The joy of a slow pace

Riebeek Kasteel is not a place of nightclubs and big resorts. On a weekday evening the streets are calm, and on Sunday morning you hear the church bells across the village.

That quiet is the point for many guests. It is a place to read, sleep in, swim, cook slowly and talk late into the evening without background noise.

It is also a village with plenty going on when you want it: First Fridays, the monthly market, festivals in spring, and a good choice of restaurants for its size.

The trick is to plan less than you would at home. Choose one thing for the morning, one for the afternoon, and leave the rest of the day open. The valley does the rest.