Plan the perfect South African holiday – featuring Cape Town, Franschhoek and the Garden Route

If 2022 was the year the storm finally blew over, leading us back to some kind of normality, 2023 will be the year we reclaim what we once took for granted. If you’ve never been to South Africa, this is the year to find out what the fuss is about; if you have, you’ll probably need no encouragement to return – but the pound has never been stronger against the rand, the hospitality industry never more welcoming, its geographic splendour as awe-inspiring as ever.  

The Western Cape provides many people’s first experience of the country – with good reason. Its gateway is one of the world’s great cities, its relatively traffic-free roads are perfect for a driving holiday and it offers a wonderful contrast of landscapes, from wild coastline to manicured vineyards. 

This two-week itinerary, featuring the best places to stay, eat and shop, offers something for both old hands and first-timers. It kicks off in Cape Town – long regarded by Telegraph Travel readers as the best city on Earth, includes time on the relatively unsung Overberg coast, with a sparkling journey to De Hoop Nature Reserve, features a couple of Garden Route favourites – Plettenberg Bay and Wilderness – and finishes with a trip to the Winelands.   

Tweaks are simple. If you’re pressed for time, simply skip the Overberg. For a complete change of scenery, return to Cape Town via the semi-desert Karoo region. An Eastern Cape safari also makes a simple addition (see expert tips…