Our Top Five / Itineraries / Long Weekend >>

Here is our suggested itinerary for a four-day trip to South Africa, meaning you catch a flight from Europe to Cape Town on Thursday night and return from Cape Town on Monday night.

Ideally you'd prefer longer for any trip to another continent! But, with direct overnight flights and little or no time difference, it is possible to enjoy and pack a lot into such a short time.

Day 1: Arrive at Cape Town International Airport. Hire you car and drive through to Camps Bay. Spend morning relaxing on the beach and - in the late afternoon (if the weather is good) take the short cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain. Return to Camps Bay for sundowners and dinner.

Day 2: Up and out early, driving across to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront to catch a ferry to Robben Island. Return to the Waterfront for lunch and people-watching. In the afternoon drive round along Chapman's Peak Drive to the Cape Peninsula to see the penguins and whale-watching (September to November). Dinner at one of Cape Town's excellent restaurants and drinks out at Long Street.

Day 3: Drive along the N2 through to Strand, then take the stunning coastal road - the R44 - past Betty's Bay to the wild beach and a fresh seafood lunch at Hermanus. Take the R44 back to the N2, before coming off onto the R521 at Grabouw to take the spectacular mountain pass through to Franschhoek. Staying at one of the wide selection of boutique hotels or self-catering options, indulge yourself in the gastro-capital of South Africa.

Day 4: Spend the morning relaxing in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley taking in as many of the stunning wine-tasting vineyards as time allows. Cruise through to the oldest wine-growing area in Africa at Constantia for a late, long and luxurious lunch at La Colombe before heading across to the airport and your flight home.

.