Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town Central?, South Africa
The V&A Waterfront is an iconic mixed-use destination located in the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere.
With Table Mountain as its backdrop, the 123-hectare neighbourhood sits within the beautiful city of Cape Town, welcoming millions of people from all over the continent and the rest of the world.
The V&A is a symbol of heritage and diversity, where people from all walks of life can play, live, shop, dine and work while immersed in the vibrant spirit and authentic local culture that exists in this bustling ecosystem.
It sees its role on the continent to be a platform that facilitates and champions art and design, to support entrepreneurship and innovation, lead the charge on sustainability, and drive positive social and economic change.
By prioritising people and the planet, the V&A is an example of how working with communities, respecting the environment and operating with passion and integrity is a better, more productive and kinder way of doing business.
The Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront in Cape Town is situated on the Atlantic shore, Table Bay Harbour, the City of Cape Town and Table Mountain.
Adrian van der Vyver designed the complex.
The Waterfront attracts more than 23 million visitors a year.
Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria, visited the Cape Colony harbour in 1860 as a sixteen-year-old Royal Navy Midshipman on HMS Euryalus.
He made a big splash with the colonials on this first-ever visit by a member of the Royal Family.
The first basin of the new Navy Yard was named after him and the second after his mother.
The complex houses over 450 retail outlets, including fashion, homeware and curios, to jewellery, leather goods and audio-visual equipment.
The V&A Waterfront is also still a working harbour and fishing boats bring in fresh fish, and larger container ships are towed in by tugboats.
The V&A Waterfront is a well-loved destination for all types of travelers due to its central location and extensive collection of hotels, restaurants and retail outlets.
Highlights
• Various boat, yacht and ferry tours operate daily (weather dependent) from the V&A Waterfront.
The most popular tours visit Robben Island where Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela was famously imprisoned for 18 years during Apartheid before becoming South Africa’s first democratically elected president.
• The V&A Waterfront houses a collection of world-class museums, including the continent’s largest contemporary African art museum, the Zeitz MOCAA, the historical Robben Island museum, the Iziko Maritime Museum and the popular The Springbok Experience Rugby Museum.
• Some of the city’s most prestigious hotels are situated in the V&A Waterfront.
Stay here and you’ll not only experience the very best in hospitality, but you are also at the epicenter of Cape Town’s social hub.
• A visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium is a must, especially for children.
The aquarium is home to over 3000 sea creatures including sharks, sea turtles and penguins.
Daily penguin feeding times, usually between 12:00 and 14:00, are particularly special and include an information session by the staff.
• Scenic helicopter flights around Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula depart from the V&A Waterfront.
Situated in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbor, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is the city’s most visited destination, offering a range of exciting activities, diverse cuisine and shopping for the discerning traveler.
Follow our detailed guide to make the most out of your experience at this bustling attraction.
Shopping
The Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre is renowned for its world-class shopping experience in Cape Town.
With more than 450 South African and international stores selling everything from fashion, jewelry and homeware to leather goods and groceries — you can literally spend hours here.
The mall’s daily operating hours (9am to 9pm) is a bonus!
Food and Drinks
The V&A Waterfront has a great selection of fine dining restaurants, delis, cafes and casual dining eateries for all budgets and palates.
Try the Cape Town Fish Market for fresh seafood, Karibu for authentic South African cuisine and Gibson’s for gourmet burgers, ribs and shakes.
For a unique culinary experience, the V&A Food Market offers a variety of delicious artisanal food and craft beer sold by 40 vendors.
Ride the Cape Wheel
A ride on the giant observation wheel is a must when visiting Cape Town for the first time.
From the safety of enclosed air-conditioned cabins, the 15-minute long ride provides fantastic 360-degree views of the city and harbor.
Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium
Explore the incredible diversity of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at this world-class facility.
The Two Oceans Aquarium has a wide variety of exhibits featuring many species of fish and other marine life, including turtles and penguins.
Visitors can also get up close with various sea animals at the touch pool, microscope exhibit and penguin encounter.
Learn about the history of the V&A Waterfront
Discover the V&A Waterfront’s rich and varied history on the one-and-a-half hour guided walking tour of the expansive property the size of 180 rugby fields.
Your tour, led by an experienced guide from local communities dressed in period costume will include some of the 22 points of historical interest including Cape Town’s first power station.
The tour departs daily from the Chavonnes Battery Museum at 11 am and 2 pm.
Bookings can be made at the V&A Info Center or the Chavonnes Battery Museum.
Museums
Take a step back in time at the Waterfront’s five resident museums, each one offering unique insight into Cape Town’s cultural and historical past.
The Iziko Maritime Centre uncovers the history of the Table Bay Harbor, while the Chavonnes Battery Museum is about the history of Cape Town showcases the Archaeology ruins that has been buried for 140 years of an 18th-century fort built by the Dutch East India Company.
The museum hosts international photo exhibitions and offers guided tours.
Learn about the world’s most precious gem, from formation to the final polished stone, at the Cape Diamond Museum.
From 2017, you’ll be able to experience contemporary African art at the highly anticipated Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.
Rugby fans will enjoy a visit to the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum which pays tribute to South African rugby.
Comedy shows
For the best laughs in town, an evening at the Cape Town Comedy Club is highly recommended.
The restaurant-cum-comedy club features a host of South African comedians with regular appearances by international celebrity artists.
Boat Charters
Enjoy a leisurely cruise of Table Bay or tour of the harbor on one of the many boat charters at the Waterfront.
Popular cruises include the Jolly Roger Pirate Boat and a champagne cruise aboard the Sea Princess at sunset.
Helicopter Rides
Enjoy a scenic helicopter flip over the Atlantic Seaboard or Cape Winelands with one of several charter companies based at the East Pier.
The trips range in price and duration, from 20 minutes to two hours long.
Kids’ Fun
There’s no shortage of exciting and educational activities for the whole family at the Waterfront.
Take a ride on Hamleys Express to the Watershed, hunt for gemstones at the Scratch Patch, play mini golf or see the harbor aboard Tommy the Tugboat.
Other activities include a giant outdoor chess board on Pierhead Square, seal spotting, playgrounds, Artjamming and holiday activities.
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