It may be the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, but the iconic V&A Waterfront is oh so much more than that. Forget the practicalities, this hub is where the people of Cape Town congregate to eat, drink and be merry – by which we mean shop, obviously. If ever there was a place to release your inner hedonist, this is it.
Starting out as a small, functional jetty, built by South Africa’s colonial founders back in 1654, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has since grown to be one of Cape Town’s most-loved landmarks. Now consisting of five distinct shopping districts, two different food markets, a handful of museums, an aquarium and enough bars and restaurants to satisfy even the fussiest of pallets, it’s almost a city within a city – you name it, this harbour’s got it.
The Waterfront’s beginnings can be dated back to just two years after Cape Town – South Africa’s oldest city – was founded itself, making it a landmark of great historical value. As the demand for the diamonds and gold found in South Africa grew, so did the harbour – hence it’s two names. The Alfred basin was established first and the Victoria basin added later, namesakes of the prominent figures of Britain’s monarchy at the time, Queen Victoria and her son Prince Alfred. Much to the delight of any history lovers, most of the heritage buildings from this time remain the same.