The Waterfront is a popular and vibrant [and safe] part of Cape Town. The reveloped docklands contain a large range of museums, shops, cafes and bars and restaurants including the Time Out Foodhall covering over 23 hectares. It’s a great place for a mooch with Table Mountain as the backdrop. At night it still buzzes.
The Two Oceans Aquarium, Diamond Museum and Martime Centre are other attractions. The Waterfront is also where you get the boat to Robben Island from Nelson Mandela Gateway. As you wander you may stumble upon street entertainers and performers as well as seals! If you want to see [and smell] the seals there are normally loads lazing around [or bickering] on platforms at the waters edge just outside the Aquarium.
The Clock Tower [above] was built in 1883 and was the original harbour office. I liked the statue by William Sweetlove which depicts a penguin standing on plastic bags to draw attention to the amount of plastic contamination in the seas.
Shopping
There’s so much choice if you want to buy stuff- Victoria Wharf is an excellent Mall and The Watershed is where to go if you want to buy local goods and crafts. The Waterfront also has some amazing tourist shops as well as jewellers and much more.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is housed in a converted former grain silo building just outside the Waterfront entrance near the harbour south arm. The adapted building is incredible, the entrance hall is stark and dramatic and very large, the staircases, lifts and even the toilets are impressive. It’s worth heading up to the roof in the glass lift for the views. The building also incorporates the well known [and very expensive] Silo Boutique Hotel.
Art on display showcased work from across Africa and like many contemporary museums they can be challenging, thought provoking or downright weird, which can only be a good thing.
Quick Links:
Gruntie's Travels 