Franschhoek, South Africa

If sybaritic indulgence – and memorable lodgings – is what the Winelands is really about, then Franschhoek is the place that does it best. Despite being a fairly small dorp, it has managed to establish itself as the culinary capital of the Western Cape, if not the whole country. Its late Victorian and more recent Frenchified rustic architecture, the terrific setting (it's hemmed in on three sides by mountains), the vineyards down every other backstreet, and some vigorous myth-making have created a place you can really lose yourself in, a set piece that unashamedly draws its inspiration from Provence.