On the other side of the Swartberg Pass is the picture-perfect town of Prince Albert, situated at the Southern edge of the Great Karoo plains. It is a classic Karoo dorp; pristine old homes line the streets with corrugated iron roofs and shady stoeps, and a fully-operational system of furrows channels water into the flowering gardens.
Prince Albert was laid out in 1842 on the farm De Queekvaleij, which was granted to Zacharias de Beer as a loan farm on 12 February 1762. Originally named Albertsburg, it was renamed after the husband of Queen Victoria in 1845. The arid area is ideal sheep farming country, but Prince Albert is also known for its apricots and figs, as well as for its olives, which are fêted at the annual olive festival held in May.
In the historical centre of town is the Fransie Pienaar Museum. Located in an old house on the main road through town, this remarkable assemblage of antiques, bric-a-brac, books and loads of other junk was collected by the renowned pack-rat, Ms. Fransie Pienaar herself.
The house was actually secured by the citizens of the town to store her burgeoning collection, and it kinda became the local museum by default. Although it looks a bit like a junk shop, the museum is full of interesting odds and ends, and the local tourist bureau is right next door. Here, you can book for the other attractions of Prince Albert, like the guided historical walks, ghost tours and the 4x4 excursions into the arid Karoo heartland beyond the town.
The main street of Prince Albert contains quite a few attractive little restaurants, which offer pancakes, sandwiches and other wholesome country fares. You’ll also find comfortable lodging at the local B&B’s and hotels.
Prince Albert is a village with a grand entrance from whichever direction you approach. You either have to go through, around or towards the...
The Fransie Pienaar museum building was once, between 1954 and 1982, Prince Albert’s hospital, where many Prince Albert residents were bor...
Included within the Swartberg Nature Reserve are the Meiringspoort and Gamkapoort Nature Reserves. There are few facilities throughout this ...