The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (better known as V&A Waterfront) is among the most popular spots in all of South Africa. It’s an upscale promenade, mall, and harbor all rolled into one — with impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain in either direction. There are roughly 450 establishments here ranging from fast food stalls to high-end restaurants and luxury department stores. It’s a fun place to wander for an afternoon or evening. The area is named after Queen Victoria and her second son, Prince Alfred.
This spot is called Nobel Square — four statues represent the men from this country who have won the Nobel Peace Prize. They are Albert Luthuli (former president of the African National Congress), Archbishop Desmond Tutu, F.W. de Klerk (last president during apartheid), and Nelson Mandela.
Postcard-worthy view of Table Mountain, as seen from the V&A waterfront:
See, I told you it was postcard-worthy:
Just across this bridge is Nelson Mandela Gateway — entrance to the ferry to Robben Island. I scope it out since I’ve booked my ferry ticket for tomorrow morning.
Anyone fancy a game of chess?
Market on the Wharf is an upscale warehouse space full of food stalls and vendors for every variety of cuisine you can think of.
What do you feel like — pizza… seafood… coffee… sweets? How about all of the above?
I’m so glad to visit this market because due to overbooking myself I have to skip the Old Biscuit Mill, a place I intended to visit with two friends from my Namibia tour. Old Biscuit Mill is open daily except Sundays, but they have a special market on Saturdays from 9a-2p. While this market at the V&A Waterfront is not as extensive, it’s a (literal) taste of what I would find at Old Biscuit Mill.
Fact: I order one scoop each of the Ethiopian coffee and the orange, honey, rosemary flavor. Thumbs up for both.
Check out the tasty descriptions of these tarts:
And now these:
One of each please…
But instead, I order lunch from a seafood stall — a mixed plate of white fish and the most tender fried calamari I’ve ever eaten.
If you’ve got a few days in Cape Town, the V&A waterfront is must-see — even if it’s just to walk around and admire the pretty seaside views for an hour or two. If you’re into shopping, schedule a whole day here.
