This small town with the charming name lies some 75 km from Cape Town and is surrounded by vineyards, wheat, dairy and sheep farms. The biggest attraction however is the wild flowers that bloom annually from late July to September. The town is home to several artists, including the comedian Pieter Dirk Uys and his alter ego Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout.
Darling was named after Charles Darling, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Cape at the time when the town was laid out in 1853.
Adventure And Sport
Walks: The town organises wild-flower walks during the flower season and nature lovers can enjoy game-drives and bird enthusiasts often come here to study the local birds.
Art And Crafts
Darling is home to several art and crafts shops that sell articles guaranteed to impress, interest and attract visitors.
Evita’s Arts and Crafts: The owner of Evita’s Arts and Crafts, Pieter Dirk Uys (otherwise known as Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout) and the town of Darling host the “Hello Darling” Arts Festival.
Evita se Perron: The very popular Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout presents her drama and cabaret at Evita se Perron.
Fauna And Flora
Wild flowers: Several wild-flower reserves, such as Waylands, Oudepost, Tienie Versveld and Contreiberg, protect the lavish natural vegetation of the area. All the reserves are open from August to December.
History And Architecture
Art Gallery: The gallery displays several works of art.
Darling Museum: The museum is located in the old City Hall, which was built in 1899. The museum records the history and development of the town and includes exhibits such as old kitchen utensils and Victorian artefacts. Darling is one of the biggest dairy-producing areas in the Western Cape and Darling butter is renowned. The butter museum forms part of the main museum.
Signal Cannon: The cannon was first mounted on Klipberg in 1734 to signal farmers when a ship had arrived at the Cape, so that they could take their produce to town to sell. It also signalled danger to the residents, when needed
