Wines & Mountains in Worcester,  Route 62, South Africa

  • by Amazing Africa
  • •
  • 27 Feb, 2018
  • •

Blog-Through the Route 62, Part 7 - WORCESTER

Road to Worcester - Route 62, South Africa
Road to Worcester - Route 62
The city of Worcester, located on Route 62 from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, is surrounded by exceptionally picturesque mountains and valleys. It is one of the cities that make up the Breede Valley community.

The city has its own "Worcester Wine and Olive Route" and accounts for one-fifth of South African wine production. With twelve wine cellars and an olive grove it houses the very popular KWV Brandy as well as Slanghoek, Du Toitskloof, De Wet, Optel and more.
Worcester Wine Route, Route 62, South Africa
Wine Farms of Worcester
South Africa has ten national botanical Gardens, and one of them is in Worcester, namely the "Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens", where you will find an amazing array of dry and semi-arid plants. The best season to visit is the South African Spring (September / October), where the gardens come to life!
The Flowers of the Karoo National Gardens in Spring Time, Worcester, Route 62, South Africa
The Flowers of the Karoo National Gardens in Spring Time
The Karoo National Gardens also offer two beautiful trails, but there are many more around Worcester, which are popular for canoeing, cycling and mountainbiking. There are many beautiful places to get active and enjoy the beauty of the area. But in the summer months it can get very hot with temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius.
For those travelers who want to know more about the history, there is a city tour organized by the Tourist Board that will take you through 18 different places rich in architectural history. The Worcester Museum has a strong focus on the agricultural history of the area and has some interesting daytime demonstrations such as bread baking, soap making, candle making, coffee making, metalwork, roll tobacco and donkey cart rides.
Map of Worcester provided by Worcester Tourism Office, Route 62, South Africa
Map of Worcester provided by Worcester Tourism Office
Restaurants or culinary diversity is not necessarily a focal point in Worcester, as was probably the case in other cities that you have previously visited on Route 62. But there are definitely some nice options to choose from. One of the top rated restaurants is the Kokerboom Restaurant, which can be found in the Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens. Although it does not open until late in the evening, it does offer a cocktail bar and some healthy dishes, all with beautiful views of the gardens.
Kokerboom Restaurant, Karoo National Gardens in Worcester, Route 62, South Africa
Kokerboom Restaurant, Karoo National Gardens in Worcester
Worcester is definitely a bit 'more discreet' in its approach to tourism, with less excitement about signage in the city, etc. But if you do some research and information before your trip, you will have a great time and be able to enjoy this wonderful Explore the city on Route 62, the longest wine route in the world!