Malmesbury is a very old historical town that can be reached via the N7 en route to Namibia. Once you have entered the town you will drive along the winding road, past shops, and on route to the Tourism Office. Please stop in and collect some valuable information regarding this beautiful town. It is steeped in history since 1655.
The area was always referred to as ‘het Zwarteland’ (the Black Land), because the veld, was covered by renosterbos which appeared black at certain times of the year. Today it is known as the Swartland. This was traditionally home of the Khoi-khoi and San people. The history of Malmesbury and the area date back to 1655 when Jan Wintervogel undertook an expedition under the order of Commander Jan Van Riebeek. The tourism office offers a tour of most of the historical buildings as the town has a rich cultural development dating back as far as 1830. Take the time if you are keen on architecture and enjoy the rich and diverse cultural heritage depicted in the style of the buildings. Stop at the local Tourism Board and collect your map on the Swartland Wine Route or go onto the link of The Wine and Olive Route. This is a real treat as the olives and wine in the area are of exceptional quality.