Romantic weekend escapes

Not every getaway needs a week off and a flight. These are romantic places you can reach on a Friday afternoon and be back from on Sunday evening, without spending the whole weekend in the car.

From Johannesburg and Pretoria, the bush is surprisingly close. Pilanesberg is around two to three hours away and Madikwe a little further, both malaria-free with the Big Five. The Waterberg is a similar distance north, and the Magaliesberg, Hartbeespoort and the Cradle of Humankind are under an hour or two for a quieter country escape. Dullstroom and the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga suit a cool, misty weekend with log fires.

From Cape Town you are spoilt. The Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Wellington and Tulbagh) are under two hours away, the Overberg coast and Hemel-en-Aarde valley a little further, and the West Coast is perfect for a quiet weekend by the sea. Many of the cabins here have a hot tub or a fireplace.

With only two nights, choose somewhere that is relaxing as soon as you arrive: a self-catering cabin you can settle into, or a lodge where meals and activities are taken care of. And leave early on Friday if you can; the light on the last stretch of the drive is half the pleasure.