On February 22nd we flew from Zanzibar to Cape Town, via Johannesburg. We arrived in Cape Town around 10:30 p.m. and took the shuttle to Vrede, an airport hotel. Although a long day, we made all connections and staying close to the Cape Town airport again worked out well.
The next morning, Todd and Theresa picked us up from the hotel, and we made our way to our AirBnB in Constantia, a wine-producing suburb of Cape Town. This was our first time staying at 4 Bel Ombre, though we were familiar with the area. We stayed in a two-bedroom guest house, which had a lovely covered, outdoor area. The guest house was part of a large estate which had a gatehouse, gym, a very large swimming pool, a massage and facial area, a soccer field, and jacuzzis. Charbie, the manager, was wonderful and treated us to crepes and tea bread. There were six dogs on the property, which might sound overwhelming, but they only came over when we called them – we really enjoyed them.
Constantia was a good location as Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, and the Constantia wineries were all a short drive away.
Chapman’s Peak Drive is said to be one of the most scenic drives in the world. It winds its way between Hout Bay and Noordhoek on the Atlantic Coast on the south-western tip of South Africa. We travelled on Chapman’s Peak Drive on our way to Simon’s Town to see the penguins.
The African Penguin was once called the Jackass penguin because of the sound it makes (which sounds like a donkey braying). They are small, only growing to 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall. Boulders Beach (Simon’s Town) is a protected cove that is home to a colony of African penguins. Although we have been to Boulders Beach numerous times, we still enjoy watching the penguins.
We came back via Chapman’s Peak and finished the day with a seafood dinner at Codfather and sunset drink at Twelve Apostles.
While we were in Constantia, we caught up with our friends, Jan and Michael, who had traveled from Vancouver to visit Michael’s family in Cape Town. Jan suggested we visit The Norval Foundation, a contemporary art gallery that focuses on South African and African art. Located in the Constantia Valley, The Norval Foundation has a variety of exhibitions, and there’s also a sculpture garden where we spent some time walking around. The sculptures blend well with the natural surroundings.
Afterward, we headed over to Bistro Sixteen 82 at Steenberg Winery for lunch. The food was excellent, and the setting was perfect for a relaxing afternoon. It was a nice way to enjoy the day with good friends.
The next day we visited Groot Constantia which is South Africa’s oldest wine estate – it has been producing wine since 1685.
That evening we had dinner at Cellars Hohenhort. We had stayed at Cellars over 20 years ago and it still is a beautiful property (Audrey, it brought back wonderful memories of when we stayed there together).
Although we knew of Muizenberg’s colourful change cabins, we had never visited. Muizenberg is a beach-side suburb of Cape Town and a popular surfing spot.
Lunch at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands is always special. The hotel grounds are beautiful.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, located on the slopes of Table Mountain, is renowned worldwide as one of the seven most spectacular botanical gardens. Our Airbnb, just a 10-minute drive away, made it easy to we attend a sunset concert at the gardens.
Mi Casa have been making music together since 2011, blending soulful “urban jazz”. The crowd was a mix of young and old, locals and tourists, all enjoying the music, food, drinks and a stunning location. It was the perfect way to wrap up our stay in Constantia.
This ends our time in Constantia. Next stop is Franschhoek.
ELF Travel To ... 