GILL WARREN and ANNABEL MACKIE score in South Africa as World Cup fever sets in...

WHY SHOULD I GO?
Don’t let the next month be ruined by your other half sitting glued to the TV screen watching the World Cup in South Africa. Beat them at their own game by following in the WAGs’ Louboutin-clad footsteps and have your own fun-filled holiday in Cape Town with or without your man! Don’t worry that there aren’t many tickets left for the matches at the city’s new football stadium, as there’s plenty of off-pitch action in this cosmopolitan city. You’ll have a ball as there’s so much to do, from shopping and spas and vineyard hopping to shark cage diving, clubbing and a safari.

WHEN SHOULD I GO?
Cape Town will host eight World Cup games, including the England vs Algeria match on June 18 and a semi-final. Weather-wise the perfect time to visit is during their summer – December to February. If you want to spot whales, visit between June and November. 

Click here now for amazing deals to Cape Town!

WHERE SHOULD I STAY?
If you want to stay within a stone’s throw of the footie action, book into the 177-room Radisson Blu (www.radissonblu.com/hotel-capetown), just 1km from the Green Point Stadium. Handily
for OK!, it’s also close to the affluent seaside suburbs of Green Point and Mouille Point, brimming with trendy cafés and boutiques, and only a short walk to the V&A Waterfront, home to malls, markets and museums. The views aren’t bad either – overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and facing Robben Island, the hotel’s Tobago restaurant boasts an alfresco terrace with funky lounge chairs, a chilled vibe and magnificent sea views. Perfect for sundowners. Other noteworthy features include the nautical-themed bedrooms, infinity pool and private marina. It’s also a celeb magnet, with Sir Bobby Charlton, Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicolas Cage having all stayed.

WHERE CAN I SHOP?
If you like markets there’s Greenmarket Square and the Pan African Market in town, where you can buy handicrafts, ceramics, textiles and jewellery, or try the V&A Waterfront craft market. The V&A complex also houses more than 400 shops and the nearby Victoria Wharf mall is home to Diesel, Gucci and Jimmy Choo. For fashion labels try the upmarket Cavendish Square Mall in Claremont.

WHAT STARS WILL I SEE?
During the football, the WAGS will be out in force. Cape Town, however, is always a celeb magnet. Abbey Clancy and Kelly Brook visited this year on fashion photo-shoots. When OK! was in town we spotted Melinda Messenger, Samantha Womack, Gary Lineker and Jose Mourinho. When the One&Only resort threw a lavish opening party last year, Clint Eastwood and Sharon Stone attended, while Naomi Campbell and Matt Damon have visited. 

WHERE CAN I EAT?
You never need venture from the V&A Waterfront with its 70 eateries. Tuck into succulent steaks and freshly grilled fish at Belthazar, which also has a lengthy wine-by-the-glass menu. Enjoy a gourmet feast at Beluga in Green Point, where Chelsy Davy held her 21st party. Or nibble on sushi and sip Cosmopolitans at the slick bar. For a lively, albeit touristy, experience check out Mama Africa on Long Street. OK! dined on a platter of ostrich, crocodile and mongoose! If you want a side order of views with your seafood try the Atlantic Grill at the Table Bay Hotel. OK! feasted on scallops, oysters and lobster ravioli but passed on the £100 mineral water encased in a crystal-studded bottle!

WHERE CAN I DRINK?
The Mount Nelson Hotel is a colonial institution. Some come for afternoon tea on the terrace while others bypass the marble and chandeliers and make a beeline for the Planet Champagne Bar, where Robbie Williams has been seen. You’ll find Long and Kloof streets lined with bars, cafés and clubs. Stop off for a Long Island iced tea on the roof of the quirky Grand Daddy Hotel, which boasts wacky themed vintage Airstream trailer bedrooms. For city views and clubbing head to Hemisphere on the 31st floor of the ABSA Building, where Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy have partied. The beach resort of Camps Bay is all about beautiful bodies, bars and palm tree-fringed beaches – for funky beats and superb seafood hang out on Baraza’s terrace or for a cool Mediterranean vibe try Blues.

Want incredible offers to Cape Town? Click here now...

WHAT CAN I DO IN CAPE TOWN?
No trip would be complete without visiting the iconic Table Mountain. You can hike up it or take the revolving cable car to the summit. If you want to see the landmark from another angle take to the ocean from the V&A Waterfront. You can also enjoyed a boat trip out to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for much of his 27 years as a political prisoner. 

WHAT IS THE MUST-DO EXCURSION?
OK! swapped the sand of the beach for the dust of the bush on a safari. We stayed in a lovely wooden chalet, next door to a plunge pool, at the Umlani Buscamp in the Greater Kruger National Park. Pre-dawn on our first morning we headed out in search of wildlife and spotted a huge bull elephant munching a leafy breakfast as giraffes bowed to nibble an acacia tree. A call crackled over the two-way radio – two lionesses had just made a kill. Jaws bloodied, we passed just a couple of metres away. After one thrilling night drive, where OK! had a fleeting view of a female leopard, we celebrated with a delicious African chicken casserole followed by their signature gin and tonic sorbet around a blazing log fire. We could get used to this style of upmarket camping!

HOW DO I GET THERE?
Sportsworld (01235 547 261; www.sportsworld.co.uk) is still able to offer travel packages to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A three-night package, including return flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town, airport and match transfers, local guides and daily breakfast, staying at the five-star Radisson Blu Cape Town, costs from £1,995pp. Hospitality starts from £366pp and includes a guaranteed Category 1 ticket and buffet-style food.
Peregrine (www.peregrineadventures.com; 08450 778 803) can tailor-make safari trips from Cape Town or Johannesburg. A four-night Kruger Experience package (minimum six people), including transfers from Jo’Burg, staying at the Ulmani Bushcamp in the Timbavati Game Reserve costs from £995pp.