But South Africa has lots of things going for it. To begin with it’s just an overnight flight away, involving a two-hour time change: so no jet lag. Secondly, many parts of South Africa have a wonderful climate all year round; Cape Town does have a winter, but its best weather (January, February, March) is just when Northern Europe is at its worst.

Thirdly, prices, not just of houses but of food, eating out, petrol and all the things we spoilt Westerners are used to, seem almost comically low. Crime is an issue, but almost every house comes equipped with fearsome security (high walls, electronic gates, secure garages).

It’s worth saying right at the start that, while house prices are low compared with Europe, they’re nothing like as low as they used to be, and the rand has now strengthened against the pound and the euro. A year ago it stood at between 15 and 16 rand to the pound — today it is somewhere between 11 and 12. In the meantime the prices of houses of the sort most Europeans desire have risen by 30 per cent or more. A year ago an enchanting cottage on Sheffield Beach, about 20 minutes north of Durban, was for sale for R2 million (£180,000). This year the happy owner could easily sell it for twice that amount.

While the north coast of KwaZulu/Natal has its fans, it is to Cape Town and its outlying areas that most foreigners look when thinking of a second home. The Cape has great mountains, rolling vineyards, beautiful architecture, superb beaches and a Mediterranean climate.

Gone are the days when you could pick up apartments with sea views for less than £50,000. The most sought-after areas are on the Atlantic coast, where beach houses or apartments in Camps Bay, Bakoven and Clifton fetch anything from R1.5 million for something small and not too well-placed to R16 million for a spectacularly large, modern house, with swimming pool, servants’ quarters and large entertaining rooms. Somewhere in between most people could find an attractive four-bedroomed holiday home for R3 million to R4 million. The sea on the Atlantic coast is freezing cold but the views are fantastic and the city a mere quarter of an hour away over the neck of the mountain.

At Hout Bay, further along the peninsula, prices are lower and an enchanting, historic manor house in the Cape Dutch style, with a little over four acres (1.5 hectares) and two cottages, is going for about R5 million.

For those who can live without a sea view, good-sized family houses, with gardens and swimming pools, can be bought in residential areas such as Constantia, Newlands and Rondebosch for upwards of R1.5 million. In Newlands, for instance, there is a grand, almost ambassadorial-style house at R2.8 million. In the Franschhoek Valley, many foreigners find beautiful houses in the Cape Dutch or early Victorian style with wraparound verandas. There are vineyards, mountain vistas, and enchanting old Victorian houses for as little as R100,000.

Very safe enclosed estates, often with golf courses attached, are increasingly attractive to the retired set and there are plenty of these springing up all over the Cape. A few minutes from Franschhoek, for instance, is the Pearl Valley Signature Golf Estate and Spa where there are 71 building plots for sale on a 524-acre site. Each plot is about R1 million.

For those who love wildlife, it is possible to buy an existing house, or to build a new one, in a private reserve. This gives the owners access to the huge acreage and all the wildlife around them without any hassle. Take Lalibela, a 7,413-acre private game reserve, near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape: there are about 27 species of game, including elephant and hippo, and for R1.2 million buyers can have a plot in the reserve (build cost is not included) with access to all its facilities and a share in the profits.

For those looking to buy, the estate agent is Pam Golding (www.pamgolding.co.za) who has branches or franchises in almost every area of South Africa; FPDSavills in London (020-7824 9088) acts on her behalf. Another good established estate agent is Seeff Residential Properties (www.seeff.com). Established agents can advise on potential capital gains tax (for non-residents likely to be 40 per cent) and all the other legal loopholes, but those looking for better prices would be well advised to sniff around locally.

Euro equivalents

FOR SUN, vineyards and stunning views a little closer to home, try a three-bedroom apartment near Siena in Tuscany. The property, which has two reception rooms, is one of four detached units built around a central courtyard on the Villa Arceno wine estate.

The estate has a private swimming pool and olive grove, and a management company is available to look after the property while you are away. The asking price is £530,000.