Covid-19 in South Africa: The National State of Disaster has been lifted as from 5 April 2022.

Shopping Centers in Cape Town

There are numerous big Cape Town shopping centers all over the city and in the Mother City's suburbs. They cater well for expatriate shopping and are popular with the locals as they offer various entertainment options, some of them even free of charge. Especially during high season from November to January most of Cape Town shopping centres are very busy with visitors. Parking usually comes at a charge and it plentiful, however during peak times before Christmas, you might need to bring some extra time and patience as queues for parking and at the mall's popular restaurants or at the food court might be much longer than usual.

Canal Walk Shopping Centre - image by Cape Town Tourism

The biggest and most popular shopping centers in Cape Town are:

Canal Walk Shopping

Canal Walk Shopping Centre at Century City

This fascinating shopping mall is one of South Africa’s biggest shopping malls. There are more than 400 shops and restaurants in Canal Walk. Regular events and school holiday activities for the kids.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 21h00

Victoria Wharf at the V&A Waterfront

Shopping Malls at the V&A Waterfront

Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre is only one of several shopping centres at the V&A Waterfront. There are several small malls at the Waterfront, altogether there are over 400 shops in this precinct. At the Watershed, you will find many little craftshops and designerware stall offering an unique Cape Town shopping experience supporting local designers and communities.

Opening hours: 9h00 – 21h00, Sundays 10h00 – 21h00, Watershed open from 10h00

Tyger Valley Shopping Centre

This is the biggest centre for shopping in the Northern Suburbs with more than 250 shops and boutiques. You can get lost in the many alleys of this multi-storey shopping walkways. There are cinemas and a play center and many eateries.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 19h00, Sundays 9h00 - 17h00

Cavendish Square - Shopping Center

Located in Claremont, this upmarket shopping mall in the southern suburbs just received an enormous facelift. There are over 200 stores and boutiques in the mall and many fancy designer stores as well as a cinema.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 19h00, Sundays 10h00 - 17h00

Cape Town Shopping: Other fine Cape Town shopping centers

Bayside Mall in Blaauwberg

This is one of the bigger lifestyle centers along the West Coast catering for the Table View, Parklands and Blouberg area, roughly 20 minutes north west of the CBD on the R27. There is a huge Game stores and also a Ster Kinekor cinema complex in the shopping mall.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 19h00, Saturdays & Sundays 10h00 - 17h00

Somerset Mall

This shopping compound outside Somerset West is huge and you need a car to drive from one side to the other. Recently they launched a shuttle service for their customers. Here you will also find furniture stores, several diy stores and outdoor warehouses, bowling and cinemas.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 19h00, Sundays 10h00 - 17h00

Gardens Shopping Centre

Smaller center with “only” 86 stores and boutiques with a very European feel as many expats of the area enjoy doing their shopping there, so it caters widely for European tastes. German butcher and deli.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 19h00, Saturdays 9h00 - 17h00, Sundays 9h00 - 14h00

Constantia Village Mall

The finest shopping in the Constantia Valley with more than 80 upmarket stores and boutiques. There are several mall areas, also the Old Village Mall is worth a visit.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 18h00, Saturdays 9h00 - 17h00, Sundays 9h00 - 14h00

Willowbridge Shopping Centre

Lovely open air shopping mall with designer stores, eateries and coffee shops. Good variety of convenience and homeware/lifestyle shopping in this smaller lifestyle center.

Opening hours: 9h00 - 18h00, Saturdays 9h00 - 17h00, Sundays 9h00 - 16h00

These are just some of the greates shopping places in Cape Town. There are many more shopping and lifestyle centres such as the N1 City Mall in Parow or the Blue Route Mall in Tokay and they come in many different sizes.

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Living in South Africa - Expat Guide Book by Regina Graeff and Derryn Campbell