adelaide ambling

Adelaide is the beating heart of South Australia. With its vibrant arts scene, eclectic festivals and dedicated food and wine culture, this adventurous southern city might just surprise you.

By: Sarah Hinder

Cultural capital

Adelaide earned its reputation as Australia’s “City of Churches” from its beginnings as a Christian settlement for free colonists — no convicts were sent here. Instead, founded upon principles of religious tolerance, the city attracted settlers from a variety of faiths, with the result that today it’s brimful of differing places of worship. A walk through North Adelaide is one of the best ways to explore the city’s religious heritage.
North Terrace is this cultural capital’s thriving hub, home to a plethora of insightful museums and sometimes unconventional art spaces. The South Australian Museum displays a rare and phenomenal collection of Aboriginal artefacts, while the grand State Library houses a wealth of research and history.
Leading the Adelaide art scene is the Art Gallery of South Australia, which from October 26 will feature the “I am the old and the new” exhibition by John Mawurndjul, four-time category winner in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. The not-for-profit JamFactory studio trains emerging artists and designers while showcasing some of Australia’s best contemporary craft and design.

Stay and play
With cultural cravings satisfied, head just south of Rundle Street where swanky bars and cool cafés mimic Melbourne CBD’s café scene. Those looking for a chic hangout will be well at home surrounded by Mother Vine’s modern sharing plates and comprehensive wine list, while round the block French-inspired brasserie Hey Jupiter serves up classic French favourites, from a hearty croque monsieur to delicate escargots.
Right at the heart of Adelaide’s cultural precinct, continue the theme with a stay at the artistic Playford Hotel. Part of a boutique collection by Sofitel, each with its own distinct character, the Playford tastefully blends the line between classical cool and art nouveau, as walls adorned with works by modern South Australian artists appear alongside elegant French furnishings.
A beautiful wedding venue, the five-star hotel boasts an award-winning restaurant and spacious, elegant suites — for something quirky and grand, opt for one of the elevated loft suites.

Go green
For a change of pace, there’s no shortage of green spaces to explore: central Adelaide itself is encircled by parks and playgrounds. Full of interesting pavilions and glasshouses and an astounding diversity of gardens — from exotic Mediterranean displays to Australian forest to an Economic Garden hosting oils, herbs and spices — Adelaide Botanic Garden makes a terrific first port of call.
Those interested in botany and horticulture will appreciate a free guided tour around the comprehensive gardens, while for lunch the award-winning Botanic Garden Restaurant serves modern Aussie fare and a selection of fine wines.
A little further afield in the rolling Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden truly steals the show. Its beautiful walkways, winding through woodland, rhododendron gardens and fern gullies, include a section of the famous Heysen Trail, which extends 1,200 mesmerising kilometres all the way from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula right out to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges.