An easy day trip from Cape Town, the Winelands offer great scenery, white-washed gabled farmhouses nestling in bright green vineyards, lovely little restaurants, great coffee shops and – of course – wine tasting sales and cellar tours. When the sun goes down you can choose between hundreds of great restaurants and a huge range of funky pubs, vibey clubs and a wide selection of movies, theatre and live music. Cape Town is also home to one of the most outrageous parties in the world. The Mother City Queer Project is a themed costume party in December that is fast becoming one of the most popular gatherings – certainly in South Africa – and possibly the world. And shortly thereafter, the traditional Kaapse Klopse minstrel dancers take over parts of the city streets in a tradition that stretches back hundreds of years to the era when slavery was legal in Cape Town. Don’t forget to pack your dancing shoes. Cape Town accommodation is plentiful and there’s something to suit every budget but it is highly advisable to book ahead, especially over the Christmas season (December to mid-February) and during the Argus Cycle Tour (usually mid-March).

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