Imagine leafy tree-lined avenues, flourishing vineyards and elegant private residences – that’s Constantia, an ideal place for a serene and relaxed holiday in Cape Town. Bordered by the magnificent Cape Town Mountains, Constantia is blessed with excellent soils, moderate temperatures, good rainfall and cool sea breezes, making this area ideal for growing wines.

Constantia is known as one of the more up-market areas of the Cape Town area, with beautiful countryside and all of the trappings of contemporary living. The beautiful Constantia Valley, a real jewel of the Cape, is steeped in history and breathtaking scenery.

A Craft Market is held at the end of every month in the grounds of the old Alphen wine estate which now houses certain Municipal offices. The Craft Market has become very popular within the community and is always a well-attended event. The recently renovated Constantia Shopping Centre boasts a wide variety of boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops to suit most requirements. Not to forget local horse-riding and mountain-biking trails.

 The Constantia Valley is the birthplace of South Africa's wine farming industry and boasts five fabulous wine estates actively cultivating internationally acclaimed and award winning wines. As you drive through the beautiful historical valley it is no wonder the first Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, chose this situation for his farm, Groot Constantia. Four of the only five farms which remain in the Constantia Valley today, were part of that original portion of prime land which was granted to him. The world famous wines from Constantia were sought after by royalty in the eighteenth century, and still to this day, world class wines are being produced and accolade for its escalating quality.

Visitors can taste the fine wines and experience a unique journey through each of the five farms, which most also boasts top class South African Restaurants, namely; Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg. The farms are all within a few minutes drive of each other, and all offer wine tasting and purchasing. The most famous of the wine farms, Groot Constantia, also has an interesting wine museum.

There are some new Wine Boutiques situated in the Valley, which became very famous in the past years, especially Constantia Glen and Eagles Nest, the producer of the World`s Best Shiraz in 2008:

Constantia is also pleasantly situated about a five minute to the world-famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens where one can spend hours wandering through the splendor of countless different botanical displays and relaxing in so many different areas such as the Fragrance Garden, the Dell, the Cycad Amphitheatre, Matthew's rockery and the Fynbos Walk. The restaurants at Kirstenbosch serve breakfast, tea and lunches and there is also a coffee shop, nursery and information centre. Guided tours, flower shows, summer sunset concerts are all on offer. Alternatively summer picnics on the rolling green lawns gazing at the breathtaking mountain backdrop listening to the music of one of Kirstenbosch's many sunset concerts is a fine way to spend your holiday in Cape Town.

This wonderful Cape Town suburb includes the world-class Steenberg Golf Club, one of the most beautiful Golf Estate in the Cape, and the West Lake Golf Club on the way to Muizenberg. Another attraction in Constantia is a Moslem shrine, part of the Islamic holy chain of Kramats, stretching from Robben Island through Faure, Constantia, Oude Kraal and Vlaeberg. In Constantia Valley are quality up-market restaurants and reasonably priced eateries in abundance.

Adjoining Constantia (and really a part of the valley) is Tokai - a vast area which includes the Tokai forests, the Silverhurst Golf Estate and the legendary Pollsmor Prison and some very pleasant country retreats - a beautiful area generally which offers pleasant walks, great mountain bike trails, horse riding and a variety of picnic sites. If the more adventurous hikers climb up to the contour path they are treated to the most magnificent views over the Constantia Valley towards the False Bay coast line.

Short drives to either the False Bay coastline with its charming historical suburbs, or to the nice beaches of Hout Bay and especially Llandudno.

It's this ease with which simplicity and sophistication converse that gives Constantia its unique charm.