Constantia, Cape Town’s Hidden Jewel

For the locals who call Constantia home, it’s a slice of heaven.

Surrounded by mountains and fanned by cooling sea breezes, this lush suburb is also regarded as Cape Town’s most prestigious. Stay in one of our spacious Constantia villas and discover award-winning wine estates, top-notch restaurants and local craft markets on your doorstep – plus a green belt perfect for hiking, walking and horse-riding. Cape Town’s other attractions are close, too – you’re a short, scenic drive from the V&A Waterfront and the picturesque beaches of Camps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bay and Llandudno.

Here are some of the highlights of Constantia:

1. Wine tasting
Constantia has the honour of being the oldest wine producing region in the Southern hemisphere, and the oldest wine estate of them all is Groot Constantia, first established in 1685. The Cape Dutch-style manor house is now a museum and you can taste wines, go on a cellar tour, eat lunch under a canopy of oak trees or take a picnic out onto the lawns.

Groot Constantia is only one of nine superlative wine estates in the area. Book a tour with Uncorked, who specialises in private, customised tours – including visits to cellars that are not open to the public and the opportunity to participate in barrel tastings. You’ll be picked up and dropped off afterwards, and a full-day tour includes lunch at one of the estate restaurants.

If wine really isn’t your thing – or you fancy a break from it – Jack Black’s Brewing Co is just down the road in Diep River. Opt for a brewery tour and tasting, or head straight to the Taproom for limited edition beers and fab burgers. There are regular jazz and pub quiz nights, and Food Truck Friday, on the last Friday of every month, pulls in a good crowd.

2. Dining Out
When it comes to eating out, it’s not an exaggeration to say you’re spoiled for choice. Cape Town’s most esteemed restaurant – it frequently tops best restaurants in the world lists – is La Colombe on Silvermist Wine Estate; expect edible works of art that fuse local ingredients with French flair. Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia offers sharing plates for two – eight dishes are served over three courses – at incredible value considering the high standard and fabulous setting; another bonus is that unlike its City Bowl counterpart, you can book in advance.

More casual and family-friendly options can be found around Constantia Village, along with a supermarket, coffee shops, boutiques and art galleries. Pastis, a French brasserie in art nouveau style, is great for breakfast. Foxcroft Restaurant and Bakery, La Colombe’s more casual sister restaurant, is the place for tapas, charcuterie and patisserie – but while the restaurant may have a laid-back vibe, the attention to detail shown to the food is outstanding.

For breakfast, a light lunch or afternoon tea and cake, Little Stream is surrounded by lovely rambling gardens – and there’s a large play area for the kids.

3. Outdoor activities
After all that eating and drinking, it’s good to know there’s somewhere nearby to work it all off. Constantia is blessed with a green belt boasting nine interwoven walking and hiking trails ranging from 30 minutes to two hours to complete, with the most popular being the Alphen Trail that runs along the Diep River to the Constantiaberg mountains – see details here. There’s even a parkrun that follows that route on Saturdays at 8am if you fancy running in a group and meeting friendly locals.

Unleash your inner Tarzan at Acrobranch Adventure Park – it’s fun for all the family. You basically navigate a series of obstacle courses in the trees using zip lines, Tarzan swings, nets and bridges. There are four levels, starting from a course for 3-6-year-olds and ending with the ultra-challenging High Flyers.

If you’re here in the summer, don’t miss the summer Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden’s summer sunset concerts on Sundays from November to April; while the odd international star appears it’s mainly a showcase for local talent. Bring a picnic; the line-up and tickets are here.

4. Local craft markets
On Friday nights, locals head to The Chilled Market at The Range on Orpen Road – from 4.30pm-9.30pm you’ll find food stalls (look out for Earthfire pizza, it’s amazing), craft beers and local wines, as well as live music and a kids’ play area. It’s in a gorgeous setting underneath pine trees at the foot of the Constantiaberg mountains.

A little further afield – it’s about 20 minutes’ drive, but worth it – is the Tokai Earth Fair Market in Retreat, where you’ll find ethically reared and organic products, artisan products, food stalls and fresh flowers. It’s open Wednesdays from 3pm-8.30pm and Saturdays from 9am-2pm.

Are you tempted by the notion of staying in Constantia? View our top Constantia picks below and browse more of our villas here.

* Our portfolio includes a wide selection of water-wise Villas with their own provisions in place.