Worcester at a glance

Worcester is the capital of the Breede River Valley, a fertile inland area referred to locally as “over the mountains”. This valley stretches from Gouda in the west and McGregor in the south, to Montagu in the east and the Karoo in the north. The Breede River Valley is the largest fruit and wine producing area in the Western Cape and is the leading race-horse breeding area in the country. This semi-arid area, which forms part of the Little Karoo, is known for its magnificent scenery and indigenous Fynbos and proteas.

Worcester was founded in 1822 after the amalgamation of two farms, Roodewal and Langerug. The town was named after the brother of Lord Charles Somerset, the Marquis of Worcester.

Worcester is just 90 minutes drive from Cape Town on the N1 highway running north to Johannesburg.

With its wide range of service and commercial facilities including fast and efficient banking services, world-class telecommunications and many more, it has become the business and shopping centre not only for the nearby towns, but for the entire Breede River Valley.

Lying more inland than Cape Town behind the Du Toitskloof and Slanghoek Mountain ranges, Worcester experiences more extremes of temperature. Summers are generally dry and hot with maximum temperatures often exceeding 30ºC. Winters are usually very windy and often cool to cold with snowfalls common at the higher elevations. Worcester gets most of its average annual rainfall of 175mm in the winter. Most of the Breede River Valley has relatively abundant precipitation (ranging from 500mm to over 1,000mm per annum), but the town of Worcester is relatively dry as it lies in a curious rain-shadow phenomenon caused by the surrounding high mountains.

The town is surrounded by verdant valleys, wine farms and spectacular craggy mountains, the peaks of which are often covered with snow in the winter. With 24 co-operative and three private wine cellars along its Wine Route, the Worcester district is one of the most important wine-making areas in the country, producing 20% of South Africa’s wine! The region is also the country’s most important brandy producing area; Worcester is home to two Brandy Cellars – KWV, the world’s largest brandy cellar, and Olof Berg Solera Cellar.

The economy of Worcester functions primarily to serve its agricultural community. As such it is a transportation hub and an administrative centre. In the last couple of years several new developments have sprung up around the Worcester Dam, namely the Mountain Mill Shopping Mall; the Golden Valley Casino, hotel and conference centre, and various business and office developments.

Worcester is a well-known educational centre boasting several schools, a college, and two world class schools for the disabled – the De La Bat School for the deaf and the Pioneer School for the blind. Worcester therefore has a relatively large disabled population with a few niche industries that supports them.

The region also boasts private hospitals and clinics that provide fast and professional medical emergency assistance. Many specialist medical services are also available.

Not only is there a lot to see and do in Worcester, but its location makes it an ideal base from which to explore the surrounding towns, vineyards and valleys. From here you can visit interesting towns such as Tulbagh, Ceres, Robertson, Montagu and/or Touws River. Situated as it is between the Breede River and the Hex River Mountains to the north, Worcester and the Breede River Valley is a real eco-destination with its magnificent mountain scenery, breathtaking views, nature reserves, and unique Fynbos flora and fauna.