Groot Constantia

Monument Historic Cape Dutch wine estate and vineyard

One of South Africa’s oldest wine estates, Groot Constantia features a Cape Dutch manor, museum and working vineyards; visitors come for cellar tours, wine tasting and meals at estate restaurants set among vine rows.

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Groot Constantia is a historic wine estate in the Constantia valley of Cape Town, South Africa, established in 1685 by Governor Simon van der Stel. The estate is the oldest in South Africa and is noted for its Cape Dutch manor house and long wine-producing tradition.

The site combines a restored historic homestead, a wine museum, cellar and tasting facilities, and working vineyards where estate wines are produced. Visitors commonly take guided tours of the manor and cellars and join wine tastings and cellar experiences.

Groot Constantia sits in the Constantia suburb on the southern slopes above False Bay, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, roughly south of the city centre.

  • Founding date: Founded in 1685 by Governor Simon van der Stel, it is the oldest wine estate in South Africa and a key site in Cape wine history.
  • Visitor services: Open to visitors for guided tours, museum exhibits and wine tastings, with on-site dining available.

What to See #

  • Manor house (historic homestead): The Cape Dutch manor house and estate homestead that houses a museum and tasting rooms; the building is the estate's architectural focal point and is open to visitors.
  • Cellars and tasting rooms: Wine cellars and tasting rooms used for public tastings and cellar tours; these provide access to the estate's current wines and historic collection.
  • Vineyards: Vineyards and working winery land that produce the estate's wines and form the surrounding cultivated landscape of the Constantia Valley.
Groot Constantia
Groot Constantia, Groot Constantia Road, Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
-34.0311, 18.4189
Daily 9am-5pm (museum), tasting room times vary; estate restaurants may have different hours
Museum/adult ZAR 120 (~$6.50); wine-tasting and cellar tour fees vary (book online)

How to Get to Groot Constantia #

From Cape Town city centre: drive 20-30 minutes via M3 and Ou Kaapse Weg/Constantia Nek for approximately 18-22 km. By public transit: take the MyCiTi/Golden Arrow buses toward Constantia (services vary); taxis or rideshares are common. The estate entrance is on Groot Constantia Road in the Constantia valley.

Tips for Visiting Groot Constantia #

  • Buy wine-tasting tickets online to guarantee a spot in the cellar; weekend slots can sell out.
  • Enter through the main gate on Groot Constantia Road and follow the signs to the historical homestead - the manor house gardens are easiest to visit early morning before coach-bus arrivals.
  • Don't skip the Simon van der Stel cellar tour if available - the guide's anecdotes about 17th- and 18th-century Cape Dutch life bring the place alive.

Best Time to Visit Groot Constantia #

Groot Constantia is best enjoyed off-peak: late morning on a weekday for the museum and cellar tour, or during harvest season to see the vineyards at work.

Late spring-summer
October-March · 18°C to 28°C
Warm, long days ideal for picnics in the Cape Dutch gardens and vineyard walks.
Autumn
April-May · 12°C to 22°C
Harvest season - vineyards turn gold and the estate feels less crowded; cooler evenings are good for cellar tastings.
Winter (mild)
June-August · 7°C to 18°C
Quieter and atmospheric; drizzle is possible but indoor tours and tastings are unaffected.

Weather & Climate near Groot Constantia #

Climate

Groot Constantia's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Mediterranean - Warm-Summer Mediterranean climate with warm summers (peaking in February) and cool winters (coldest in July). Temperatures range from 9°C to 25°C. Moderate rainfall (576 mm/year).

Best Time to Visit
JanuaryFebruaryDecember
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
28°
Warmest Month
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 16°C. The driest month with just 15 mm and mostly sunny skies.

92 Ideal

Comfort

20°
Feels Like Mild
20°C
Temperature
16° 25°
78%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

15 mm
Rainfall
5.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
3.0
UV Index
Extreme
14.0h daylight

February

February is the warmest month with highs of 25°C and lows of 16°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.

92 Ideal

Comfort

21°
Feels Like Mild
21°C
Temperature
16° 25°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

16 mm
Rainfall
5.1 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
2.6
UV Index
Extreme
13.2h daylight

March

March is mild with highs of 24°C and lows of 15°C. Light rainfall.

90 Ideal

Comfort

20°
Feels Like Mild
20°C
Temperature
15° 24°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

20 mm
Rainfall
4.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.9
UV Index
Very High
12.2h daylight

April

April is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (46 mm).

86 Excellent

Comfort

18°
Feels Like Cool
18°C
Temperature
13° 22°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

46 mm
Rainfall
3.8 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.1
UV Index
High
11.1h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 11°C. Regular rainfall (84 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

72 Very Good

Comfort

15°
Feels Like Cool
15°C
Temperature
11° 20°
81%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

84 mm
Rainfall
4.2 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.6
UV Index
Moderate
10.2h daylight

June

June is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 10°C. The wettest month with 99 mm of rain and partly cloudy skies.

70 Very Good

Comfort

14°
Feels Like Cool
14°C
Temperature
10° 18°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

99 mm
Rainfall
4.5 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.4
UV Index
Low
9.7h daylight

July

July is the coolest month with highs of 17°C and lows of 9°C. Regular rainfall (91 mm).

72 Very Good

Comfort

13°
Feels Like Cool
13°C
Temperature
17°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

91 mm
Rainfall
4.2 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.5
UV Index
Low
10.0h daylight

August

August is cool with highs of 17°C and lows of 9°C. Regular rainfall (86 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

70 Very Good

Comfort

13°
Feels Like Cool
13°C
Temperature
17°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

86 mm
Rainfall
4.7 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.7
UV Index
Moderate
10.7h daylight

September

September is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

74 Very Good

Comfort

14°
Feels Like Cool
14°C
Temperature
10° 18°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

50 mm
Rainfall
4.9 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.2
UV Index
High
11.7h daylight

October

October is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 12°C. Moderate rainfall (31 mm).

80 Excellent

Comfort

16°
Feels Like Cool
16°C
Temperature
12° 20°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

31 mm
Rainfall
4.8 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.9
UV Index
Very High
12.8h daylight

November

November is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 14°C. Light rainfall.

90 Ideal

Comfort

18°
Feels Like Cool
18°C
Temperature
14° 22°
78%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

19 mm
Rainfall
4.2 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
2.5
UV Index
Extreme
13.8h daylight

December

December is mild with highs of 24°C and lows of 15°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.

92 Ideal

Comfort

20°
Feels Like Mild
20°C
Temperature
15° 24°
78%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

19 mm
Rainfall
5.1 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
3.0
UV Index
Extreme
14.3h daylight

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