Stellenbosch is the second-oldest European settlement in South Africa, founded in 1679 by the governor Simon van der Stel, who named it after himself and his wife's family, and it has the look of a town that has been carefully looked after. Oak trees line the streets, white Cape Dutch houses with curved gables stand behind them, and the mountains rise on every side, purple at dusk. It is also a university town, home to the Afrikaans-speaking Stellenbosch University, which gives the centre a young, lively atmosphere.
The wine country surrounds it, and the roads out are among the loveliest in the Western Cape. Head east on the R310 up the Helshoogte Pass toward Franschhoek, a village founded by French Huguenot refugees in the late seventeenth century, and the road climbs through vineyards and pine plantations, with views over the valley as it twists around bends. Other options include the Jonkershoek valley, a quiet dead-end valley full of fynbos, and the long loop over Sir Lowry's Pass to the coast. Traffic can be heavy on weekends and in the harvest season, and the Cape's winter, from June to August, is cold and wet, so spring and autumn are best.
The nearby mountains are part of the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage site that covers a tiny fraction of Africa and contains an astonishing share of its plant species. Fynbos, the heathland of proteas, ericas and restios, grows on the poor sandy soils and is bright with flowers in the late winter and spring. Baboons live on the slopes, and you may meet them on the passes, where they are wise to steal food from open bike luggage. Wine is the other great crop. The Cape's Mediterranean climate suits grapes, with Pinotage, a South African cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, as the signature red, and Chenin Blanc as the pride of the whites. Many estates offer tastings, though a motorcyclist should obviously treat them with great caution.
Practical matters are easy, and the town has fuel stations, repair shops and every kind of lodging. Drive carefully through the town centre, where students, cyclists and delivery vans share narrow streets, and park in guarded areas. Paarl, farther north-east, and Kraaifontein, close to Cape Town, are the bigger towns nearby. Take sun protection in summer, because the valley can be hot, and lunch at a vineyard restaurant is a wonderful way to spend a long afternoon.