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Best cozy town destinations in Africa

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Chefchaouen
Blue Medina, Mountain Views, Calm Vibes
6.8
Outa el-Hammam square is the heart of the old medina. The kasbah, the Great Mosque and a caravanserai, an old inn for traders, line its edges. Ali ibn Rashid founded the town in 1471 to defend against Portuguese attacks. Narrow lanes are painted blue, though the reason is still debated.
Highlights:
  • 🏰 Explore the historic Kasbah and its lush gardens
  • 🌅 Climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset views
  • 💙 Wander the blue-painted streets of Chefchaouen Medina
Swakopmund
Coastal charm meets desert horizons
8.9
Locals here keep the German habit of afternoon coffee and cake. Captain Curt von François founded the town in 1892 as a harbour for a German colony. The Woermannhaus, built in 1906, has a tower and is now a library. Fog from the cold Benguela Current often rolls in off the sea.
Highlights:
  • 🤿 Scuba dive among vibrant coral reefs
  • 🐪 Ride camel across the white dunes
  • 🏖️ Sail on the Atlantic coast at sunset
Franschhoek
Wine, Mountains and Gourmet Living
7.4
Double-decker trams roll between wine estates past rows of vines. French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution settled the valley in 1688. The name means French Corner in Afrikaans. Many farms still have their original Cape Dutch farmhouses. The village is about 75 kilometres from Cape Town, a 45 minute drive.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Visit the Huguenot Memorial Museum and monument
  • 🌿 Explore beautiful gardens at Babylonstoren Farm
  • 🍷 Taste exquisite wines on the Franschhoek Wine Tram
Clarens
Art, Adventure and Mountain Calm
7.4
A dinosaur egg found near Clarens is about 190 million years old, much older than the village itself. The town was founded in 1912 and named for the Swiss town where Paul Kruger spent his last days. Golden Gate Highlands National Park is 17 kilometres away. Art galleries surround the town square.
Highlights:
  • 🎨 Visit the local art galleries and craft shops
  • 🌊 Go white water rafting along the Ash River
  • 🧗‍♂️ Explore Golden Gate Highlands National Park's sandstone cliffs
Sidi Bou Said
White-blue gem overlooking Mediterranean Sea
6.9
Late afternoon is a good time for mint tea with pine nuts at Café des Nattes. The village is about 20 kilometres northeast of Tunis. The TGM train from the city is the main way to reach it. Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger helped make the blue and white look popular in the 1920s.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Visit the Dar el-Annabi museum inside a traditional mansion
  • 🍵 Enjoy mint tea with pine nuts at Café des Délices
  • 🌊 Wander through the blue-and-white streets overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
Essaouira
Atlantic Breeze, Blue Medina, Bohemian Vibe
7.4
Sultan Mohammed III rebuilt the town in the mid-1700s with French engineer Théodore Cornut. The Portuguese had built a fortress here in 1506 and called it Mogador. UNESCO listed the medina in 2001. The Gnaoua music festival fills the streets for four days, usually in late June.
Highlights:
  • 🐟 Explore the bustling fishing port and feast on fresh seafood
  • 🌅 Watch the sunset from historic Skala du Port ramparts
  • 🏘️ Wander through Essaouira’s UNESCO-listed medina streets
Hermanus
Whale Watching and Coastal Wonders
7.8
Walker Bay lies about 115 kilometres southeast of Cape Town. Southern right whales can be seen from the cliffs from June until early December. A town crier called the whale crier blows a kelp horn to announce where they are. The town never got a railway line so it would stay a small fishing village.
Highlights:
  • 🏖️ Relax and sunbathe at beautiful Grotto Beach
  • 🥾 Hike through scenic trails in Fernkloof Nature Reserve
  • 🐋 Watch Southern Right Whales from Hermanus cliff path
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