Harare

Zimbabwe's first city is rather like an old movie, filmed in sub-tropical technicolour but fraying at the edges, grainy with images of old cars.

The aging high-rises, eccentric traffic and jostling street markets of Zimbabwe's capital is as 'happening' as it gets in these laid-back parts. However, don't get lulled into complacency: there's a lot to do and see. The premier showcase for Shona sculpture, Harare also has a vibrant African music scene, good shopping and other abundant urban diversions.

The city is set on a high-lying plateau, away from the sweltering river lowlands of the Zambezi in the north and the steamy Limpopo River in the south. The pleasant summers and balmy winters of the highveld ensure that golf and horse-racing are popular outdoor pursuits.

Indeed, the climate is temperate enough to allow the planting of grapevines in the Marondera area, 60 km out of town. Surrounded by game parks, nature reserves and recreational lakes, Harare's close environs provide ample alternatives to city-living.

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