Stellenbosch and Cape Town are the oldest established  settlements by Europeans in the Cape of Good Hope. Today the town of Stellenbosch has over 100 000 inhabitants.

Stellenbosch is situated about 114 metres above sea level at the banks of Eerste River about 50 km east of Cape Town. Since the  administration reform of 2002 the towns of Franschoek and Pniel as well as three townships also belong to the outskirts of Cape Town. Stellenbosh is the most significant wine area in South Africa and is situated in a wonderful mountainous areas with fertile valleys of agricultural significance.

The climates of Stellenbosch and Cape Town are quite similar, however the monthly minimum and maximum temperatures are quite different. In the summer there is not much rain in this wonderful countryside, ie on average less that 25 mm per month. In winter it can be from 50 to 75 mm. Even when average temperatures are 25 degrees centigrade in summer and 17 degrees in winter,  you must not forget that in summer it can get really hot, reaching temperatures of 40 degrees centigrade. The average lowes temperatures in summer are between 14 – 18 degrees and in winter about 10 degrees.

The Dutch East India company started to settle in the Cape area in the middle of the 17^th century. After the formation of Cape Town in 1652 the Dutch governer of 1679 brought a new settlement to life on the banks of the Eerste River. In honour of the  Gouverner Simon van der Stel, the town was first called Stlenbusch and later Bush of the Stel and finally Stellenbosch. For a long time Stellenbosch remained the  most easterly outpost of the Cape area. The town grew very quickly due to the very good economic conditions.

In 1682 the regional authorities were established and Stellenbosch made into a place of court. In the following hundred years Stellenbosch suffered a relapse due to fires and floods in all areas. The influence of the British caused many Dutch settlers to leave the area (large Treck) Only with the building of the University of Cape Town in 1918  (today over 20 00 students) did the city regain its former importance.

Only towards the middle of the last century did the wine business recover which was due to the international authorities and their sanctions due to Apartheid. Only after the abolishment of apartheid did the economy of the Cape area improve and so too in Stellenbosch, especially the wine business and the ever increasing tourism.

Stellenbosch is very well known for the export of high quality wines which are produced by 120 vineyards. The vineyard Meerlust was the first to become world famous and was the first with the name from the region, ie Boschendal, Delheim, Kanonkop, Neethlingshof, Thelema or Zonnebloem.