Stellenbosch is named after governor Simon Van der Stel (Van der Stels Bosch) who visit the ara in 1679, at that stage known as Wildenbosch. He was taken by the natural beauty and fertile soil. During the same year, the first colonist were granted farms. Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa after Cape Town, about 50 km south from Stellenbosch.

Stellenbosch is an important centre of the South African wine industry. Tourist like the town for its many Cape Dutch homes. Especially Dorp Street is very attractive offering many national monuments and the famous Oom Samies se winkel. The many oak trees in town originate out of the days when the town was still an agricultural area which is also the reason why Stellenbosch is also known as the 'Eikestad' (eik = oak, stad = city). As European oak trees grow too fast in the mild climate, they became quickly sponge and so not suitable for the wine barrel production.