Paarl is the largest town in the Cape Winelands and one of the oldest European settlements in South Africa. Fifty kilometres northeast of Cape Town, it sits on the banks of the Berg River beneath an enormous granite outcrop that glints like a pearl when the sun hits it right — hence the name. The town's wide Main Street, lined with Cape Dutch gables and old oak trees, stretches for over ten kilometres and is one of the longest in the country.
Founded in 1687 when the Dutch East India Company granted farmland along the Berg River to settlers, Paarl has been wine country almost from the start. The fertile valley soil and Mediterranean climate proved ideal for vineyards, and today the town is home to some of South Africa's most celebrated estates, including Nederburg and the KWV cellars. A drive through the surrounding valleys turns up one tasting room after another.
Paarl also occupies a particular place in South African cultural history. It was here in 1875 that Afrikaans was first recognized as a language distinct from Dutch, and the striking Afrikaans Language Monument on the slopes of Paarl Mountain commemorates that moment. The town's other historical landmark is Drakenstein Prison (formerly Victor Verster), where Nelson Mandela spent his final years of imprisonment and from whose gates he walked free in 1990.
The Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve is worth a visit for its walking trails, fynbos vegetation, and views across the valley. The Berg River offers quieter pleasures — a bird sanctuary along its banks is home to over 130 species, including the Malachite Kingfisher and African Fish Eagle. For something different, the Ikhwezi Centre in Mbekweni showcases local weaving and art.