To many, Franschhoek is Heaven on Earth. There are untold treasures to do, see and explore in this lush, beautiful valley just 70kms from Cape Town that it will keep you coming back for more.

Whether it is indulging your palate at eight of South Africa's top 100 restaurants, enjoying a gallop in glorious surroundings, browsing the specialist shops, sampling the multi-award winning wines from the region, paragliding through the valley or relaxing with a book in Lekkerwijn’s peaceful haven, Franschhoek has it all.

Enjoy a horseback ride, take a stroll or make your choice to visit over twenty wine farms. Or simply amble among an array of art shops, galleries and specialist stores that grace the village centre. Of course, to satisfy the more adventurous spirits, the valley provides the idyllic setting for walking trails, hiking, cycling, horse-riding, fly fishing and golf. Whats more Paragliding offers the brave and free spirited a stunning bird's eye view of the area.

A-Z of activities:

• Arts and crafts - Numerous artist-owned art and craft studios and galleries are spread throughout the valley offering a variety of items for sale, ranging from the work of South Africa’s most celebrated contemporary artists to locally-made hand-woven carpets.
• Bird watching - The Valley is an ornithologists dream with mountain and riverine avian habitats.
• Delicatessens - One of the delights of being in the Capital of Wine and Cuisine is having direct access to delicious, locally-made, speciality cheeses, chocolates, charcuterie, olives, bread and other delectable goodies.
• Extreme sports - hang-gliding, paragliding, mountain biking, kayaking down the Berg River
• Festivals - The South African Cheese Festival
  When: end of April/early May
  
  - The Franschhoek Festival (Classical Music)
  When: last weekend of October
  
  - La Motte Concert Program
  When: once a month from March to June
  
  - The Barnyard Theatre
  When: All year round entertainment
• Fly Fishing - With the Berg River and many dams stocked with Rainbow Trout, Franschhoek is a memorable fly fishing venue that houses the 1st Bells Fly Fishing Academy.
• Hiking and walks - iExplore the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve and Cats Pad Hiking Trails for breathtaking trails up in the Franschhoek Pass with views across the valley.
• Horse riding - Several equestrian establishments, with both hacks and Arabs alike, offer scenic rides across the hills and valleys of Franschhoek, as well as, wine tasting from horseback.
• Huguenot Monument and Museum - At the end of the picturesque Main Road, the monument was erected in 1938 to commemorate 250 years of Huguenots settlement in the Valley. Inside the adjacent building is the Huguenot Museum that illustrates the history of the Huguenots before and after their arrival at the Cape of Good Hope.
• Jazz - During the summer there are Jazz evenings every Friday from 5 - 8pm at La Grange Fromagerie
• Pampering - Relax and let the stress of life be massaged away with a variety of state of the art, professional applied treatments.
• Restaurants - The Franschhoek Valley is renowned for the exceptional quality of its restaurants and eating establishments. Not only do eight Franschhoek restaurants features in South Africa's top 100 restaurants, but the variety is endless – from Haute Cuisine to Al fresco dining and high teas to fromageries. It’s all delicious!
• Shopping - The quaint main road of Franschhoek Village and spread across the valley are the most charming boutiques, markets and shops offering innovative ideas to adorn your body, house and lifestyle.
• Sports - On offer are golf, tennis, squash, bowls, cricket, rugby, horse riding, fly-fishing, etc.
• Wine tasting Franschhoek Wine Route – taste a wonderful variety of wine in twenty seven extraordinary wine cellars. The Franschhoek wine route include some of the best loved wines in the world. Other proximate wine routes are the Stellenbosch, Paarl and Wellington, and the R62 wine routes.
• Zoo Accessible from the N1, Tygerberg Zoo is an endangered wild life breeding centre that specialises in protecting and breeding 284 species rarely seen in the wild. There is a large collection of primates, hoofstock that includes Zebra and grysbok and crocodiles and snake houses. Great for adults and kids alike!