Welcome to the Arts Town Riebeek Valley – home to some of South Africa’s most famous painters and the country’s oldest hotel, The Royal Hotel. Also known as the “Wedding Valley”, the large variety of wedding venues, beautiful natural scenery and close proximity to Cape Town, makes this a top attraction.

Located on the West Coast Way Tractor Route

Nestled among vineyards and olive groves, Riebeek Valley includes Riebeek West, Hermon, Riebeeksrivier and Riebeek Kasteel on the West Coast Way Tractor Route.

Riebeek Kasteel, and its sister town, Riebeek West, are two of the oldest towns in South Africa, situated at 80 km north-east of Cape Town in The Riebeek Valley. During 1661 Commander Jan van Riebeeck initiated an inland discovery expedition under the leadership of Pieter Cruythoff. They set off in the direction of Paardeberg and on 3 February 1661 they ascended a lonely mountain and came upon the fertile vista of the Riebeek Valley. They named it Riebeek Kasteel, in honour of the Commander.

The area is a market and festival hot spot ideal if you like to travel and shop.

• Attend a number of festivals celebrating the valley’s olives, wine and art are held throughout the year with the Village Market in Riebeek West the place to go for homemade food and crafts.
• Started in 2000, the Riebeek Valley Olive Festival is one of the most popular lifestyle festivals in the Western Cape and the biggest olive festival in the country. Another festival to look forward to is the Riebeek Valley Shiraz and Art Weekend .
• Look out for the First Fridays and experience true platteland hospitality. Held on the first Friday of each month from 17:00-20:00.
• Taste olive oil or go on a guided tour of the olive oil presses. If you like the outdoors, choose from a number of scenic hiking trails, go mountain biking or try a 4×4 route.
• Create your own Olive Festival experience by booking one or more of our master classes in olive oil tasting, wine tastings, wine blendings and lots more.
• Enjoy an intimate long table experience with one of your favourite winemakers/producers where Riebeek Valley ‘farm to table’ deliciousness will be paired with exceptional local wines.

If you are an olive enthusiast, then this is the only place to be. Award-winning olive oils, olives, tapenades and beauty products are just a few of the olive products available in the valley. Do not leave town without visiting the Kloovenburg Wine and Olive Estate and the Olive Boutique for olives galore.

Tantalise your taste buds with unique and sought after wines from the Swartland terroir. Visit Allesverloren, Meerhof Winery, The Riebeek Valley Wine Co. Tasting Emporium and Kloovenburg Wine and Olive Estate for delicious wines – to enjoy on the day or an array of wines to take home with you.

Riebeek Valley is known for its culinary flair and wide range from luxury guest houses to comfortable inns.

Solo Studios has become an annual event on the South African arts calendar.

Hosted in and around the towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West, Solo Studios is a collaboration between artists, art curators and galleries based in the area, and has been created to provide an opportunity for art collectors to visit artists in their studios to view and purchase their art. Mostly private and reclusive, the artists invite the fraternity into their personal realm for a rare intimate encounter.

Giving Back: The Olive Branch Project

‘Start where you are, with what you have, and create something new.’

The Olive Branch involves the communities of the Riebeek Valley in performing and visual-arts projects with a view to finding common ground and healing wounds. The initiative also promotes creative entrepreneurship through ongoing skills-transfer programmes which foster and develop the traits that go hand in hand with creative endeavour: determination, honesty, commitment, courage, dedication and the desire to make the world a better place for all.

As part of the Solo Studios experience, the Olive Branch is operating a pop-up space in the centre of Arts Town Riebeek Valley which provides information about the project as well as an informal exhibition and performance space for local community artists and performers.

Meet Khanya Mbongo, Riebeek Valley Tourism Officer. The tourism office in Riebeek Kasteel will guide you to the best possible route to explore the town’s art galleries.

Riebeek Valley Tourism Gallery

The creative community of the Riebeek Valley, which encompasses the twin towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West, took the opportunity during the months of lockdown to develop the concept of what has become known as Arts Town Riebeek Valley, an umbrella platform which unites initiatives and projects which create and develop products within the cultural tourism sector.

A full list of Wedding Venues are available from the Riebeek Valley Tourism office. Firm favourites for weddings are Delsma Farm (book with Elizma Smuts on 084 581 0459) and Bartholomeus Klip.

Find Bartholomeus Klip on the West Coast Way Tractor Route. Bartholomeus Klip is an exclusive destination in the Riebeek Valley, just 25 minute drive from Riebeek Kasteel, in the Cape Winelands, located on a working sheep and wheat farm at the Elandsberg Nature Reserve. Discerning travellers will appreciate the peace and quiet in the exclusive five-bedroomed farmhouse, while families with children can enjoy privacy in the Wild Olive House & Cottage.

Find Riebeek Kasteel on the West Coast Way Tractor Route.

Distance from Cape Town: 86.1km
Where: N7
Open 7 days a week | Free entry
Contact: [email protected]  | www.riebeekvalley.info

West Coast Way Is South Africa’s Road Trip With The Most Twists

Explore the Cape West Coast by planning a self-drive trip or book a guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast holiday.

Find a 101+ things to see and do on the West Coast Way: Enjoy wine, craft beer, olives and Rooibos tea tastings, Weskus cuisine and braaivleis (barbecue), swing into Citrusdal with a zipline, go Cederberg bouldering, jump into natural (warm) pools, step onto cruises of lagoons and rivers, trek through nature reserves and a National Park, hop onto game drives, try the skill of archery and angling, get your adrenaline pumping with sand-boarding and quad-biking, go horse riding, learn about the San culture and Riel-dancing, do kite- and windsurfing, chill in your flip flops and do surfing, book a kayaking trip, go beach hopping, learn about bees, whales and listen to our birds in a twitcher’s paradise – all in South Africa’s wildflower reserve. For more information on the West Coast’s top places to go, road tripping, hikes, tours and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777.  Follow us on @WestCoastWaySA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.