The little village in the city
Colourful cottages, very good coffee and a city’s worth of stories — all tucked between Signal Hill and the sea.
Built around local addressesVerified places, edited from the neighbourhood
33.9150° S · 18.4160° E
A neighbourhood made for wandering.
Made for sunny days
A door worth noticing.
De Waterkant · morning
Small by map. Big by nature.
De Waterkant sits on the lower slope of Signal Hill between Cape Town’s city centre, Green Point and the V&A Waterfront. Its cobbled lanes and brightly painted cottages hold a close-knit mix of homes, stays, cafés, shops and independent design.
Its Dutch name means “the waterside”, remembering a shoreline that lay much closer before Cape Town reclaimed the Foreshore from Table Bay.
Walk almost everywhere
Between Cape Town’s CBD, Green Point and the V&A Waterfront.
Stay somewhere singular
Choose a heritage cottage, smart apartment or private whole home.
Come exactly as you are
Start with coffee and local shops; stay for restaurants, rooftops and bars after dark.
The sound of twelve
At twelve, a cannon report rolls off Signal Hill and through De Waterkant’s close-set streets. It is the Noon Gun: a Cape Town time signal with roots in 1806, when ships in Table Bay needed an accurate way to check their chronometers.
The useful cue was once the puff of smoke rather than the bang—light reached ships before sound did.
Hear the full storyVerified places to stay
Three established De Waterkant collections with Dewaterkant.Capetown website-only rates available by email.
By TPF Hospitality
Apartment · 2 De Smit Street
Operated by TPF Hospitality
A collection of serviced apartments in De Waterkant, with the city, Green Point and the V&A Waterfront within easy reach.
Dewaterkant.Capetown website-only rates.
Send your dates for a personal selection and quote.
De Waterkant collection
Cottage & villa · De Waterkant Village
Operated by De Waterkant Cottages & Apartments
Self-catering cottages and apartments set across the neighbourhood’s colourful heritage streets.
Dewaterkant.Capetown website-only rates.
Send your dates for a personal selection and quote.
By Village n Life
Cottage & villa · Dixon & Waterkant Streets
Operated by Village n Life
A collection of De Waterkant cottages including 135 Waterkant and 23, 25 and 27 Dixon Street.
Dewaterkant.Capetown website-only rates.
Send your dates for a personal selection and quote.
Businesses in the neighbourhood
Coffee shops and bakeries sit alongside independent fashion, jewellery, art, homeware and design. Add salons, wellness, specialist services, restaurants, rooftops and bars, and there is plenty to discover from morning into the night.
Site sponsor · featured listing Coffee
Coffee bar & micro gallery
A light, creative space devoted to the art of good coffee, with a micro gallery and a front-row seat to the neighbourhood.
160 Strand Street, De Waterkant
Site sponsor · featured listing Eat & drink
Rooftop restaurant
Mediterranean-influenced bistro dining, seafood, generous cuts and five-course tasting menus with city, harbour and Lion’s Head views from floor 15.
Floor 15, 40 Chiappini Street
Your pocket of Cape Town
Stroll uphill into Bo-Kaap, wander downtown for galleries, or head through Green Point to the Atlantic Promenade. De Waterkant makes an easy base for seeing more with less time in transit.
to the V&A Waterfront*
to the Sea Point Promenade*
to the city centre*
to Clifton by car*
*Approximate travel times; traffic and walking pace vary.
Plan a day outAt the centre
De Waterkant Village
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
De Waterkant property
The property section connects verified estate agencies and genuine De Waterkant sale mandates with a focused local audience.
What’s on
The city has its own rhythm here: the Noon Gun at twelve, galleries after hours on First Thursday and confirmed local dates throughout the year.
First Thursday · monthly
Art after dark.
Begin in De Waterkant, then follow the streets into central Cape Town as galleries stay open late and pavements fill with art, food and conversation.
Belong in the local guide
We are building the guide with verified local businesses, accommodation and property listings. Email the editor to add, claim or update a listing.
Email editor@dewaterkant.capetown