Ecologically speaking, Calvinia is at the far eastern edge of the Namaqualand flower route. Nevertheless, it forms one corner of the triangle between the towns of Nieuwoudtville and Loeriesfontein and, as such, is drawn into the tourism sphere of the Bokkeveld plateau. It’s a lovely little place.
It’s a lovely little place. Lying at the foot of the Hantam mountains, this is a classic Karoo dorp with tin-roofed houses, stoeps dripping with broekie-lace metal work, and an impressive neo-gothic sandstone church. The town was founded in 1851 and named after John Calvin, the protestant reformer who set the puritanical tone for South Africa’s dominant religious discourse during the apartheid years.
Calvinia Post Box
Today, Calvinia is one of South Africa’s largest wool producing centres. It also has one of the country’s biggest post boxes, converted from an old water tower by the Chamber of Commerce in 1995. Mail that is posted in the box gets franked with a special flower stamp.
This kind of quirky humour is similarly evident in the joyous Calvinia Vleisfees (meat festival) which takes place every year towards the end of August. So, if you like your boerewors, chops and lang-arm dancing, don’t miss this celebration of all things carnivorous.
By David Fleminger
The Kokerboom Food and Wine Route embraces the towns and settlements of Keimoes, Kanoneiland, Kenhardt, Augrabies, Upington and Marchand. Th...
There are a few architectural gems to be found in Calvinia, including the neo-gothic Dutch Reformed church and a number of early Victorian t...