The waterfront in Cape Town is one of the most-visited places in South Africa. The V&A Waterfront is blocked in by land and by sea; on one side towers Table Mountain, and on the other are the majestic waters. Originally a simple fishing harbor named after Queen Victoria and her son in 1860, it is now a pulsing attraction in Cape Town. Visitors can also gain access to several tours from the V&A Waterfront, including trips to Robben Island and Waterfront Tours. Shoppers are in luck as well, as the Cape Town waterfront is home to several outstanding shopping centers.

Events and activities are constant at the V&A Waterfront. Gorgeous scenery captures your attention, and the warm hospitality will capture your heart. Shops line the nearby streets and the Cape Town waterfront, and many of the interesting things to do in Cape Town are also here. Two Oceans Aquarium and Telkom Exploratorium provide excellent entertainment for families, and travelers can also visit the South Africa Maritime Museum for a history of shipwrecks off the South African coast.

Queen Victoria’s second son, Prince Alfred, constructed the Cape Town waterfront. The two basins of the harbor were named first after himself and then his mother, respectively. Since the beginning, the waterfront in Cape Town has hosted a continuous stream of excavations, construction, reclamations, and finally scores of settlers, visitors, and tourists.

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From the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, visitors can access Robben Island by ferry and enjoy a three-hour tour of the former prison outpost. Tourists will enjoy an up-close experience with the resident African penguins on the island, fabulous spectacles of nature, and a complete history of the island, including the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela and its years as a leper colony.

The Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean join at the southern tip of Africa, and the Two Oceans Aquarium is an important tourist attraction featuring an underwater nature reserve with six galleries and more than 3,000 marine animals. The aquarium offers dives into the shark display and the kelp display for scuba-qualified visitors.

Cape Town hotels and accommodations are plentiful, and guests will find a wide range of options available, regardless of their taste and budget. Luxury hotels, such as Boulders Lodge and Spa, offer lodgings with spectacular views of the ocean and Table Mountain, as well as sumptuous amenities. Another option for those on a budget is to stay at a hostel or guest house, of which there are many—The Green Elephant Backpackers Lodge, for instance, is a great place to meet locals.

This residential waterfront in Cape Town offers plenty of excitement for locals and tourists alike. Visitors can enjoy a bit of shopping at the centers dispersed throughout the town; window-shopping is another popular pastime at the arts and crafts shops. Excursions to Table Mountain and Robben Island will capture the hearts of historians and adventurers, while a trip to the aquarium or Exploratorium offers a great deal of family enjoyment. The Cape Town waterfront is something everyone will adore, and it's well worth including on the itinerary for any South Africa vacation, whether you're staying in Cape Town or traveling throughout the country to its many stunning attractions.