Here are our top five ways to make the most of the area. Or tea. This is also a great spot to book an elegant picnic at rustic tables under the trees.
Few venues beat local favourite Greens at the small High Constantia centre for relaxed al fresco style. The menu includes mouthwatering burgers, grilled fish, and gourmet pizzas with the freshest toppings ever. For hustle, bustle and buzz, Tashas at Constantia Village shopping centre has a yummy range of favourites — plus people watching of the highest order.
Known for its fair share of rich and famous residents, Constantia boasts several outstanding spas. Hop off the City Sightseeing bus at Constantia Nek to release your inner Tarzan or Jane at Acrobranch, offering three tree-top adventures of varying difficulty for kids, teenagers and adults from R to R; Wednesday to Sunday, school holidays and public holidays. This is a great way to spend a morning outdoors — and the company also caters for birthday parties, company team building and other events.
Back on terra firma, lovely Constantia Uitsig wine estate now has a brand-new bike park, open seven days a week to everyone from mountain bikers and BMXers to those interested in cyclocross or improving their bike-handling skills. You can also host a birthday party here. Towards spring , the super-high zipline at Silvermist Mountain Lodge and Wine Estate a short walk from the Red Bus hop-on, hop-off stop at Constantia Nek will also be reopening after renovations.
The Constantia Valley is a haven for hikers. There are a number of walks to try, including the Alphen Trail , a relaxed meander starting near The Alphen hotel on Alphen Drive off Constantia Main Road, taking you along a leafy, green route and ending at the Le Sueur Meadow near Brommersvlei Road, from where you can retrace your steps. Other options include the nearby Brommersvlei Walk — expect to exchange greetings with a host of locals walking their dogs — and the Diep River Trail interlinking with the Alphen Trail and ending at shady Cecilia Forest.
