With the influx of young executives and investors to the northern suburbs of La Lucia and Umhlanga, Morningside, a sizable gentrified suburb of Durban that stretches from the lower end of the ridge overlooking Durban to just above the Greyville Racecourse in lower Morningside, may have suffered from a Cinderella complex in recent years, but there has undoubtedly been a resurgence of interest in the area.
When the State President is at home, Morningside, Durban offers some classic examples of large Edwardian and Victorian-style homes with tin roofs and wide verandas. It also has sprawling parks like Mitchell Park and Jameson Park, as well as hip streets with a decidedly cosmopolitan vibe that have drawn a vibrant nightlife to its restaurants, pubs, and bistros, particularly around Florida Road.
One of Durban’s three most popular suburbs, along with Bulwer and Berea, is Morningside, which borders Berea on one side and the Umgeni River on the other. This is due in large part to the excellent value that can be found here.
The region has been compared to De Waterkant and Green Point, two popular suburbs offering plenty of accommodation in Cape Town, because of its established tree-lined streets and accessibility to the city centre and all of its attractions.
Particularly attracting visitors to the region is the Durban July, a national horse racing event held at Greyville Racecourse, and the Moses Mabhida stadium means that neighbourhoods in and around the King’s Park area, like lower Morningside, are evolving into desirable locations to dwell.