The village of Franschhoek (French Corner), tucked into the Cape Winelands of South Africa, is known as the country's food and wine capital. Galleries and antique shops fill the tree-lined streets, and vineyards established more than 300 years ago cascade over the hills just outside town. Local activities range from wine-tasting tours to trout fishing and hiking. The Huguenot Memorial Museum honors the town's early settlers, who fled religious persecution in France.

Cape Town glistens at the southern toe of the African continent. Tourist brochure-views at Blaauwberg Beach and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are within easy driving distance of "The Mother City." The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve provides sweeping sea vistas, hiking trails and wildlife encounters. On a more somber note, travellers can visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years.

From flat-topped Table Mountain down to the blue waters of Table Bay, Cape Town is simply stunning, but the city doesn't thrive by its looks alone. Proudly multicultural, its flourishing arts, dining, and nightlife scenes are proof of this modern metropolis' creativity and innovative spirit.

Shaded spots go early at Cape Town's crowded Camps Bay, where locals picnic and play in the strong Atlantic waves. Look for the flagged bathing areas for safer swims for all the family. Festive cafes sit adjacent to the sands, which are dramatically set at the foot of the Twelve Apostles Mountains.

Built on a narrow, rocky ridge, Antananarivo occupies a strategic point at the center of the island of Madagascar. Two forts watch over the city from the east and southwest, while within the city limits lay royal palaces, embassies, some fifty churches and a mosque. The city's most distinguishing feature may be the burnt out remains of the Rova, or Queen's Palace, situated on a prominent hill. Its steep alleys and stairways make Antananarivo a challenging but rewarding city to explore on foot.

Sitting on the Gulf of Guinea, the port city of Lome serves as the capital of Togo, a sliver of a country in West Africa. Famous for the friendliness of its people and the beauty of its countryside, Lome is the perfect place to relax after exploring Togo's hills and forests. White beaches are lined with hotels, while the interior of the city offers a series of markets for avid shoppers.

Sometimes referred to as the capital of Africa, Addis Ababa is a buzzing hub of economic, social and political activity and home to such notable offices as the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The diversity of its people is reflected in the many churches, mosques and museums, including the Ethiopian National Museum which houses the fossilized skeleton of Dinkinesh, or Lucy, the Australopithecine discovered in the area in the 1970s.

Giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, endangered jaguars and clouds of butterflies are among the attractions at this World Heritage-designated park that marks the border between Brazil and Argentina. By foot or by raft, explorers can view one of the world's most stunning waterfalls, Iguazu Falls. Among the park's 270 waterfalls, spectacular Devil's Throat combines 14 falls and generates a "perpetual rainbow" in good weather.

You’ll have three beaches to choose from in Lindos: calm Pallas Beach, secluded St. Paul’s Bay, and the main beach, Megali Paralia. Save time to explore the town itself, too. It’s a bit of a hike up to the acropolis, but the view is magnificent.

Playa de las Americas, near Tenerife's southwestern tip, is a lively, upbeat resort built in the 1960s. Today it's crammed with British restaurants, bars and hotels and North European tourists. Its white sands attract hordes of sun worshippers, while nearby El Medano is famed for its windsurfing. Top attractions include sailing, golf and dinner theatre shows, but it's the nightlife on Veronica's Strip that is the top draw for the crowds of young tourists who flock here to party around the clock.