Harare.

Zimbabwe's capital sits on a high plateau above 1,500 metres, its wide avenues erupting into violet bloom each October when the city's jacaranda trees flower in unison. Harare's National Gallery and thriving stone-sculpture scene showcase some of Africa's finest contemporary art, while Mbare Market and the surrounding suburbs offer an unfiltered taste of everyday Zimbabwean life. As the country's principal air gateway, it is the natural starting and finishing point for safaris bound for Hwange, Mana Pools and beyond.