CULTURAL MAGAZINE

Overview
Taken by lonelyplanet.com

Every country in the world displaysmostra some diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo River to the penguins waddlingtrotterellanti, che camminano ondeggiando on the Cape, takes some beating. It befits its position at the southern end of the world’s most epic continent, with more types of terrain than photographers can shake their zoom lens at.

There’s the deserted Kalahari, Namakwa’s springtime symphony of wildflowers, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, Kruger National Park’s wildlife-stalked savannah (scene of the famous lion-buffalo-crocodile battle watched more than 40 million times on YouTube) and, running through the east of the country and into Lesotho, the Drakensberg. KwaZulu-Natal’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park alone has five distinct ecosystems, attracting both zebras and dolphins.

If you’re interested in another kind of wildlife, hit the nightclubs on Cape Town’s jumping Long St or sample African homebrewbirra fatta in casa in a township shebeen (unlicensed bar). When it’s time to reflect on it all, do it over seafood on the Garden Route, curry in Durban’s Indian Area,
a sizzlingcaldissimo, bollente Cape Malay dishpiatto , or a braai (barbecue) in the wilderness - accompanied by a bottle of pinotage produced by the oldest wine industry outside Europe.

Of course, it's impossible for travellers to South Africa to remain oblivious to the fact that, despite the rise of ‘black diamonds’ (middle-class black folk), racial inequality persists here. Black and coloured townships faceaffrontano problems such as a horrific HIV/AIDS rate and xenophobic tensions caused by economic refugees from nearby countries.

Nonetheless, South Africans are some of the most upbeatottimistici , welcoming and humorous folk you’ll encounter anywhere, from farmers in the rural north who tell you to drive safely on those dirt roads, to Khayelitsha kids who wish you molo (‘good morning’ in Xhosa).

Another point of unity in the diverse country is that, in malls and minibus taxis, bush pubs and shebeens, two popular topics of conversation are the 2010 FIFA World Cup and recent political upheavalsscompigli, turbolenze . Most people believe that hosting football's mightiest tournament will be as great a moment for South Africa as its Rugby World Cup triumphs in 1995 and 2007.

Top Ten South Africa
Taken by nationalgeographic.com

Cape Town
Perchedinerpicata at the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Town humsferve with the energy of two cultures and unmatched natural beauty. From the brightly colored Bo-Kaap quarter to the regality of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, from the cape to the monolithic Table Mountain, it is rare that so many remarkable sights are found in such tight quarters.

The Peninsula
From the ruggedrocciosa wilderness of Table Mountain and the vineyard-covered hillsides of Groot Constantia, the peninsula stretches in scenic sandstone outcropsaffiora to the southwesternmost tip of Africa, to Cape Point of the Cape of Good Hope. The Atlantic Ocean surf batters the peninsula on the western side, while gentler, warmer waters in False Bay bathe its beaches on the eastern side. Little towns and beaches galorea bizzeffe beckonfanno cenno, richiamano l'attenzione .

Darling and Its Wine Country
A spectacular drive north from Cape Town on the R27, between the Cape Fold Mountains and the glittering Atlantic, to the village of Darling is the perfect weekend getawayfuga . Visitors can explore the sights and wineries of this delightful town, spend time lolling on the beach in nearby Yzerfontein, or travel along the Swartland Wine Route.

Port Elizabeth
Known for its sunshine and safe, sandy beaches, Port Elizabeth stretches out along beautiful Algoa Bay of South Africa's southeastern coast, about 500 miles east of Cape Town. In 1820 some 4,000 British settled in Port Elizabeth (or PE, as the locals call it), and built graceful period homes, many of which still enhance the city center. Since that time, the settlement has grown into the fifth largest city in South Africa and become a major port.

Wild Coast
North along the Eastern Cape, between East London and Port Edward, stretches the largely unpopulated and beautifully untamedselvatica Wild Coast for some 218 miles. The shores with forested hills and plungingvertiginose cliffsscogliere , wooded dunes and sandy beaches invite exploration. Along footpaths you will discover traditional Xhosa settlements and beachside villages.

Durban
Durban was named after the 19th-century English governor Sir Benjamin D'Urban. Until construction of the Suez Canal, England's ships traveled the long way around the cape, and Durban was a desirable stopover for civil servants and army officers heading toward or away from India. At one time Durban was nicknamed "the last output of the British Empire," and the colonial influence is evident in its Victorian cityscape.

Kruger National Park
The largest game reserve in South Africa. Nearly 4.8 million acres of wilderness, the Kruger stretches for 220 miles along the Mozambique border, from Crocodile River in the south to the Limpopo River in the north. It is 40 miles wide and comprises an area of some 7,700 square miles.

Johannesburg
Sitting on the Highveld 5,700 feet above sea level, Johannesburg is South Africa's most transformed city. Fighting a reputation of crime and danger, this largest of the country's cities (six million residents) boasts a mélange of cultures and languages, the result of apartheid's end as well as an influx of immigrants and refugees.

Cradle of Humankind
Under the burnt earth of western Gautang, a complex of dolomitic limestonecalcare caves contains the fossilized remains of our hominoid ancestors. This area is interesting geologically, but from a genealogical perspective, it's breathtaking.

The Kalahari
An unforgiving place of vast distances, silhouetted baobab trees, and a few nomadic San tribes, the Kalahari stretches along the border of Namibia. The name comes from the Tswana word kgala - great thirst. When you see the endless red dunes, sparsely punctuated with shrubsarbusti , the name makes perfect sense.