V&A Waterfront

V&A Waterfront: History & Culture

Discover V&A Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront is a working harbour precinct of about 123 hectares in Cape Town, Western Cape. It combines shops, restaurants, hotels, museums and some of the city’s best-known sights, and it still operates as a harbour. According to Wikipedia, it has more than 450 shops, more than 80 eateries, 13 hotels and 7 museums. South African Tourism says it is about 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport and within walking distance of the city centre.

Getting to the V&A Waterfront

The nearest airport is Cape Town International Airport, about 20 minutes away according to South African Tourism. The same source says you can walk from the city centre. Our research did not confirm MyCiTi bus routes, parking details or shuttle options, so check these before you travel.

The Waterfront is also where several trips begin:

• Robben Island ferries leave from the Nelson Mandela Gateway. Booking ahead is advised.
• Harbour cruises run at sunrise and sunset.
• Helicopter tours cover the peninsula and the winelands.

Top attractions at the V&A Waterfront

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA)

Zeitz MOCAA opened in 2017 and anchors the Silo District. It is housed in a converted grain silo with nine floors of exhibition space. It is the first major museum dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.

Two Oceans Aquarium

The aquarium has a kelp forest tank and a predator tank. South African Tourism also lists penguin feeding and scuba diving in the I&J Ocean Exhibit.

Robben Island ferry and the Nelson Mandela Gateway

The ferries to Robben Island, the museum site where Nelson Mandela was held, leave from the Nelson Mandela Gateway. This makes the Waterfront the natural base for the trip. Book ahead.

Cape Wheel

The Cape Wheel offers panoramic views over the harbour and the city. Confirm that it is operating before you plan around it.

Nobel Square

Nobel Square is a tribute to South Africa’s Nobel peace laureates.

Watershed

Watershed is on Dock Road next to the aquarium. It has more than 150 tenants and more than 365 brands, selling ceramics, furniture, textiles, fashion and jewellery. Check opening hours before you go.

History and heritage

The Waterfront’s story starts with the harbour itself. In 1654 Jan van Riebeeck built a small jetty, two years after he arrived to set up the refreshment station at the Cape. In June 1858, winter storms wrecked more than 30 vessels, and Lloyd’s of London refused to insure ships wintering in Table Bay.

On 17 September 1860, Midshipman HRH Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s second son, tipped the first load of stone for the breakwater. This began Cape Town’s first proper harbour. Alfred Basin came first. The gold and diamond discoveries then made it too small, so Victoria Basin was added. Building the two basins ran from 1860 to 1920, and heritage buildings from that era remain. The name honours Queen Victoria and her son Prince Alfred.

In November 1988, Transnet established Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (Pty) Ltd to redevelop the historic docklands as a mixed-use precinct while the harbour kept working.

South African Tourism says there are 22 official landmarks, including:

• Chavonnes Battery Museum
• Robinson Dry Dock
• Breakwater Prison

Guided walking tours cover these heritage sites.

Where to eat

The V&A Food Market is in a converted power station and has more than 50 stalls, with outdoor tables that look over the harbour and the mountain. Across the precinct there are more than 80 eateries in total, according to Wikipedia and South African Tourism. We have not verified individual restaurants, so none are named here.

Where to stay

The Waterfront has 13 hotels, per Wikipedia. Properties named by our sources include:

• The Table Bay Hotel
• Cape Grace, a Fairmont-managed hotel
• One&Only Cape Town, which has restaurants and a spa
• The Silo Hotel
• Radisson Red

We have not yet verified ratings for these hotels, so check current reviews and rates before booking.

Things to do

• Take a harbour cruise at sunrise or sunset.
• Book a helicopter tour of the peninsula and winelands.
• Ride the Cape Wheel for panoramic views.
• Join a guided heritage walking tour of the 22 landmarks.
• Watch penguin feeding at the Two Oceans Aquarium, or dive in the I&J Ocean Exhibit.
• Shop at Watershed and the wider retail centre.
• Visit Robben Island by ferry from the Nelson Mandela Gateway.

Planning your visit

Opening hours, ticket prices and ferry schedules were not confirmed in our research, so check them with the operators. The same goes for the events calendar, including live music and markets. The V&A Waterfront’s official news and events hub is the best place to look for what is on during your visit.

Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.