Pretoria

Stately and conservative, Pretoria provides a gentle and civilised introduction to South Africa. Known as the Jacaranda City for the purple blossoming trees that line its streets, it is home to some fascinating museums and historical buildings, and an increasingly cosmopolitan nightlife scene.

Visitors will find plenty to do. You can explore walking and mountain bike trails, or trek on horseback out to the Voortrekker Monument. Nearby is the Premier Game Reserve – home to white rhino – and the Premier Diamond Mine where the Cullinan, once the world’s largest diamond, was unearthed.

Pretoria’s all-seater stadium, “the Loftus”, is set in a leafy residential area close to the city centre. Its main west stand was completely rebuilt in 1977 and the other three stands have been renovated since, creating some of South Africa’s finest corporate hospitality facilities.

Pretoria is 50km by road from Johannesburg International Airport, which is served by direct overnight flights from the UK.