Paarl Travel Guide

Paarl is one of the oldest towns in South Africa and particularly known for its mountain, "Paarl Rock". The huge granite rock is formed by three rounded outcrops that make up Paarl Mountain and is the second largest granite outcrop in the world. Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve offers some awesome hiking trails and great views. Paarl boasts a unique attraction in the fact that the foundations of a new language, Afrikaans, combined heritage of Africa and the European mother countries, were laid here. The Monument to the Afrikaans language on the slopes of Paarl Mountain, the Language Museum and the Afrikaans Language Route through Dal Josaphat are living memorials to this achievement. A very interesting aspect to include in an itinerary if history interests you! Add to this the rich heritage of well preserved historic buildings scattered through the town and the large number of top-quality restaurants offering traditional Cape cuisine.

paarl is just fabulous the language monument is really nice - the symbolism is great (with the water at the bottom because it has to grow and everything) and the mountains - when you drive to stellenbosch - are officially renamed 'powder sugar mountains', they really look like, when god created them (if he had anything to do with it...) took some powder sugar and decorated those mountains as if it were fritters (oliebollen).

Visit and climb the paarl rock - a massive granite outcrop which gave the town its name (translation - the pearl)