Groot Constantia Monument

Address: Groot Constantia, Groot Constantia Road, Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: https://www.grootconstantia.co.za

Hours: Daily 9am-5pm (museum), tasting room times vary; estate restaurants may have different hours

Admission: Museum/adult ZAR 120 (~$6.50); wine-tasting and cellar tour fees vary (book online)

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.

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.

• 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.