Cape Town Shopping and Districts

(Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa)

Cape Town is a great place to shop for that special African present to take home, whether you're shopping for a handcrafted souvenir or a stunning piece of locally designed gold jewellery.

Serious shoppers visiting Cape Town will be pleased to hear that prices are fairly affordable, thanks to favourable international exchange rates. It's not surprising, then, that gold, diamonds, antiques, ceramics and leather goods make an appearance on many visitors' holiday shopping lists.

When to Shop and Opening Hours

Shops in Cape Town generally open from 08:00 to 17:00 during the week, closing at lunchtime, around 13:00 on Saturdays. Some shops may open a little later on Friday evening.

Century City's Canal Walk shopping centre is open from 10:00 to 21:00 during the week and on a Sunday, while on Saturday it is open from 09:00 to 21:00.

Where to Shop

The centre of Cape Town has several popular shopping streets. These include Adderley Street, where visitors can shop for everything from high street fashion clothing to boutique favourites and jewellery. St George's Mall also offer a good choice of boutiques.

Cape Town is particularly well known for its markets. The best known is the delightful crafts market held on Greenmarket Square in the centre of the city. Look out for a wide range of work by local artists and designers. There are also many local neighbourhood markets, including open-air weekend craft markets in the suburbs. A visit to Greenpoint Market on a Sunday won't disappoint. This mix of flea market and craft market is a good place to pick up some bargains.

However, when it comes to shopping in Cape Town, it can pay to think big. The city boasts several large shopping centres. The Victoria and Albert Waterfront is an impressive complex that offers a wide range of shops, all housed within some particularly fine historic buildings. In particular, look out for gifts, books and traditional African craftwork.

Century Mall is a vast shopping and entertainment complex which is located just a short drive from the centre of Cape Town. Centred around Canal Walk, the complex is home to more than 400 shops, cafes and cinema. After some serious shopping, visitors can also relax with a stroll along one of the area's picturesque canals.

Outside the city centre, Claremont in the southern suburbs is a popular place to shop, particularly Cavendish Square. In the northern suburbs, the Tyger Valley Shopping Centre is said to be the largest shopping centre in the Cape.