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Destination: Unknown.  

For the past two years South Africans had to learn to play in our own back yards, and what a lovely place that turned out to be! 

We have been showcasing some of the best destination towns our beautiful country has to offer over the past couple of months. And now we’ve found a new one. 

Rosendal –The Free State’s best-kept secret! 

There’s a sweet spot in our country. You don’t have to fly there, the drive isn’t arduous, the weather is idyllic (yes, frosty with a chance of snow IS idyllic to your average South African) and most importantly – unlike our flashier coastal areas, it’s never crowded.  

That sweet spot is the Maluti Drakensberg and Rosendal is simply put, the cherry on top! 

As with most small towns, Rosendal started off as a farming community, but over the past couple of decades, it has reinvented itself as an absolute haven for free spirits hoping to sidestep city shambles. These days it is a celebrated artists’ retreat where authors and creators come to find their inspiration.  

It’s far enough out of the big cities to remain quaintly isolated without being inaccessible.  

“Rosendal is just over three hours from Johannesburg, and two hours from Bloemfontein. It’s situated between Senekal and Ficksburg, and not far from Fouriesburg and Paul Roux. One adventurous way to travel from Gauteng is via the Riemlandroete from Sasolburg.” 

Read some more about Rosendal here.

Rosendal can be whatever you make of it. 

A loved-up couple will find the perfect long weekend break-away. 

A family with children can have boundless outdoor fun with minimal screen time and maximum bonding possibilities. 

For a group of adventure-hungry friends, it offers hikes, trail runs, mountain biking, horseback riding and nearly unlimited outdoor pursuits to fit every genre of the suburban active guy vibe.  

If you’re a solo traveller looking to spend some quality time with number 1, it’s a safe and creep free zone where you can wander around town, have meals in any of the quaint little eateries and just refresh and reload before returning to the hustle and bustle of the real world.  

Rosendal offers various accommodation types to suit each traveller.  

With beautifully appointed self-catering accommodation ranging from full houses that sleep 10 to secluded garden units that are perfect for a romantic getaway, you really are spoilt for choice.  

What about the community? 

The Rosendal residents are a lovely bunch of community-minded people. This is clear from the fact that Rosendal is one of the few destination towns that have their very own privately run (and bug-free!) website.   

With a list of festivities ranging from live shows to foodie festivals and local get-togethers, there’s always something going on in Rosendal…but never too much. The town remains true to its promise of restful solitude and unplugged mindfulness. 

(Even though most accommodation options do have WiFi…can anyone say seasonal semigration? Working Holiday?)