Paarl, South Africa: Top Things to Do, Wineries & Tips

Why Is Paarl Worth Visiting?

Paarl is located in the Cape Winelands of South Africa.

The town is a great alternative to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek because it’s not as crowded. Paarl also has charming Cape Dutch houses, beautiful wine estates, and a few genuinely cool attractions.

We haven’t been to Paarl ourselves. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to fit it into our trip through South Africa, and Stellenbosch appealed to us more based on the photos. But Paarl is simply part of the Cape Winelands experience, so we didn’t want to leave it out — here’s everything we found during our research.

What's the Best Way to Explore Paarl?

We’d recommend visiting Paarl as a day trip from your accommodation in Stellenbosch, just like Tulbagh, toward the end of your South Africa road trip after the Garden Route and Route 62. The two towns are only about half an hour’s drive apart, which makes it super convenient.

There also aren’t a ton of things to do in Paarl — it’s perfect for filling a single day.

You will, however, need a rental car to visit the attractions in Paarl. Most of them are located a bit outside of town.

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The Best Attractions in Paarl

Paarl has a handful of really worthwhile highlights. Here are the ones we would have visited on a day trip.

Afrikaanse Taalmonument

The Afrikaanse Taalmonument stands on a hill near Paarl. It symbolizes Afrikaans and the many languages that shaped it.

Surrounding the monument is a beautiful garden with a playground. From up here, you can also look out over Paarl and the vineyards all the way to Table Mountain in Cape Town.

There’s a parking lot right at the monument, so you only need to walk a few minutes.

Alpaca Loom Café

On the outskirts of Paarl, you’ll find the Alpaca Loom Café. It’s especially worth a visit if you’re traveling with kids.

The Alpaca Loom isn’t just a cute café — it’s a small farm with alpacas, llamas, goats, sheep, and more. You can pet the animals and feed them with food available on-site. Afterward, grab a coffee on the terrace and look out over the large enclosures.

There’s also a small shop where you can pick up products made from alpaca wool.

Bretagne and Paarl Rock

Towering above the town is a massive granite rock. On top, large granite boulders sit in seriously cool formations. From up there, you get a fantastic panorama of the surrounding landscape.

You can either hike up from the valley or park near the rock. The road leading there is quite exposed, though — if you’re planning to drive in South Africa and want to visit Paarl Rock, a 4×4 rental car is a smart choice.

The Best Wine Estates in Paarl

Around Paarl, there are some seriously lovely wine estates to explore. Just pick one and do a wine tasting or enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Make sure to book ahead at all wine estates.

Here are three we’d highlight:

• Fairview Wine Estate: The most famous of Paarl’s wineries. The estate keeps goats and produces its own goat cheese, which you can try at the restaurant or during a wine pairing — honestly a really fun experience.
• Nederburg Wines: A great pick if you’re traveling with kids. The estate is relatively affordable and has a cool playground for children.
• Bacco Estate Winery: Located between Stellenbosch and Paarl and still pretty under the radar. It’s small and modern, and the restaurant menu changes every month.

The Best Places to Stay in Paarl

We recommend making a day trip to Paarl from Stellenbosch.

That said, if we were looking for a place to stay in Paarl, we’d go with one of these two. Both have excellent reviews, nice rooms, and solid value for the price.