The nine cities hosting the 2010 World Cup offer a bewildering spectrum of of backdrops, from beach to bush, and mountains to mine dumps and maize fields.
JOHANNESBURG: Over a century after the city was founded at the site of a gold rush, South Africa's largest city and business capital still has the feel of a frontier town.
Johannesburg is notorious internationally for its high crime rates but tourists are rarely targeted. The opening game and final of the Cup will be held at Soccer City stadium in Soweto township on the outskirts of the city.
The smaller, central Ellis Park will also host games. Johannesburg is situated on a high plateau at around 1,740 metres above sea level and is within four hours drive of four other stadiums, meaning many teams, such as the Netherlands, will make it their base.
PRETORIA: The Jacaranda City, as the administrative capital is known because of the trees that coat the city in purple blossoms in summer, will host first and second-round games at Loftus Versfeld stadium.
Situated 50km from Johannesburg at around 1,300m above sea level, Pretoria is also being eyed as a base by several teams, including Argentina.
CAPE TOWN: South Africa's oldest city has the most spectacular setting of all the host cities. Ensconced between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, the city and surrounding wine-growing lands pull in millions of tourists each year.
The new Cape Town Stadium will host several games, including a semi-final. Cape Town is 769 kilometres from the next nearest host city of Port Elizabeth.
DURBAN - South Africa's third-largest city, Durban is a centre of English, Zulu and Indian culture. A major port on the Indian Ocean, Durban will see semi-final action at the new Moses Mabhida Stadium, architecturally the most striking of the ten stadiums.
In winter, the city's sub-tropical climate lures people from the high plateau in search of warmth.
PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa's fifth largest city, is the capital of Eastern Cape province, which gave birth to such anti-apartheid stalwarts as former president Nelson Mandela and Black Consciousness activist Steve Biko.
Port Elizabeth is South Africa's water sports capital. The city got its first dedicated football stadium for the World Cup.
RUSTENBURG - capital of North-West Province, is one of Africa's fastest growing cities, owing mainly to its abundant reserves of the precious metal platinum.
Situated about 160km from Johannesburg close to Sun City casino resort and the Magaliesberg mountains, Rustenburg has already hosted several international games in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. The England team will be staying in Rustenburg.
BLOEMFONTEIN - Bloemfontein in the country's agricultural heartland in central Free State province is the nation's judicial capital and the coldest of the nine host cities in winter.
The Free State is a mainly rugby-playing province but supporters of Bloemfontein Celtic are among the country's most enthusiastic.
Thousands of people turned up at Free State Stadium to watch Brazil train during the Confederations Cup in June. For the World Cup, Brazil has picked this city as its base.
NELSPRUIT - Nelspruit, capital of Mpumalanga province, about 350km east of Johannesburg, is a university town and tourism hub.
The city is on the doorstep of Kruger National Park, South Africa's top tourist destination, where visitors flock to spot the Big Five game (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard).
Accommodation in Kruger Park is booked out for the duration of the Cup.
Nelspruit is also close to the border with Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony, which boasts thousands of kilometres of white-sand beaches. The city's new Mbombela Stadium has attracted controversy over the moving of two schools to make way for the structure.
POLOKWANE - is situated about halfway between Johannesburg and the Zimbabwe border in northern Limpopo province.
South Africa's poorest province is rich in history and wildlife. Mapungubwe National Park, a World Heritage Site, marks the site of a highly-developed South African kingdom that was trading gold and ivory as far away as China about 1,000 years ago.
World Cup matches will be held at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium, named after a former ANC Youth League leader. Sapa-dpa