Stellenbosch
A group of exquisitely restored and period-furnished houses dating from 1709 to 1850 make up this museum, which is a must-see. At each house you'll find a…
Must-see attractions in South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini (Swaziland)
KwaZulu-Natal
The important Ncome Museum offers the Zulu perspective of the Battle of Blood River, as well as other other conflicts between the Zulu and Boers. The…
Johannesburg
Founded by renowned South African artist William Kentridge, the centre is an incubator and platform for experimental, collaborative and cross-disciplinary…
Thornybush Private Game Reserve
Kruger National Park
This 13,816-hectare reserve is a collaboration between 12 lodges (the number keeps going up every year), with a focus on high-end comforts and excellent…
Cape Town
The sketchy grid of streets off Albert Rd is a canvas for some amazing street art, much of it created during a collaborative project between street…
Cape Town
Fascinating multimedia exhibitions are staged at this non-profit centre supporting the arts in South Africa. Both local and international contemporary…
Limpopo
On the road to Modjadji Nature Reserve, look out for signs to the remains of this 22m-high boabab, with a 47m circumference. According to carbon dating it…
Western Cape
Named for a local resident who started the collection, the museum is a magnificent hotchpotch of everything from old matchboxes, ornate 19th-century…
Northern Cape
With a car with good clearance, you can access this 1430-sq-km park, where Tankwa desert moonscapes meet sheer Roggeveld cliffs. There's great…
Winelands
Backsberg is a hugely popular estate thanks to its reliable label and lavish outdoor lunches – book ahead for the Sunday lamb spit braai (barbecue; R295)…
Cape Town
This pioneer of the Woodstock art scene provides studio space for local artists and visiting overseas artists, with the idea of providing skills transfer…
Franschhoek
Franschhoek boasts many fine galleries, mostly along Huguenot Rd. At the Ceramics Gallery you can watch David Walters, one of South Africa’s most…
Johannesburg
Based on Bob Gasini's famous photo of Mandela shadow boxing in 1952, this 5m-tall painted steel sculpture by Jo'burg artist Marco Cianfanelli stands…
Winelands
Foodies could hang out here for a while, tasting cheese made on the premises, grabbing a platter or picnic featuring cured meats from the deli, or…
KwaZulu-Natal
This monument comprises a massive bronze Zulu beer pot, surrounded by 18 bronze reliefs depicting Zulu life, and seven large horns symbolising the seven…
Winelands
Tanagra is a family-run farm offering tastings of its range of reds as well as the grappa distilled on-site. There's self-catering accommodation (two…
Winelands
This long-running donkey sanctuary is a peaceful spot with a couple of dams offering good birdwatching, a tearoom serving homemade goodies and, of course,…
Durban
Found on the Umgeni River, north of the centre, this bird park makes for a relaxing escape from the throng. You can see many African bird species in lush…
Cape Town
This grand domed Edwardian building first opened in 1913 as the headquarters of the now-defunct University of Good Hope. More recently it has become an…
KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden
KwaZulu-Natal
Spread over 4200 sq metres, these gardens have exotic species and indigenous mist-belt flora. Guided tours are offered on weekdays and there's a weekly…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
The exclusive enclave of Llandudno has a giant-boulder-flanked beach that’s a beauty. It’s a popular spot with families. There’s surfing here on the beach…
eSwatini (Swaziland)
Manzini’s main drawcard is its colourful market, whose upper section is packed with handicrafts from eSwatini and elsewhere in Africa. Thursday morning is…
Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre
Eastern Cape
The models and fossil casts here depict prehistoric animals (gorgonopsians, dicynodonts and the like) around 253 million years old – 50 million years…
Cape Town
Faith47 designed this proud African woman and her crop of reeds, which integrates an electronic lighting system. It's designed to illuminate every time a…
Cape Town
On pedestrianised St George’s Mall, opposite Waterkant St, is Brett Murray’s quirky statue Africa. This African-curio bronze statue, sprouting yellow Bart…
Franschhoek
Best known for Méthode Cap Classique (MCC; wine made in the Champagne method), there is also an excellent range of white and red wines, plus a brandy. The…
Winelands
This long-established winery has had a revamp and is once again a marvellous place to sip bubbly all afternoon. Unpretentious tastings take place in the…
Limpopo
The best way to enjoy a glass of creamy Amarula liqueur is to visit the Amarula Lapa, located next to the production plant, 10km west of Phalaborwa…
Limpopo
This museum is worth ducking into for its modern take on colonialism, many depictions of Nelson Mandela and interesting displays on women and art in South…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
Rest on one of these pieces of public art by Rocklands Beach; the seats of the benches are held up by pairs of blue seagulls, black sea lions and pink…
Cape Town
Each side of these colourful, mosaic-decorated plinths has a different theme, related to township history. One is the only memorial to the Mendi, a troop…
Northern Cape
This ethnographic gallery holds a wonderful collection of photographs of Southern African tribes taken in the 1920s and 1930s, before many aspects of…
Eastern Cape
This former library, built in 1847, houses a wide-ranging collection of historical artefacts. There's fossils from the Karoo, displays on Khoe-San rock…
Eastern Cape
This Dutch Reformed parsonage, built between 1806 and 1812, is a beautiful example of Cape Dutch architecture, with high ceilings and yellow wood floors…
Pretoria
Specialising in South African art from most of the country’s history, this good gallery contains works by all the big local hitters, from Jacob Hendrik…
Johannesburg
The Carlton Centre (223m) has been Africa's tallest building since 1973. The basement shelters a buzzing shopping mall. For awesome city vistas, head to…
Northern Cape
At this smart new tasting centre there's a vast range of well-priced wines to taste, including dessert and sparkling wines. The colombard and muscadel are…
Western Cape
It’s a vertiginous climb up increasingly narrow ladders to the top, but is well worth it for the coastal views. Inside you'll find a small museum looking…
Winelands
Sitting south of the N1, the tasting room has a panoramic view of Tortoise Hill. Enjoy a glass of the sumptuous chardonnay or renowned Bordeaux blend,…
Plettenberg Bay
Operating since 2000, this was the first wine estate in the region. It's best known for its bubbly. Tucked away in the vines is the mezze-style restaurant…
