V & A Waterfront

It surprises many that, given the V is for Victoria, that the A is not Albert. Rather the A is for Alfred, second son of Victoria and responsible for commissioning a new harbour for the Cape Colony back in 1860. Welcome to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront!

Today the V & A is a multifunctional area. There's a large shopping centre on one side, incorporating a huge supermarket, big name brands and smaller niche shops. There are also a number of hotels, loads of restaurants, a huge market styled area and a number of historical points. And it's still a working harbour.

It is the start point for Cape Town's hop on bus (one of the best value ones we've found) and is also where you embark for a trip to Robben Island. You'll also find various excursions that start at the Waterfront, and it is also home to a large aquarium, numerous art installations and more.

About 24 million people visit each year and it's a great spot at any time of the day with very much something for everyone. There really is so much choice and it's a great place for a wander and a browse, enjoying impromptu musical artists as you do so, stopping off as and when.

Here are a few links to tickets, just click the relevant image below. These are all in or accessed from the V & A.

Cape Town Hop On bus - a great way to explore Cape Town

Robben Island tour - take the ferry out to the Unesco recognised site, the prison that held Nelson Mandela

Cape Town Wheel - take the wheel to get high level views of the city and ocean

Pre-sunset cruise - enjoy a one hour trip from the V&A out into the Atlantic

V&A Marine Tour - one and a half hours on an eco-tour spotting marine wildlife

Diamond Museum Private Tour - get close to the diamonds in this short tour