Constantia, Cape Town

Located in the Constantia Valley in the heart of the Southern Suburbs, nestled between the slopes of the Constantiaberg Mountain and Table Mountain ranges and set beneath the Table Mountain National Park, lies the beautiful, picturesque suburb of Constantia. Regarded as the oldest wine-making region in the southern hemisphere, Constantia is home to the famed Constantia Wine Route, which includes award-winning wine farms like Buitenverwachting, Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia and many more. As one of the most prestigious areas in Cape Town, residential properties in the Constantia area offer both a pastoral and suburban lifestyle, with a mix of upmarket townhouse complexes, apartments, security estates, smallholdings and free-standing houses surrounded by lush green landscapes, forests and mountains. Despite the mostly pastoral feel of this aspirant suburb, residents and visitors are never far from some of Cape Town's finest restaurants, boutique shops, gyms, shopping malls and medical centres, all of which are located within easy access of residential property in the Constantia area. The suburb of Constantia is an outdoor enthusiast's dream, with an array of forest walks, hiking trails and other outdoor activities available, leaving no surprise as to why residential properties in the area are highly sought-after. 

Brief History of the Area:

The story of Constantia begins in 1685 when the former estate in the magisterial district of Wynberg was granted to Cape Governor Simon van der Stel by Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein, Lord of Mijdrecht and visiting Commissioner of the Dutch East India Company on his annual visit to the Cape. The estate was given the name "Constantia" after the daughter of Commissioner Rijckloff van Goens, who made the original grant. In 1692, Simon van der Stel constructed a simple country house with small casement windows and without gables and began using the land for the farming of cattle and the production of fruit, vegetables and wine. In 1699 Simon van der Stel retired after many years of farming and continued residing in Constantia until his death in 1712, upon which the estate was then divided into three parts and sold respectively; The parts were christened Bergvliet, Klein Constantia and Groot Constantia. In 1779 the portion of the estate that includes Simon van der Stel's Cape-Dutch style manor house was sold off to the Cloete family, who planted extensive vineyards and improved and extended the mansion through commissioning the service of the architect Louis Michael Thibault. In 1791 Cloete added a wine cellar and the house remained in possession of the Cloete family until 1885, during which time the estate became renowned for its production of Constantia dessert wine. In 1885 Groot Constantia was purchased by the government of the Cape of Good Hope and used as an experimental agricultural and wine estate. In 1925 after a catastrophic fire destroyed it, funds were raised and the house was then extensively restored to its original Cape-Dutch magnificence. In 1969 the manor house became part of the South African Cultural History Museum and in 1993 the estate passed into the ownership of the Groot Constantia Trust. The exhibition inside the homestead is managed by the Iziko South African Museum, with a particular focus placed on rural slavery and the life of slaves during the early Cape Colonial period. Today, several other estate complexes have joined Groot Constantia to form the prestigious Constantia wine route; these estates include Buitenverwachting, Eagles' Nest, Beau Constantia, Klein Constantia, Constantia Uitsig, Steenberg and Silvermist Vineyards. 

Schools in the Area:

Constantia is situated in proximity to several respected private schools.

Private schools in the area include:

• Sweet Valley Primary School

Located just outside of Constantia at number 100 Dreyersdal Road in Bergvliet and rated as one of the best in the province, lies Sweet Valley Primary School. Sweet Valley seeks to foster self-discovery, personal integrity and above all, academic excellence in its students. By offering the finest quality education in an inclusive, warm, familial atmosphere, students are encouraged to achieve their absolute best in all aspects of school life. With a comprehensive academic curriculum supported by dedicated staff and access to state-of-the-art facilities, students are allowed to develop their unique talents. All of this instils in students a sense of independence, intellectual curiosity and cultural awareness. Apart from a strong academic curriculum, Sweet Valley Primary also offers a wide array of extracurricular activities designed at enriching the minds and bodies of its students; Some of these include athletics, rugby, netball, swimming, tennis, chess club, drama club and many more. 

• Reddam House Constantia 

Situated along Reddam Avenue in Constantia and cradled by the magnificent mountains, lies the prestigious Reddam House Constantia. As a top-performing IEB school offering a premium private education, Reddam House Constantia places an emphasis on excellence that permeates every sphere of daily school life. The school is fully- equipped with world-class facilities that include art, dance, music and drama studios, science and computer labs, a cricket oval and AstroTurf, expansive sports fields, a massive assembly hall and a well-resourced library. An exciting new development to the Reddam premises is their new aquatic centre. Reddam seeks to nurture talent, self-assurance and individuality by offering many challenging academic, sports and arts programs aimed at enriching its students and filling them with confidence and a sense of personal individuality. Offering an internationally recognised and respected IEB curriculum in a relaxed, safe and self-disciplined setting, Reddam seeks to instil its students with a sturdy system of values as well as a thirst for knowledge. With expert guidance in an optimal learning environment, Reddam House Constantia inspires and encourages its students, equipping them with the tools required to face and overcome the adversities of life.

• Constantia Waldorf School

Positioned along Spaanschemat River Road in Belle Constantia and renowned as being the first Waldorf school of its kind in Africa, Constantia Waldorf is a co-educational private school that endeavours to deliver an extensive, modern Waldorf Curriculum, designed to cater to the cognitive, emotional and physical needs of its students. At Constantia Waldorf, the arts are given an equal amount of attention on par with sciences, humanities and technologies while an array of extracurricular activities are offered throughout the year, including dancing, basketball and soccer among others. Constantia Waldorf seeks to embrace the individuality of its students.

• American International School of Cape Town

Located just outside of Constantia at number 42 Soetvlei Avenue in Sweet Valley, lies the American International School of Cape Town (AISCT). Spread across 12-acres in the epicentre of the Constant Hills against the backdrop of the Table Mountain National Park, AISCT is a private, co-educational, not-for-profit institution founded in 1997. With over 22 years of experience, AISCT delivers an international USA-based academic curriculum and additionally offers College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses at the high school level - including the AP Capstone Program. Students attending AISCT are able to experience a wide variety of classes from traditional core subjects to innovative classes such as design technology, musical theatre, vocals, band, robotics and more from a total of 65 different classes. AISCT endeavours to instil in its students 'The Three Pillars of Character' namely, respect, responsibility and integrity. At its heart, AISCT values academic excellence of the highest level.

Shopping Centres:

Constantia is home to several popular shopping centres, including the renowned Constantia Village Shopping Centre, located along Constantia Main and Spaanschemat River Roads, which offers its patrons the combination of the ambience of a village square, the desirability of a boutique and the convenience of a sophisticated shopping mall. With popular anchor stores like Woolworths, Pick N Pay, Kauai, Cassis Paris, Exclusive Books and many more alongside restaurants, beauty salons, art galleries, antique dealers, exclusive boutiques, quaint coffee shops, designer fashion outlets and an array of speciality stores, all conveniently situated on one level - designed to ensure shopping at Constantia Village is effortless and enjoyable. New to the area and located along the corner of the M3 and Ladies Mile in Constantia lies the recently established Constantia Emporium; With free parking located close to entrances, car charging facilities for electric vehicles, facilities for disabled guests and 24-hour security, Constantia Emporium offers patrons absolute peace of mind during their frequent retail therapy visits. Constantia Emporium offers the ultimate sophisticated shopping centre experience with an eclectic mix of 26 stores spread out over two levels, anchored by big-name brand stores like Clicks, Checkers and Woolworths. Other popular stores include Knead, The Creamery, Absolute Pets, Edge for Men and Frozen For You - the new experts in premium quality ready-made meals. Constantia Emporium cares about the safety and wellbeing of its customers and store employees, continuously working closely with leading security experts to identify the latest security threats and crime trends to ensure they are prepared to handle any situation, should it arise. For those either residing in or passing through the Constantia area, a trip to the Constantia Emporium is a retail experience that is not to be missed out on. Another favourite by the Constantia locals, the popular Engen Meadowridge Service Station is located just along the M3 Ladies Mile off-ramp at number 142 Ladies Mile Road. Winner of the Engen Western Cape Convenience Dealer of the Year 2018 Award, Engen Meadowridge endeavours to offer the ultimate level of convenience to its patrons. With a respectable amount of stores and facilities such as a Corner Bakery, Woolworths Food Stop, Equatorial Coffee, Quick Shop, ABSA, Nedbank and FNB ATMs and the recently added Pizza Corner. Father and son owners strive to continuously experiment with new innovative ideas and market them to the public, maximising efforts to ensure each visit to the Engen Meadowridge Service Station is both enjoyable and convenient to its patrons.

Distance from Key Points:

Constantia is situated in proximity to several key locations, including a quick 4km drive to the nearby Plumstead train station, which gives visitors and residents easy access to the rest of Cape Town and the CBD. The Cape Town International Airport is only a 26km drive (or Uber ride) from Constantia.

Restaurants/Entertainment:

• La Colombe

Situated within the Silvermist Wine Estate along Constantia Main Road in the Constantia Nek area, lies the renowned La Colombe, which has received consistent international acclaim, being positioned amongst the top fine dining establishments in the world. La Colombe was originally founded on the historic Constantia Uitsig wine estate and then relocated under new ownership to the stunning Silvermist organic wine estate, which offers magnificent views of Hout Bay, False Bay and the Constantia wine valley. Being the winner of numerous international and local awards for his dishes, Chef Proprietor Scot Kirton's approach and philosophy stem from his fusion of French and Asian cuisine and his pursuit of perfection and extravagance on each plate. Scot endeavours to utilize the freshest seasonal produce to create traditional elegance and the purest flavours in the delivery of his classic signature dishes and the endless collection of decadent new creations that form part of La Colombe's Tasting Menu. Offering up an award-winning wine list and impeccable service, the La Colombe experience will linger in the minds of patrons long after they have left the restaurant. 

• Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenhort

Located at number 93 Brommersvlei Road in Constantia Heights lies the Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenhort; Having won a total of 36 awards, including being ranked as one of the Top 15 Restaurants in the country by the prestigious 'Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurants Awards' for the last 10 years running, Head Chef Farrel Hirsch and his team aim to deliver a unique celebration of local flavours, that masterfully fuse together freshly produced local ingredients and grand African fables to create an innovative tasting menu series, giving patrons a truly unique and unforgettable premium culinary experience; An experience that can be further enhanced with a luxury wine pairing from the Greenhouse's extensive wine list assisted by in-house expert Sommelier Michelle Michaels.

• Foxcroft

Located at Shop Number 8 at the High Constantia Centre along Groot Constantia Road lies the prestigious Foxcroft restaurant, owned by Chef Proprietor Glen Foxcroft Williams. At Foxcroft, the cuisine is cooked using the same amount of thoughtfulness and intensity as fine dining, paying great attention to detail and showing sophisticated elegance in a more approachable and casual format. Working together with the finest international suppliers and experienced local farmers, every ingredient is selected for quality, flavour and seasonality before entering the Foxcroft kitchen, with the strong belief that simple ingredients deserve the same respect, care and attention as those of rarity. 

Special Attractions: 

• La Parada 

Positioned along the Constantia Nek route, boasting stunning mountain views and the ambience of nature, lies the popular La Parada, one of the leading small plates offerings in SA; La Parada is however only a Spanish tapas restaurant at surface level, but beneath that veil, it offers wild weekly Sunday Funday parties, complete with flowing cocktails, renowned local DJs and the best vibe imaginable. La Parada also hosts bottomless froze brunches, Saturday morning yoga sessions and Sunset Sounds on the last Friday of every month; So for those looking to let loose and party late into the evening, La Parada is without a doubt the place to do so.