The Best Place to Shop in Cape Town, South Africa

Background Illustration for Shopping

When it comes to shopping, Cape Town has something for everyone—from sophisticated malls to trendy markets. Although African art and curios are obvious choices (and you will find some gems), South Africans have woken up to their own sense of style and creativity, and the results are fantastic and as diverse as the people who make up this rainbow nation. So in a morning you could bag some sophisticated tableware from Carrol Boyes, a funky wire-art object from a street vendor, and a beautifully designed handbag made by HIV-positive women working as part of a community development program.

Cape Town has great malls selling well-known international brands. The V&A Waterfront is an excellent place to start by virtue of its location at the harbor. Cavendish Square in Claremont and Canal Walk at Century City are also vast, the latter on the N1 heading out of town toward Paarl. But you could be anywhere in the world. Gardens Centre in the suburb of Gardens is small and manageable, offering a good selection of stores (Germans love it for the German deli). It's beyond the malls that you can get a richer shopping experience, one that will give you greater insight into the soul of the city and its people.

Shopping malls usually have extended shopping hours beyond the normal 9–5 on weekdays and 9–1 on Saturday. Most shops outside of malls (except for small grocery stores) are closed on Sunday.

Aafricaa

V&A Waterfront Fodor's Choice

This brilliantly curated concept store brings together a broad spectrum of South African designers who are either at the top of their game or rising fast. From beautiful clothing and accessories, handwoven grass baskets, and clay vases to beaded ornamental animals and locally developed fragrances and skincare products, there's a wide choice of functional and decorative products perfect for souvenirs and gifts or for you to wear right now. Between the coveted brands and labels, there's a line of goods made by in-house and up-and-coming designers, making this a place not only to browse and learn about local creativity but somewhere you'll want to haul out your credit card.