Only one tar road runs through Rosendal. Tucked away in the Free State of South Africa, this small town seems to be caught in a time warp. While Rosendal was once on the decline, an influx of visionaries transformed it into an aesthete’s dream.
GO: A three-hour drive from Johannesburg, Rosendal is a haven for artists, writers, and craftspeople. Return to the simple life here – you might even see locals doing their grocery shopping with wheelbarrows.
SEE: This town was originally established from a farmstead in the early 1900s. The widow of a fmer named the area Rosendal: ‘valley of roses’. Missionaries to the region are believed to have brought an abundance of roses with them, and the seeds took root all over.
Visit galleries like Skoppelmaai on General Fick Street and Stallery to admire the local art inspired by the countryside. Afterwards, satisfy your appetite and rest your feet at Benjamin’s, the popular waffle house with resident donkeys Oscar and Basjan.
DO: Explore rustic beauty beneath the Witteberg mountains and hike the Mosamane Trail. On this eight-kilometre loop, marvel at the wind-carved sandstone cliffs around you and clamber into Owl’s Eye cave for striking views.
If you stop at The Rosendal Post Office, don’t expect to send a postcard. This building has long since been retired and transformed into quirky, spacious accommodation. As a guest, scout through the multi-storey establishment and discover the basement where secret communications took place.
The residents of Rosendal have perfected the art of letting the hours pass by. Sometimes, the pleasure of life is to sit back, relax, and watch another idyllic day draw to a close.
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