The V&A Waterfront is a working harbour with Table Mountain rising behind it, and there's a lot to see in a small area. It's free to walk around, and it's open every day.
Zeitz MOCAA, housed in a converted grain silo, is the world's largest museum of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. The Two Oceans Aquarium has exhibits made just for children. Try to ride the Cape Wheel near sunset, when you get views of Table Mountain and Lion's Head.
Wander a little further and you'll find the historic Clock Tower, the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island, harbour and canal cruises, the Watershed craft and design market, and restaurants along the quayside.
Give yourself at least a couple of hours, or a full day if you plan to visit both the museum and the aquarium. City traffic can be slow, so leaving early helps.
Getting there from Green Gables
Take the N2 towards Cape Town. It's about 48 km, or 40 to 45 minutes outside rush hour. Avoid the weekday peaks, when traffic into the city in the morning and out of it in the late afternoon can double the trip. There's paid parking at the Waterfront.
Zeitz MOCAA
Even if you don't stay long, step inside Zeitz MOCAA to look up at the atrium, carved out of the old grain silo's concrete tubes. The galleries show 21st-century art from Africa and its diaspora.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. On weekdays there are free one-hour tours at 12:30. Book tickets online to skip the queue.
Two Oceans Aquarium
The aquarium is home to more than 3,000 sea creatures, from sharks, rays and turtles to penguins and brightly coloured reef fish, and shows the life of the two oceans that meet off the Cape. It's very good with children.
It is open every day of the year: from 09:30 to 18:00 on weekdays, and from 09:00 on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
Around the harbour
The Clock Tower, built in 1882, was the original Port Captain's office, and it's one of the most photographed spots in the city. Nearby, the Nelson Mandela Gateway is the departure point for the Robben Island ferry, and has its own exhibition on the island's history.
Nobel Square has statues of South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize winners: Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela. With children, the Scratch Patch lets them pick their own polished gemstones, and boat trips leave from the quays all day, from harbour cruises to sunset sails.
For lunch, the Watershed has local designers' stalls alongside food, and there are restaurants of every kind along the water.
Tips for your visit
Robben Island ferry tickets often sell out in peak season, so book online well ahead. It's worth booking Zeitz MOCAA and the Two Oceans Aquarium online too.
If the wind is down and the mountain is clear, it's a good day to add the Table Mountain Cableway, which is a short drive from the Waterfront.
Make a day of it
Make a full city day of it with the cableway in the morning, the Waterfront for the afternoon, and dinner by the harbour. Then drive home once the evening traffic has eased.
