Construction of Cape Town's harbour began in 1860 by Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria, this first basin was named after himself. However, with the discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa a second basin was required, this was duly called the Victoria Basin. Construction of these two harbour basins took place between 1860 and 1920.

In the early 1970's there were calls for Cape Town's harbour to have greater public access and for it to have a wider use. However, it wasn't until 1988 when Transnet Limited, the then landowner, established a subsidiary company, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (Pty) Ltd, to redevelop the historic docklands.

Cape Town's harbour has undergone many changes over the past 140 years, with the redevelopment of land and buildings, some of which continue even today. However, it has retained the charm of Victorian industrial architecture.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, which lies between Table Mountain and Robben Island, is one of South Africa's most visited attractions. Not only has it got a large number of buildings with historical significance, but is also offers the visitor a large variety of shops and entertainment, an impressive aquarium, hotels, luxury apartments in the residential marina, office locations, breathtaking views of Table Mountain, an IMAX cinema and boat and helicopter charters.