Prince Albert

A quaint and well-preserved village at the foot of the Swartberg Pass, Prince Albert (400km from Cape Town) is the quintessential Karoo dorp. There is no ignoring its visual appeal: pretty streets of Cape-Dutch, Victorian and Karoo houses with corrugated-iron roofs, fly-screen doors, shuttered windows and cool stoeps. Unlike the surrounding peppercorn plain, the village is a verdant oasis, thanks to a perennial spring that trickles down a system of furrows along the sidewalks. The entire town can be explored on foot – both the main street and the dusty residential neighbourhood are a pleasure. At sunset the village lies more often than not under a golden glow and the silver church steeple shimmers against the dusk sky – this is Prince Albert at its best.

Things To Do
  • When in Prince Albert, do as Prince Albertinians do. Slotting into the sleepy village lifestyle is easy as pie. Start the day with a visit to the local dairy for fresh milk, yoghurt and cheese. Move along to the Saturday market for fruit and veggies, hot bread, jams and pickles. Kill the afternoon with a siesta, followed by moerkoffie and beskuit. Then, as the air begins to cool, rouse yourself and explore the back streets and gracious old buildings, 13 national monuments among them.
     
  • Of course, you can also play fatcat tourist in Prince Albert. Many flock to the village for the drive through its southern gateways – the Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort. Some of these tourists motor in one way, take a bed for the night, and zoom out the other. A few even squeeze the spectacular but tortuous journey to Gamkaskloof into the itinerary, driving in and out the same day. Personally, we think they’re nuts.
     
  • Prince Albert has a good sprinkling of restaurants, dotted up and down its dusty streets. Not all are of equal standing - Captain Getaway swears the one he visited for morning coffee uses shaving cream for their cappuccinos.
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