Find Cape Town’s 250-year-old grapevine

Hidden in a quiet courtyard off Bree Street lives one of Cape Town's oldest residents. She's more than 250 years old, has survived centuries of change and still produces grapes every summer. Planted around 1771, this extraordinary old vine spreads her branches across the courtyard of the Cape Heritage Hotel, creating a leafy canopy above the tables below. Step off the busy street, find a spot beneath her sprawling branches and imagine everything she's witnessed since the days when horse-drawn carriages rattled through the city. A living piece of Cape Town history, right under your nose.

BEFORE YOU GO
Find the vine in the courtyard of Heritage Square, accessible via the Cape Heritage Hotel at 90 Bree Street. Entry to the courtyard is generally free, although access may depend on hotel and restaurant operations. Consider stopping for a coffee or something to eat beneath the vine, then explore the surrounding historic buildings and cobbled streets. The vine is especially beautiful during the warmer months when its canopy is full of leaves.