Set in a curl of the Sundays River, the Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest settlement in South Africa and has seen more than two centuries of travellers, adventurers and prospectors pass through its streets. Today it is a vibrant centre for tourism, game farming and traditional agriculture. Graaff-Reinet has been a traveller's oasis in South Africa's semi-arid desert, the Karoo, for more than two centuries, since it was founded in 1786.

It's a stylish town, with at least 200 historical buildings, restored pre-Victorian homes in almost every street and a collection of museums and galleries celebrating its past.