Cape Town Unlimited
Somerset West, Strand & Gordon's Bay
Somerset West, which on our Cape Town Unlimited site includes Strand as well as Gordons Bay on the False Bay Coast, is situated at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains. Somerset west is about 50km east from Cape Town City along the N2 highway. Somerset West was named after the British Governor of the Cape Sir Charles Somerset in 1819, after he granted permission to four farmers who owned portions of the Vergelegen Estate to build a church in 1817, and thus the village of Somerset was born. In 1850 it was renamed to Somerset West to avoid confusion with Somerset East in the Eastern Cape.
The whole Somerset West region is beautiful indeed. To the north, east and south of Somerset west lie the most magnificent mountains of the Helderberg – meaning “clear mountains”. The foothills of the Helderberg around Somerset west are covered in vines, whilst the higher slopes are covered in the Cape unique flora, Fynbos. Somerset West is a delightful place to stay and live in, especially for those who love the scenic outdoors combined with a thriving town.
And Somerset West along with Strand is a thriving, bustling and busy place, whilst Gordons Bay is more laid back and relaxed as befitting a small town. Somerset West has developed tremendously over the last ten years, whilst still retaining the charm of a village. There is a thriving business sector in and around Somerset West as well as a few industries, and the shopping experience has been greatly enhanced by the Somerset Mall which is situated between Somerset West and Strand and caters to the entire region and beyond, with many shoppers travelling there from Stellenbosch and even Franschhoek to do their shopping.
The town centre of Somerset West has many charming, historic buildings lining its streets, housing many boutiques and small intimate shops and businesses. Everything the residents and visitors to Somerset West need are available in town, whilst the more serious shopper needs only to travel to the Somerset Mall which is certainly on par with any mall in the greater Cape Town region.
There is plenty of accommodation in Somerset West comprising of Guest Houses, B&B’s, Self Catering Accommodation and Hotels. Strand is also an appealing accommodation destination with many self catering apartments scattered along its waterfront. Strand is also a great place to live if you like the sea.
There are plenty of restaurants, offering a wide variety of Cuisine in Somerset West as well as many coffee shops, cafes and delis.
Somerset West has a fabulous wine route known as the Helderberg Wine Route with nearly 40 veritable and noble wine estates scattered through the region. Come and taste the wines of the Helderberg in this fabulous and scenic wine route. The Helderberg Wine Route is a part of the greater Stellenbosch wine route, which means you are spoiled for choice when it comes to visiting wine estates and tasting the delectable wines of the Cape.
Sports lovers will love Somerset West with many sports clubs and sporting activities such as 3 golf courses, a country club, soccer, croquet, bowls, squash, tennis, cricket, hockey, a pistol shooting range and golf driving range. If you love swimming in the sea, Strand has a long beachfront where the waters are warmer and the sea much calmer than on the Atlantic coast. Strand is an ideal place to learn how to surf as the waves are not the big or strong most of the time.
Gordons Bay in the Somerset West region is a delightful picturesque seaside town with a small harbour, tucked away in the eastern corner of false bay. The harbour offers boat charters and fishing trips for sea going enthusiasts. Bikini Beach in Gordons Bay is a delightful and safe beach, especially for children and is also quite protected from the south easterly Cape Doctor winds that blow in the summer months.
So do browse our Somerset West pages on Cape Town Unlimited and find all there is in this beautiful and vibrant part of Cape Town.
