Harare is Zimbabwe’s capital and largest city, set at about 1,500 metres on the central plateau. It has been through very difficult times — hyperinflation, political repression, economic collapse — and the city shows the scars. But it remains a surprisingly green and pleasant place, with wide tree-lined avenues, parks, and a more relaxed atmosphere than you might expect.
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is one of the best in southern Africa, with an outstanding collection of Shona stone sculpture. The Harare Gardens next door make for a pleasant stroll. The Natural History Museum covers local wildlife and geology. For crafts and art, Chapungu Kraal sculpture park on the outskirts is worth a half-day. Don't miss the Eastgate Centre on Robert Mugabe Road — a famous work of biomimicry architecture that cools itself without air conditioning, modelled on termite mounds.
Day trips from Harare include the Balancing Rocks at Epworth — granite formations that appeared on every Zimbabwean banknote — plus the Lion and Cheetah Park and Lake Chivero Game Park. The Tengenenge Sculpture Community, a longer drive north, is a remarkable open-air workshop where hundreds of sculptors work in stone.