The most charming and overlooked towns in South Africa
South Africa is home to many picturesque towns and quaint villages waiting to be explored.
Beyond SA’s famous cities and locations, lie charming towns and small villages abundant with character. South Africa is home to many picturesque towns and quaint villages waiting to be explored.
KWAZULU-NATAL
Certainly one of the best examples of one of these towns, is Underberg. It lies beneath the uKahlamba-Drakensberg mountain range. This quaint farm town, is a World Heritage Site. The Mzimkhulu River that runs nearby is perfect for fly-fishing and swimming. Visitors can have a look at rock art and have a drink at the highest pub in Africa.
CHARMING TOWNS IN THE KAROO
Without doubt, the Klein Karoo is a great destination for discovering unique and charming towns. One of these is De Rust – a small village nestled between the Swartberg and Kammanassie mountains. In recent years the slow pace of life and clean fresh air has made it a popular escape for artists, according to Gardenroute.com. In addition to tourism, a major economic contributor is farming. A large portion of the residents dedicate themselves to ostrich, tobacco, wine, cattle, and milk farming.
Another charming town in the Klein Karoo is Montagu. Montagu is a quaint, historic town between Cape Town and the Garden Route. Many South Africans call it the ‘mountain mecca’ of the Cape. Rock formations and healing hot mineral springs are some of what the town has to offer. Montagu has the most national monuments in one street than any other town in SA, according to route-62-info. The many museums will give visitors insight into the town’s history.
Historical architecture fills Willowmore, a charming Karoo town. It is situated amid the Cape Fold mountains, just beyond the southern end of the vast Camdeboo plain. The town offers a variety of interesting historical buildings and other attractions, many of which date back to the 19th century. Built around 1896, the iconic town hall has become a popular filming location. There is also an old prison building, the Old Jail, built with local stone and completed in 1880. The government decommissioned it as a prison around 1950. Thereafter, it was abandoned for more than a decade before the current owners converted it into a guesthouse.
THE OVERBERG
Equally noteworthy is the Overberg district. Genadendal is the oldest Moravian mission village in Africa, with church buildings and a school that dates back to 1738. The original Moravian mission church houses the oldest pipe organ in South Africa, according to South African History Online. The name ‘Genadendal’ means ‘Valley of Grace’. It is about 137 km from Cape Town and well worth a day trip. Genadendal is a 300-year-old town with a timeless charm of history. Today, Genadendal, has 3 500 registered occupants. The village is remote and underdeveloped.
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