anti-apartheid memorabilia and collection of originally banned items.

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