It has to be said that on a hot summer’s day, surrounded by irritable drivers incessantly blowing their horns, it takes a special patience to enjoy Cairo. At times like these, buried under exhaust fumes, elbowed by the crowd, and tricked into being guided where you didn’t want to go, the Mother of All Cities (as the Egyptians call their capital) can easily become the mother of something far less flattering.

But there are other sides to Cairo. There are the pyramids of Giza, so iconic as to be beyond description. There is the astonishing gold of Tutankhamun, buried in the dusty upper corridors of the Cairo Museum. And there are the Islamic treasures of bejewelled mosques and sacred places of learning. For many people, however, the best of the city is experienced not through the iconic spectacle of ancient monuments, great though they are. Even more memorable perhaps is the morning coffee with traders in Khan al-Khalili bazaar, the glance of the midday sun off a piece of polished brass, or the call of a nation to prayer at sunset.

It’s no coincidence that Misr in Arabic means both Cairo and Egypt. The capital is a magnet that draws people from the Nile Valley towards the promise of a better life. The city dominates Egypt as it dominates Arabic culture. And what gives it this life blood? It’s undoubtedly something to do with the Nile, as it quietly threads through fashionable suburb and island allotment, past the mausoleums of the dead now occupied by the living and alongside luxury hotels and floating palaces of pleasure.

You can’t fail to be blown away by Cape Town: gorgeous beaches, dramatic vineyards, a stylish centre plus that astonishing flat-topped mountain plonked smack bang in the middle add up to jaw-dropping glory.

While Cape Town is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, it’s also among the most easily manageable. Although the suburbs now sprawl outwards, most tourist attractions are clustered close together. You can’t walk far without stumbling across colourful African crafts, eclectic restaurants, fascinating museums and world-class hotels.

Endowed with such cosmopolitan chic, Cape Town’s facelift as it prepares to host the 2010 World Cup will undoubtedly only serve to enhance its appeal. New hotels, restaurants and clubs are springing up in the city, although you may be just tempted to bask in the African sun and admire the views instead.

Immortalised through the eponymous Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman movie and forever associated with honorary citizen Sir Winston Churchill, Casablanca is a sprawling, vibrant metropolis of close to 6.5 million inhabitants, 3.5 million of them living in the city itself.

Though not the seat of government, it is Morocco’s undisputed commercial capital, an enigmatic meeting place of western modernity and Arabic tradition. Casablanca (‘Dar el-Beïda’ in Moroccan Arabic, which translates as ‘White House’ in English) or Casa as it is known colloquially, was a tiny Berber settlement that became a home port for privateers, before turning into a trading post with Europe. Then, in the era of the French protectorate at the dawn of the 20th century, it mushroomed into what is today one of Africa’s four largest cities. It was the vision of French governor Marshal Lyautey that set in train a massive half-century project that rebuilt the city and its facilities until they outshone those of Marseille, the port that had been the inspiration.

Casablanca today uses 35% of the nation’s electricity and handles 41% of its exports. Thanks to one of the world’s largest artificial harbours, Casablanca dominates Morocco’s industrial and service sectors. Its suburbs contrast sumptuous villas with dreadful slums, while its downtown mixes the dowdy with the exquisite. You take it as you find it in Casablanca. Tourism is welcome but, essentially, Casablanca is a commercial hub that goes about its life in its own way at its own breakneck pace.

Durban's sweeping golden beaches entirely justify the city's status as one of Africa's major resorts. For the visitor, South Africa's second most populous city offers a colourful range of cultural experiences to complement its balmy Indian Ocean climate and attractive seafront. The greater metropolitan area is known as eThekwini, but the true meaning of this word is not known.

But the city's importance to South Africa goes way beyond its appeal to surfers, sun-seekers and whale-watchers, although these activities are all significant draws.The city is Africa's busiest port, and as such is an important focus for the country's export economy. But what really makes it differ from other South African cities is its rich ethnic mix. More than half of Durban's 3.4 million inhabitants are Zulu, but a significant minority is made up by those of Indian descent, who account for almost one-fifth of the population. White Europeans account for less than one tenth of the residents.

Modern Durban was founded in the 1830s following a gift of land by the then Zulu King, Shaka. The settlement was named in honour of the Cape Colony governor, Sir Benjamin d'Urban. The new city suffered mixed fortunes over the following decades, at one point being evacuated due to fierce conflict between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus, but eventually passed into British hands in the 1860s, when the sugar cane industry was established. It was to work in this industry that many Indians were brought to the area by the British.

Fès (also spelled Fez and in Arabic, Fas) is the third largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca and Rabat. It lies in a valley bordered by the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and on the old crossroads of caravan routes connecting the Saharan empires like Timbuktu with the Atlantic and the Mediterranean shipping lanes.

The most ancient and impressive of the imperial cities (Fès, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat are known as the Imperial Cities, each having been the country's capital at some time during its history), it is still considered the cultural and spiritual centre of Morocco, the holiest city in the Islamic world after Mecca and Medina .

Fes is three distinct parts: Fes el-Bali (Old Fes), Fes el-Jdid (New Fes), and the modern, French-built Ville Nouvelle.

Fes el-Bali is the best preserved, continuously inhabited, medieval city still in existence. So precious are Fes's history, architecture, and culture, that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its medina is an unmappable maze of more than 9,000 alleys where mules are the only form of transport and life is a fascinating blend of medieval and modern. A far reaching conservation campaign has been attempting to preserve and interpret the remarkable historic legacy, with new uses being sought for fabulous old palaces, many of which are being restored by both Moroccan and foreign families.

Fes el-Jdid, south of the medina, is a 13th-century ‘new' town, home to the Dar el-Makhzen or Royal Palace (restored but closed to the public) and Mellah, the former Jewish quarter. The Ville Nouvelle is the city's modern business and commercial centre with wide boulevards, hotels, restaurants, cafés, bookshops, the university, the railway station and main bus terminus.

Snake charmers, magic potions and hidden palaces: Marrakech brings the most outlandish travellers’ tales to life. The pink city has waylaid desert caravans since the 11th century, as visitors succumb to the charms of its bluesy Gnaoua trance music, steamy hammams and multi-course feasts. 

Visitors to Marrakech often disappear down a maze of winding alleys and emerge days later, relaxed and refreshed from their stays in spectacular riads (courtyard guesthouses).

Adventure awaits in the medina (old city), with its fondouks (artisans’ workshops), seven zaouias (saints’ shrines) and stalls ladling up steaming bowls of snails and sheep’s head soup.

The focal point of Marrakech is its celebrated square, the Jemaa el Fna. Towering over the scene is the stately Koutoubia minaret, a template for Hispano-Mauresque architecture and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city’s residents.

Always a byword for the exotic, the city that lured hedonists and idealists in the 20th century now attracts fashionistas and trendy couples in search of the souks, spices, spas, chic bars and clubs and riad life.

Nairobi is the largest city in East Africa, the region's commercial hub and Kenya's industrial and political heart. It is also the region's youngest, most modern and most rapidly developing city and has enjoyed a relentless growth curve.

Although the city contains the African HQs of a number of major UN agencies, it still has an air of lawlessness. Its reputation for being hard and fast and dangerous means that the unfortunate nickname ‘Nairobbery' still has a ring of truth to it. The resulting need for a bit more street-smart commonsense often means that people skip straight through the city.

This is a shame though, since Nairobi is a vital and lively introduction to the real Kenya. The safari capital of the world, the city is actually an excellent base for travel and adventure.

Kenya's capital is home to a fascinating variety of people and the stimulating mix of cultures means that there is a buzz about the place. A cosmopolitan collection of shops, an unrivalled selection of cultural activities and centres, a varied restaurant scene and a definite café culture mean that the city has a surprisingly modern edge to it.

To escape the hustle and bustle of central city life and dodge the worst of the dangers though, head to the suburbs and take advantage of the city's close proximity to a national park, where wildlife that was here long before the city existed now gazes on skyscrapers.

Nairobi has always been a frontier town and although it remains a little rough and ready, the city still has a distinct appeal, plenty of energy and, as East Africa's most thrilling and proud metropolis, really ought to be experienced properly by visitors to the country.

Tunis, the vibrant yet laid-back capital of Tunisia, has managed to hold on to its own identity, where most other Tunisian cities sold their soul to tourism long ago.

Here the street scene is decidedly Tunisian: old men with red chéchias (scullcaps) and a bunch of jasmin blossoms behind their ear watch the young go past in jeans and shirts. The culture is Arab and African, but with so much coastline also clearly Mediterranean, traditions run strong and yet Tunisians are more liberated than their North African neighbours, and their Arabic is constantly interspersed with French.

The city centre is even physically divided in two distinct quarters: the old Arab medina and the ville nouvelle (new town) created in colonial times by the French.

All roads lead to Rome, but in the Tunis medina they all seem to lead to the Zeytouna Mosque, built in 732AD. Founded by Arabs in the 8th century around the vast mosque, it is one of North Africa's most stunning medinas. The complicated maze of alleys and souks (markets), hiding a wealth of Islamic monuments, is the city's historic and spiritual heart.

The main artery of the new town is the elegant avenue Habib Bourguiba, with its well-kept palm trees, café-terraces and patisseries. The contrast with the medina could not be greater: European-style boulevards, white colonial architecture, the hubbub of offices and young people going to the movies or shopping for casual wear.

In the suburbs are the ruins of the once wealthy Phoenician-Roman city of Carthage, founded by the legendary Dido in 814BC, who Virgil involved in a romance with Aeneas, which drove her to suicide. This is the city of the great military leader Hannibal who crossed the Alps with his elephants.

Nearby is Tunisia's most beautiful village, Sidi Bou Said, which inspired and still inspires many artists, and La Marsa with its gorgeous white-sand beaches.

Africa TRAVEL INSURANCE

If you need medical care whilst in Africa, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company. In these circumstances you will have to pay in full after your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country’s local embassy or representative.

To be compensated you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts.

It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country.

You can check out the following websites which specialise in travel insurance offering special deals for long term travellers, adventure travellers, backpackers and workers based abroad.

for UK RESIDENTS

Insure and Go – UK Travellers
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Travel Insurance – UK Travellers
Offering a full range of policies, single trip, young travellers, long stay, annual cover for UK residents. Get your quote and policy on-line….

Insure My Trip – USA travellers
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Downunder Insurance – UK – Australia and New Zealand Travellers
offers travel insurance to travellers and residents in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Our cover ranges from basic to highly comprehensive, with affordable policies aimed at backpackers and gap-year students, but with cover available to travellers and holiday makers up to 55 years of age.