18 things to do in Riebeek Kasteel and the Riebeek Valley

By Roxanne Reid
Riebeek Kasteel and the Riebeek Valley have some serious history – stone-age tools and ancient KhoiSan rock art kind of old. But these days, it’s more about lazy weekends and good vibes, especially for Capetonians looking to escape the city for a few days. Here are some of my favourite things to do, from heritage, art and culture to food, wine and olives, with some outdoor adventure thrown in too.

Just a quick word about the history. Sources will tell you that the fertile Riebeek Valley was named after Jan van Riebeek. They’ll also say it was ‘discovered’ in 1661 by Pieter Cruythoff and a band of Dutch explorers looking for a good place to grow crops to provision the VOC’s ships passing between the Dutch Republic and Batavia. But that’s a narrow-minded, very Eurocentric comment, given that it had been known for thousands of years to the Khoi people who lived here long before the Dutch ever set their beady little eyes on it. Just saying.

Now let’s get into some details as to why it’s such a pleasure to explore nowadays.​

​1. Visit the wine farms 

Some Meerhof reds in the tasting room

Pulpit Rock at the foot of the Kasteelberg has an imposing modern design, two humongous barrel maturation cellars and a 1000-ton production capacity. Try a few of the wines from three ranges. The budget Stories collection includes a chenin blanc/viognier blend and a shiraz/pinotage/grenache blend. In the Brink Family Vineyards range, you might want to try sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon or merlot. The Louisa collection includes an MCC, a red blend and a dessert wine.

Enjoy a wine tasting in what used to be the old wine cellar at Kloovenburg. The estate grows sauvignon blanc way up on the mountain slopes – the highest sauvignon blanc in the Swartland. This is perfect for the grapes because it’s cooler up there. Keep an eye out for their Eight Feet white and red blends, named after the four young sons in the family who used to have a blast stomping grapes with their feet.

While you’re at Kloovenburg, you can also do an olive tasting or grab a picnic from Kringe Inni Bos (see point 10), which is right next door to the tasting room. Kloovenburg Pastorie, originally the pastorie for the Dutch Reformed church, also provides elegant Riebeek Kasteel accommodation.

Wine tasting and restaurant at Marras Wines in what used to be an old stable

Marras Wines has a tasting centre in Riebeek West where you can try some of their three ranges, including some light-style summer reds. We tasted an appealing barrel-fermented chenin, a rosé, an unusual dry hanepoot, and a light grenache. There’s a restaurant on the property too (see point 10). Mullineux & Leeu Wines do tastings of their Signature and Single Terroir wines on the first Friday of the month only for those who book ahead.

If you’re in the mood for more wine, head to Allesverloren, the oldest wine farm in the Riebeek Valley. It’s best known for reds – including cultivars like shiraz, cabernet and tinta barocca – and for its port. Or visit Meerhof, which has a fine view from a hilltop looking down into the valley. You’ll find a range of whites, reds and rosé to taste. They also make a dessert wine called Mooistrooi with delicious pineapple and citrus flavours.

2. Taste olives and olive oils

There are tons of olive choices at Het Vlock Casteel olive farm

Olive tasting in the Riebeek Valley is seriously tasty business. When the Riebeek Valley Olive Festival launched in 2001, just 2000 people turned up; by 2016 the number had shot up to about 20 000. Sadly, the festival had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, and the 2022 festival was postponed indefinitely, but it’s back. Now called the Swartland Olive Festival, it takes place in Riebeek Kasteel at the end of September. But you don’t need the festival as an excuse; you can taste olives all year round.

Don’t miss Het Vlock Casteel on Kerk Street (R311) – hands-down my favourite spot for olive tasting. It could be in Tuscany with its gorgeous villa vibe and views from the upper courtyard. The tasting is super generous – think 10 to 12 different types, from green to black to dried and even smoked olives, as well as olives flavoured with balsamic, fig, pomegranate, chilli, or lemon. Choose from a bunch of single cultivar extra virgin olive oils (like mission, frantoio, leccino, coratina – olive nerd heaven) or their flagship blend. The shop’s also packed with olive-themed goodies like olive relish, chutney, soaps, and hand cream.

Visit the Olive Boutique opposite to discover delicious bottled olives from a much smaller producer. My favourite kalamatas were in blueberry dressing, or with rosemary and garlic. You can try a range of different olive oils, from light/delicate (much loved by South Africans and Australians) to a more intense coratina (which is the choice of serious tasters in the Mediterranean). There’s also a range of olive oil body-care products.

Goedgedacht (see point 17) and Kloovenburg also produce olives, and you can do a tasting at Kloovenburg (see point 1).

3. Visit Jan Smuts’ birthplace

Jan Smuts' birthplace in Riebeek West - now a national monument

The lovely old Cape Dutch house where Jan Smuts was born in 1870 was once on a farm called Ongegund in Riebeek West, a few kilometres down the drag from Riebeek Kasteel. Today it stands on property owned by a cement factory, but don’t let that put you off; it’s still well worth a visit. It’s furnished as it would have been when Smuts lived here till he was eight years old. There are dung floors and rietdak ceilings in the kitchen and passage, a separate building depicting his military and political life. But there’s always the sound of grinding from the cement factory, the taste of cement dust on your tongue. A self-professed ‘son of the veld’, Oom Jan wouldn’t want to live here now.
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4. Hike the Kasteelberg

Hike to the top of the Kasteelberg for great views over the Riebeek Valley

If you’re a keen hiker you won’t be able to resist the challenge of making it to the top of the Kasteelberg to look out over the valley. A trail starts behind Pulpit Rock winery at about 248m above sea level and continues for 2km to around 850m. It’s not a hike to be taken lightly, so be sure you’re fit for five hours or more to get to the top and back. Let someone know where you’re going. Take sun protection and lots of water. Don’t go alone and don’t overdo it, rather turn back. Wear proper hiking boots rather than takkies. Download a map here.

If that trail is closed (as it still was in early October 2025, with no indication of when it will reopen), try one of the other hikes in the area. For instance, check in at the tasting room at Kloovenburg to fill in an indemnity form and get a route map of the trails on their property. Choose from three trails, including the family-friendly Olive Route (one-hour 1.8km) and the Mountain Route (2 hours, 3.8km).

There’s also a selection of hiking trails at Goedgedacht just outside Riebeek Kasteel (see point 17). They vary from a gentle 2.8km with good views to a much tougher 13.4km to the top of a mountain. Check in at reception at the main house before you walk to pay a small fee and so they know you’re on their property.

5. Sit on the longest stoep south of the Limpopo

The Royal Hotel in Riebeek Kasteel, said to have the longest stoep south of the Limpopo

Riebeek Kasteel’s Royal Hotel claims to have the longest stoep south of the Limpopo. The hotel has its origins in the mid-1800s and the date inscribed on the gable is 1862, but the facade we see today was only built in the 1920s. History aside, The Royal is a great place for high tea or gin-and-tonics on that impressive stoep while you watch the world go by. There’s also a restaurant that’s well-rated on Tripadvisor, although we haven’t eaten there yet.

6. Enjoy the Short Street precinct

The quaint Short Street precinct, Riebeek Kasteel

Opposite the Royal Hotel you’ll find what looks like a collection of old buildings in a small square. Called Short Street, its Karoo-style architecture was in fact only built in the early 2000s, an inspired plan to create what has turned out to be one of Riebeek Kasteel’s most visited tourist attractions. Here you’ll find the Co-op wine bar selling the region’s wines at cellar prices, Ancient Spirit for women’s clothing, Still Pure essential oils, natural skin and body-care products, Lewis & Madge leather bags, wallets and purses, and Rof handmade boots. Many of the buildings in this square are looking a little neglected and forlorn, in need of some TLC and a refreshing coat of paint.

7. Visit a greenhouse and nursery

Inside the glorious greenhouse at the Riebeek Valley Garden Centre

Don’t miss a visit to the Riebeek Valley Garden Centre, or Die Boomhuis. You can’t miss the striking double-volume dark green building on the main road in Riebeek West. Even if you’re not planning to buy succulents, orchids or other well-fed plants, it’s worth visiting for the greenhouse alone. There’s a young baobab tree in the middle and stained glass windows catch the light, while moss-covered stone walls and waterfalls gently trickling in the background make for an enchanted jungle vibe. On our last visit, we spotted a barn owl resting at the top of a tree and someone told us there was another in an owl box. They’re hoping the owls will breed.

Walk out back to browse the plants for sale and enjoy the shed with its old wooden wheelbarrow and metal rocking horse. You might hear the crowing of a cock or see some hens scratching in an enclosure nearby. There’s also a restaurant called KremaTart next to the greenhouse that does breakfast, coffee, cakes, lunch, and dinner.

8. Wander the streets 

Lovely old buildings are thick on the ground in the Riebeek Valley

If you’re fascinated by old buildings and attractive gardens make your heart do a happy dance, then take some time to wander the streets of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West – either on foot or cruising around on your bike. There are loads of charming old houses, some dating all the way back to the mid-1800s. I especially love the big, beautiful Victorians and Edwardians for their old-school elegance. Some of them have been turned into guesthouses – don’t miss Merindol Manor in Riebeek West and Kloovenburg Guesthouse in Riebeek Kasteel. Others are private homes, but you can admire them over the garden fence. You might even meet a barking, tail-wagging dog or two.

Keen gardeners shouldn’t miss a visit to 4 Piet Retief Street in Riebeek Kasteel. There’s a bicycle bell on the gate, as well as a cellphone number you can call. The owner is a garden lover who is happy to show off her peaceful garden, and to share tips and secrets with other plant lovers. She’s knowledgeable about the medicinal uses of plants too.

9. Visit a museum in a church

Riebeek Kasteel's old Dutch Reformed church houses the small Riebeek Valley Museum

IIn Kerk Street you’ll find the Dutch Reformed Church that now serves as the Riebeek Valley Museum. Dating back to 1856, this national monument houses some old kitchen implements, farm equipment, sewing machines, carriages and other things that the Voortrekkers who came to the valley might have used. If you’re looking for ghosts, hang around the horse-drawn hearse and you might feel a chill. To bring the museum up to date and make it more inclusive, there’s a section on the forced removal of the Oukloof Coloured community in 1965. About 60 families were moved, their homes, church and community facilities destroyed.

10. Eat at Riebeek Kasteel restaurants
If you’re a foodie, you’ll love the Riebeek Valley for its many restaurants worth a stop.​

Delicious soy-glazed pork belly at Marra Wines, Riebeek West

At Marras Wines on Riebeek West’s Voortrekker Street, we started with a wine tasting that flowed into lunch in the fresh-looking space that used to be an old stable. There are a few tables outside too. My pasta was enjoyable, but I was envious of my husband’s superb choice: sweet soy glazed belly with spicy green Thai curry, coconut cream, and tempura lychee. The menu also includes dishes like burgers, steaks, seafood, and pizzas​

Die Deck at Eight Feet Village has a super view over the Riebeek Valley

​Stop at Eight Feet Village, part of the Kloovenburg empire, even for a cup of coffee while you enjoy the sweeping views over the valley from the Bothmaskloof Pass. Order a pizza, steak, burger, or chicken prego from Die Deck, a venue that gets packed on the weekends. Or just enjoy coffee and a Belgian waffle. The more serious Mura restaurant at the same venue offers salads, burgers, steaks, chicken, pasta, and fish.

Beans About Coffee in Fontein Street, Riebeek Kasteel, does breakfasts, toasties and light lunches like quiches and burgers too. Their chicken mayo toastie on seed bread was super filling and I washed it down with an iced coffee with condensed milk – great on a meltingly hot day. There are mid-morning pick-me-ups in the form of carrot cake and cheesecake too.

Au Bouchon Rouge in Riebeek Kasteel has a decidedly French flair

Au Bouchon Rouge Brasserie & Patisserie next to the Royal Hotel, painted in mauve and white stripes, looked so inviting that we stopped for lunch. The chef is French so you’ll find things like garlic snails and pan bagnat on the blackboard menu, as well as prawns and steaks. We chose delicious linefish, which came with potato dauphinoise and ratatouille. The best place to sit to watch village life go by is on the stoep with its cane chairs and white tablecloths, reminiscent of a French pavement café.

At Café Felix, a 150-year-old oak tree provides shade in the entrance courtyard and there’s seating inside or in the garden at the back. I remember a yummy slow-roasted lamb shank here a while back, but they also do everything from sandwiches and salads, to steaks, curries, pasta, burgers, and pizzas.​

The terrace at the Barn in Riebeek Kasteel

The Barn on Kerk Street in Riebeek Kasteel is owned by the same folks as Beans about Coffee. The best thing here is to sit on the terrace outside and enjoy the view out over the village and to the mountains lying blue-grey along the horizon. We enjoyed a lunch of slow-roasted lamb neck which was good, served with mashed potato. Other menu items include steaks, burgers, linefish, pasta, and salads.

Find a relaxed vibe at the open-air Kringe Inni Bos

Visit Kringe Inni Bos at Kloovenburg for self-help light meals in the forest. Collect your food and drink from a kiosk and relax at one of the picnic tables under shady trees. There’s a playground for kids too. They do breakfast, toasties, salads, burgers, and sirloin. We thoroughly enjoyed our fresh-tasting grilled chicken wraps with crisp lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and garlic mayo. The relaxed outdoor setting was a bonus, especially on a quiet Friday before weekenders descended on the valley. The open-air restaurant is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.

There’s a bunch of other eateries in the valley too. They include:

• At’s Eatery for slow-cooked traditional food in a rustic atmosphere with nostalgic décor
• Cucina @KremaTart, Riebeek West, for its super position next to Die Boomhuis nursery’s greenhouse
• La Parilla for food with a Latin American flavour
• Meerhof Wines for pizzas, burgers, charcuterie platters to have with your wine-tasting
• Panera Bakery & Bistro for artisan breads, sweet treats, or brunch/lunch
• Rusty Cantina for tacos and tequila.

11. Get arty

Visit one or two art galleries in the valley

If appreciating fine art is your thing, visit art galleries like Gallery 7 on Plein (in the same building as the tourist info centre), Gallery Riebeek Kasteel diagonally opposite the Royal Hotel, Môi Art in Fontein Street, or the Blacksmith Yard in Riebeek West. There are painters, quilters, sculptors, metal workers and other artists all over the Riebeek Valley, and sometimes they open their studios by appointment. The First Fridays event (see point 12) often includes art in some form and Riebeek Kasteel styles itself as an Arts Town. An annual Solo Studios art festival, where you can enjoy intimate encounters with creators, takes place in late October.

12. Support First Fridays
First Fridays are held in Riebeek Kasteel from 17:00 to 20:00 on the first Friday of the month. Lots of people get involved, with shops and restaurants offering specials and discounts. A lucky packet of tastings, performances and exhibitions are usually part of the event too. If you’re in town on the first Friday of the month, you’ll love hanging out with the creative locals.

13. Go shopping

Crystal & Twine is just one of a host of cool shops in Riebeek Kasteel

Love browsing and shopping? You’ll dig the wealth of cool little shops here. From gifts, crafts and soaps to décor and knick-knacks, you’re spoilt for choice. Roes (which means Rust) is crammed with vintage, art deco and other eclectic bits and bobs you might want for your home or garden. Crystal & Twine is another favourite for French-inspired home décor and gifts, a wonderful experience just to walk around and enjoy beautiful things whether you buy a crystal chandelier or a simple ball of twine (that’s the inspiration for the name). Wunderkammer in Kloof Street mingles vintage furniture with quirky décor objects.

If you’re a wine lover, browse boutique wines at the Wine Kollective next to the Short Street precinct, which sells only what it calls ‘the special wines of the small, the famous and utterly unknown wineries situated within a two-hour donkey ride from Riebeek Kasteel’.

14. Visit the Riebeek Valley Village Market
A village market takes place in the village square in Riebeek Kasteel on the first Saturday morning of the month. Pop in to find handmade arts and crafts, farm-fresh produce and homemade foods at a variety of outdoor stalls. Browse the art, plants and décor items while enjoying the friendly, happy vibe. There’s plenty to eat at the market or take away for later.

15. Plan a destination wedding

Get married at one of the lovely venues in the valley

Destination weddings are all the rage these days; if you’ve got the budget, why not make a whole weekend of it? The Riebeek Valley is a popular place for weddings, with loads of venues and services ready to help pull off your special day if you book far enough ahead. Whether you dream of something in town or in the countryside, big and fancy or small and laid-back, there’s something here to suit you. Look, for instance, at venues like Allesverloren, Bartholomeus Klip, Cafe Felix, Delsma Farm Wedding Venue, Goedgedacht, Groenrivier Function Centre, Het Vlock Casteel, Riebeek Valley Hotel, and the Royal Hotel.

16. Go for a nature drive

Book ahead to enjoy an early morning nature drive at Elandsberg Nature Reserve

​Go for a nature drive at Bartholomeus Klip, a country lodge on a working farm and nature reserve about 20km south-east of Riebeek Kasteel. Here responsible tourism holds sway, with a commitment to the environment and local community. On the Elandsberg Nature Reserve, we saw geometric tortoise, eland, bontebok, red hartebeest and zebras that looked a bit like quaggas, with white rather than striped bums. Our guide said they’ve been trying to breed a quagga with DNA recovered from a quagga skin at Iziko museums. Now they’re using selective breeding to breed for fewer stripes.

Your guide will point out lots of plants too. The reserve consists of fynbos and renosterveld and more than 850 species of plants have been found here. There are ten red data plant species, four of them endemics. It was declared a natural heritage site in 1988.

If you’re not staying at Bartholomeus Klip, you can still go for a nature drive in the reserve, but you need to book at least two days ahead. The drives start at 7:00 and you can opt to book for brunch at the lodge afterwards.

17. Support a community development trust

Goedgedacht olive farm in the Riebeek Valley

Goedgedacht off the R46 near Riebeek Kasteel is an olive farm with a difference. At its heart is a community development trust devoted to tackling climate change and poverty among rural youngsters. The farm has thousands of olive trees and income from the olives and olive oil, together with hefty fund-raising campaigns, helps to run the Path out of Poverty programme that feeds and mentors young people. They reach thousands of people a year, and also have environmental, youth leadership and micro-enterprise programmes.

Visit the farm to buy Goedgedacht olive oil (you can also find it at Woolies and Pick n Pay), walk in the the Olive Peace Grove, go for a hike (see point 4), enjoy high tea in a tree, or stay over in the accommodation. It’s popular for weddings and retreats.

18. Stay at Riebeek Kasteel accommodation

Self-catering cottage accommodation in Riebeek Kasteel

There are pots of places that offer accommodation in Riebeek Kasteel and the wider Riebeek Valley. They range from self-catering and B&B to full-service lodges and hotels, from historic or romantic to modern, from budget-friendly to luxurious. With so much to do in the valley, you simply have to stay for at least a night or two so you can enjoy it all. Browse some accommodation options on the Riebeek Valley Tourism website or search on booking agents like Lekkeslaap. There’s even camping at Fish Eagle River Lodge just outside Hermon in the Riebeek Valley, about 12km from Riebeek Kasteel, and glamping at Meerhof Wine Estate on the Bothmaskloof Pass.

Views of vineyards and mountains from the Bothmaskloof Pass

Best time to visit Riebeek Kasteel & the valley
The climate in the valley is similar to the northern coast of the Mediterranean, and summers (October to March) are definitely hotter than down in Cape Town, high 20s and into the 30s being common, low 40s not unknown. Luckily, it’s less humid than Cape Town, making the higher temperatures a bit easier to deal with. Winter nights can get down to about 6 or 7 degrees Celsius. Most of the rain shows up in winter, with some 60% of it between May and August.

Because of how near to Cape Town the valley is, there’s a very different feel when Capetonian weekenders flood the valley. It’s also a popular wedding venue, so Riebeek Kasteel gets especially busy then. If you prefer a more laidback vibe where it’s just you and the locals, try to visit during the week when it’s calmer but be aware that some shops and restaurants may be closed, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays. Also, keep your eye on the timing of festivals like the Swartland Olive Festival (end of September) and the annual art festival (late October) when you’re choosing your time to visit. These times will be busier and you’ll need to book your accommodation far in advance to have a wider choice.

Where to find it
Riebeek Kasteel lies about 86km north-east of Cape Town via the N7 and R46. Riebeek West is only another 5km further north.

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