One of the most gorgeous spots to retreat to on a weekend, the rustic little village of Tesselaarsdal has a delightfully undiscovered feel to it. Bundle the dogs in the car (yes, it’s dog friendly!), pack the mountain bikes, and within two hours (from Cape Town), you’ll arrive at this charming little smallholding above set on the hillside above the village. One of Bella Rosa’s original cottages is a barn-like room that dates back 100 years and is steeped in history – it housed the decendants of freed slaves until just 30 years ago as the farm was part of Johannes Tesselaar’s original farm dating back to the 1700’s, which he bequeathed to slaves in 1810.
