That is how Abraham Gabbema must have seen it in 1657, when the wet rock glittered in the sun and he called it "de Diamondt en de Peerlberg". The pearl mountain gave Paarl its name. Paarl Mountain rises to 728 metres and has been a national monument since 1963; the Khoikhoi called it tortoise mountain. Sources disagree on when the town was founded: English Wikipedia says 1687, when Simon van der Stel granted the first farms, German Wikipedia says 1690.
- named after the shining granite
- 1657
- height of Paarl Mountain
- 728 m
- Taal Monument unveiled
- 1975
- residents, 2011 census
- 112,045
Paarl is where Afrikaans became a written language. The Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners was founded here on 14 August 1875, and from January 1876 "Die Afrikaanse Patriot" came off the press in what is now the Afrikaans Language Museum. The Taal Monument was unveiled on 10 October 1975. And on 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verster prison, now Drakenstein Correctional Centre, where a statue remembers him.
On a Winelands round trip Paarl is the hub. The N1 gets you here from Cape Town in just over 40 minutes, Wellington is twelve kilometres away, and the R45 runs via Simondium to Franschhoek. KWV was founded in Paarl in 1918, and its cellar complex on Kohler Street covers 22 hectares. The Paarl statistical region, which SAWIS extends to Franschhoek and Wellington, has more Shiraz and Cinsaut than any other region in the country, as of the end of 2025. How many estates belong to the Paarl Wine Route is less clear: its home page lists 23, an unverified travel text speaks of around 70 producers.
- Time needed
- one day for the town, the Taal Monument and two estates
- When
- February and March for the harvest, or winter from June to August, when the domes shine after rain
- From Cape Town
- 60 km, 43 minutes
Our tipLeave Paarl on the R45 towards Franschhoek: Babylonstoren and Boschendal are on the way, and the Orange and Green lines of the Wine Tram start at the Groot Drakenstein terminal (R45/R310). Babylonstoren charges an entrance fee, and Boschendal asks you to book and pay for tastings in advance, as of September 2026.
Wine estates in and around Paarl
- Paarl and WellingtonBabylonstoren
A Cape Dutch farm from 1692 with a show garden, a wine museum and cellar tours, entry fee required.
- Paarl and WellingtonKWV
A 22-hectare cellar complex in the middle of Paarl, plus the old brandy cellar where KWV distilled until 1991.
- Paarl and WellingtonLaborie
A white-gabled Huguenot farm in the middle of Paarl, now KWV's Cap Classique label.
- Paarl and WellingtonNederburg
One of the oldest estates around Paarl, founded in 1791, with breakfast in the Manor House and picnics in the garden.
- Paarl and WellingtonFairview
Six wines, six cheeses and a herd of goats with a tower of their own, just south of Paarl.
Places to stay in Paarl
AdvertisementThe links lead to trivago. If you book through them we receive a commission; it does not influence the selection. Prices are examples for the night shown.
Skinkikofi Guest House
40 Main Street
- Pool
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €71per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Dolyfboom Guest Rooms
14 Napier Street
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €148per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Nantes Vue B&B
56 Mill Street
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €80per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Nuwerus Lodge Paarl
Cnr Carolina rd & Jan Van Riebeeck Dr
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €62per night on 28 October 2026
Check prices on trivago
De Leeuwenhof Estate
Sonstraal Road, Klein Drakenstein Rd
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €139per night on 27 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Perle Du Cap
10 Tarryn Close
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €156per night on 7 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoWines from Paarl to order
AdvertisementAll product links are affiliate links to wine merchants based in Germany, who deliver to Germany and parts of the EU. If you buy through them we receive a commission; the price stays the same. Price, shipping and delivery time are set by the shop. Prices as of 23 September 2026
Golden Kaan Shiraz
€5.95 €7.93/l
To the shop at Club of Wine
Golden Kaan Cabernet Sauvignon
€5.95 €7.93/l
To the shop at Club of Wine
KWV Roodeberg
€5.99 €7.95 €7.99/l
KWV Roodeberg Selection
€6.99 €12.95 €9.32/l
Glen Carlou »Cellar Series« Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
€6.99 €13.95 €9.32/l
KWV Roodeberg Black
€6.99 €8.95 €9.32/l
Paarl: frequently asked questions
Where does the name Paarl come from?
Paarl is named after the pearl mountain: in 1657 Abraham Gabbema saw the wet granite above the valley glittering in the sun and called it "de Diamondt en de Peerlberg". Paarl Mountain is 728 metres high.
What does Paarl have to do with Afrikaans?
The Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners was founded in Paarl in 1875, and from 1876 "Die Afrikaanse Patriot", the first newspaper in Afrikaans, was printed there. The Taal Monument in Paarl was unveiled in 1975.
How far is Paarl from Cape Town?
Paarl is about 60 road kilometres from central Cape Town, just over 40 minutes via the N1 without traffic. German Wikipedia gives about 50 kilometres, English Wikipedia 60.