Paarl lies at the foot of remarkable granite rocks known as Paarl Mountain, that used to be called 'Tortoise Mountain' by the Khoisan, owing to its appearance.  The Paarl region, which forms part of the Boland, is considered to be one of South Africa's leading wine producing areas. 
Holiday accommodation and bed and breakfast guest houses have a range of family entertainment and outdoor activities on their doorstep.  These include Butterfly World, De Vonds Snake Park, Drakenstein Lion Park, le Bonheur crocodile farm, horse riding and mountain bike trails, ballooning, top rated golf courses and fishing.
It is also a region popular for its Cape Fynbos Flora, unique to the Western Cape,  which covers most of the mountains and parts of the Western Cape lowlands.  Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve is a good venue for viewing Fynbos, characterised by plants from three major families---the Protea family ( Proteaceae), the Cape Heaths or Ericas ( Ericaceae) and the Cape reeds ( Restionaceae).

Find Cape Winelands accommodation on the left of this page.