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Paarl is situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is the biggest town in the Cape Winelands and has around 192,000 occupants. The town is inhabited by people of different cultures. Paarl boasts a unique and magnificent history as it is one of the earliest European settlements in South Africa.The city is renowned for its ravishing landscape, contemporary coffee shops, and remarkable architecture. It is the only city to have a monument that is devoted to a language. In addition to that, it is home to world-famous wine routes. There are countless places to visit in Paarl, like wineries, natural reserves, museums and so on.

Top 7 Places To Visit In Paarl

This article lists the best places and attractions in Paarl that you must visit at least once in your lifetime. Make sure to stop by these 7 places to visit in Paarl:

1. The Butterfly World

The Butterfly World

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The Butterfly World is one of the best tourist attractions in the Western Cape. It is situated in Klapmuts and came into existence in the year 1996. The Butterfly World is easily reachable because of its prime location. Additionally, it is the biggest free flying park for butterflies. It consists of a ravishing tropical garden that provides shelter to a large variety of native butterflies. The Butterfly World imports around five hundred to three hundred butterflies on a weekly basis. It also offers an exhibition of marmoset monkeys, iguanas, guinea pigs, blue duikers, meerkat enclosure, indigenous spiders, scorpions, and a reptile bay beside stunning and beautiful butterflies. The various tropical plants and dribbling water features enhance the admirable setting of The Butterfly World. The Butterfly World has a gift shop, and the Jungle Leaf Care offers eatable items to the visitors. Besides, the garden is nothing less than a tropical wonderland.

Must Read: Churches In South Africa: 10 Places Of Worship That Will Fill You With Divine Bliss


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2. Afrikaanse Taal Monument

Afrikaanse Taal Monument

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Afrikaanse Taal Monument or Afrikaans Language Monument was erected in the year 1975 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Afrikaans as an official language. The monument was designed by the popular architect Jan Van Wijk, and it is located on the Paarl Mountain. It comprises three obelisk-shaped pillars and three domes which give it an aesthetic appeal. Afrikaans is one of the earliest languages in the world whose roots are spread across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The origin of this language is Dutch. Afrikaans was recognized as a definite language in the year 1925. The monument is dedicated to the language. The Stellenbosch Mountains and the Table Mountains can be clearly viewed from the Paarl Rock. The monument has a conference center and exhibition area for visitors. Furthermore, a wide range of souvenirs are available at the Curio Shop.

3. Drakenstein Lion Park

Drakenstein Lion Park

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Drakenstein Lion Park was built and established in the year 1998 for providing a natural environment to distressed and wounded lions. In fact, it is Western Cape’s only unaffected and genuine lion sanctuary. The reserve is based on a fifty-acre territory and is even home to a large population of lions including white tigers and lions, which are getting extinct day by day. The animals in this sanctuary cannot be set free in the wild because they have been raised in captivity. Tourists can watch how the lions are fed and watch them from a close distance. Furthermore, Drakenstein Lion Park has come up with a facility called Chimp Haven for providing shelter to the lions of Tygerberg Zoo. The food items and beverages can be purchased from the delicatessen. Drakenstein Lion Park also consists of farm animals, picnic areas et cetera. Moreover, feeding takes place on select days.

Suggested Read: Best Waterparks In South Africa – Get A Little Splashy & Live The Childhood Dream!

4. Paarl Vintners

Paarl Vintners

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Paarl is renowned for the wide variety of premium and exotic wines that it offers. Paarl Vintners is renowned as the globe’s first red route because of its exquisite and rich wines such as Shiraz, Port, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Roodeberg. Wards such as Franschhoek and Wellington, Simonsberg-Paarl and Voor-Paardeberg come under the district of Paarl. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and several other varieties of grapes are grown in these districts. For cultivation purposes, irrigation is not necessary because the summers are long and the area witnesses plenty of rainfall on a regular basis. Cellular tours and wine tasting is offered by most of the estates, which have some outstanding eateries as well.

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5. Paarl Golf Club

Paarl Golf Club

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Paarl Golf Club is situated in Boschenmeer Golf Estate in Western Cape. It is a twenty-seven hole golf course, and some of the holes are scattered along the Berg River for making it challenging for players of all levels. The beauty of the course is unparalleled because of the natural vegetation, mountain backdrops, water features, and perils. The club has hosted some of the major tour events of South Africa along with national, regional, and local events. Club facilities consist of a swimming pool, golf academy, state of the art clubhouse, playroom for children and so on. Furthermore, the golf course has been designed by David Frost.

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6. Limietberg Nature Reserve

Limietberg Nature Reserve

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Limietberg is a beautiful and ravishing nature reserve situated in the Du Toitskloof Mountains in South Africa. It has a total of nine hiking trails. The reserve is perfect for a casual outing since it is characterised by spectacular views, serene walks, tranquil moments, and rock pools for the convenience of tired walkers. Cape sugarbird, Protea Canary, the black eagle can be spotted in reserve along with baboon, leopard and klipspringer. Nonetheless, only a hundred and twenty people are allowed in a day into the Tweede Tol Picnic, which is meant for leisure purposes. Tweede Tol Picnic has a jungle gym to keep the children captivated so that the parents can run necessary errands. There are several beautiful and shady spots in the encampment in Bainskloof Pass. It is best to visit the Limietberg Nature Reserve during daylight hours for a remarkable and amazing experience. However, the weather is quite inconstant, and tourists are advised to come well prepared since last-minute rescue operations would not be feasible. Additionally, Limietberg Nature Reserve is extremely beautiful and is highly regarded by experienced hikers.

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7. Frater Square

Frater Square

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The building came into existence in the year 1985. At first, it was used for a variety of purposes like storing farm implements, but after years of extensive planning, it was transformed into a lifestyle mall by Gerard and Yvette Frater. The shopping center is easily reachable since it is located on the main road of Paarl. Frater Square provides an amazing and remarkable shopping experience that one cannot find anywhere else in Paarl. It changes conventional prospects of lifestyle and shopping with its outdoor concept and remarkable ambiance. Frater Square has a classic village setting and emanates a placid style.The center has a large number of fine restaurants along with decor boutiques, premium wine shops, hair and beauty salons, clothing boutiques for people of all age groups and a lot more. The eateries consist of Bread and Butter, Melissa’s Frater Square and so on. The Frater Square shopping center offers plenty of parking space and twenty-four-hour security. It even has wheelchair access for the convenience of disabled people. The center also offers a free WiFi facility for unending connectivity. Frater Square has a Kids Zone for occupied parents who want to keep their children in a safe and fun environment.

Further Read: 15 Best South African Cuisines That’ll Add A Variety Of Delicious Flavors To Your Next Holiday

Paarl is a phenomenal and beautiful city that has plenty to offer to tourists. The town offers an unending list of wonderful things and incredible spots. Paarl has everything- from historical buildings to outstanding wineries. The places to visit in Paarl are aesthetically ravishing. Make sure to visit them at least once on your trip to South Africa.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Places To Visit In Paarl

What can you do in Paarl for free?

While there are several free tourist activities and attractions you can indulge in without paying out of pocket, we recommend taking a hike around the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve and exploring the vineyards that offer free entry or tasting.

How far is Paarl from the ocean?

The distance between Paarl and the Sea Point is 58 kilometres.

What is Paarl known for?

Paarl is one of the oldest towns in South Africa that is famous for its mountain well known as the Paarl Rock. The town also holds an important place in the country’s heritage as it originated one of their sign languages, Afrikaans.

How far is Franschhoek from Paarl?

Franschhoek is 24 km away from Paarl and it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to travel between the destinations. One can hire a taxi or Uber to reach the place.

How far is Paarl from Cape Town?

The distance between Capetown and Paarl is 55 km and you can take a taxi or uber ride to reach the capital city in around 45 minutes.

How high is Paarl Rock?

The Paarl Rock is the most impressive attraction in the town of Paarl in South Africa. Its elevation is 120 meters or 390 feet.

How was the Paarl rock formed?

The Paarl rock is a huge granite formation consisting of three round and massive outcrops. The mountain is the second highest granite outcrop in the world.

Where is Paarl situated?

Paarl is located on the outskirts of Capetown. It is known as the pearl of the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

How long is the Paarl Main Road?

The Paarl Main Road is the longest in South Africa. It is a 12 km long road that offers various heritage and natural attractions of the country on its sides.


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