Called "the fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth" and one of the world's most beautiful cities, Cape Town offers museums, parks and shops, plus mountains, beaches and wineries. Ride a cable car up Table Mountain for views of valleys and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A historical highlight is Robben Island, once home to anti-apartheid leaders including Nelson Mandela.

Durban, a bustling subtropical city and Africa's busiest port, was named Natal by Vasco da Gama in 1497, then renamed Durban in 1843 for Sir Benjamin D'Urban. Today it offers a colorful mix of ethnic neighborhoods and excursions to game reserves and Zulu culture. Explore Old Market Square, the Golden Mile beachfront, the Botanic Gardens, and Gray Street Mosque, the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Discover Nosy Be, scented with native spices and flowers, and nearby Nosy Komba, home to lemurs found only in this region. Start with a stroll through Hellville's city center and open market. Then hire a driver for an island tour to see bright blue volcanic lakes, or take a boat to Nosy Komba for the lemurs. Back in Nosy Be, shop for local perfume, distilled rum, fine linens, and hand-carved wooden art. Enjoy fresh seafood seasoned with local spices in this colorful, aromatic destination.

Mayotte, in the Northern Mozambique Channel off Southeast Africa, is geographically part of the Comoros but is an overseas department of France and thus in the EU. Its capital, Mamoudzou, is on Grande-Terre (Mahore). Known for scuba diving, it offers centers for world-class corals and reefs. Hike Mount Choungui for views or take a ferry to Petite Terre to visit Plage de Moya, a volcanic crater beach.

Discover Maputo's relaxed charm: wide European-style boulevards lined with jacaranda, bougainvillea, and tropical foliage; colonial palaces לצד modern high-rises. Visit the 1944 cross-shaped Cathedral, lively Mercado Central, the National Museum of Art, and Avenida Julius Nyerere for boutiques, vendors, and restaurants. Seek Pancho Guedes buildings and Eiffel's Praça de Trabalhadores, then sip coffee at a seaside café.

Called "the fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth" and one of the world's most beautiful cities, Cape Town offers museums, parks and shops, plus mountains, beaches and wineries. Ride a cable car up Table Mountain for views of valleys and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A historical highlight is Robben Island, once home to anti-apartheid leaders including Nelson Mandela.

Called "the fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth" and one of the world's most beautiful cities, Cape Town offers museums, parks and shops, plus mountains, beaches and wineries. Ride a cable car up Table Mountain for views of valleys and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A historical highlight is Robben Island, once home to anti-apartheid leaders including Nelson Mandela.