ADELAIDE
Area: South Australia
Country: Australia


Location:
Near coast of South Australia, on Gulf of St Vincent. 400 mls NW of Melbourne (1 hr by air). City centre 4 mls E of airport.

Telephone code from UK:
61 8

Website:
http://www.visit.adelaide.on.net

Position:
On flat Adelaide Plain, bounded by Gulf to W and low, rolling Adelaide Hills _ part of Mt Lofty Ranges _ to E.

Description:
With a population of 1 million, most of Adelaide comprises single-storey residential suburbs which sprawl over an area of 12 by 30 mls. Tourists will be mainly interested in the central city area, some 5 mls from the coast. It was built on a grid plan exactly 1 ml square in 1836 with wide avenues and spacious squares, just S of a loop in the Torrens River. The major suburb of North Adelaide sits on rising ground on the N bank of the river and the whole is surrounded by neatly manicured parkland. In this respect it is similar to a British "New Town" or "Garden City". The original architecture is Victorian and Edwardian and many fine examples of civic and commercial buildings still exist. In the so-called Central Business District (CBD), these older buildings are interspersed rather incongruously with ultramodern high-rise office buildings. The city is known variously as the "Athens of the South" because of its Mediterranean climate, and the "city of pubs and churches", for obvious reasons. The people are friendly, the city is clean _ exuding a sense of civic pride _ and facilities for the tourist are good, with plenty of clear signposting, toilets etc. It is only let down by the often dubious clubs and "adult entertainment" outlets of Hindley Street, in the NW corner of the city centre.

Suitability:
Suits all types but especially more mature, quieter clientele who appreciate Victorian architecture and a refined, genteel atmosphere. City does, however, have a livelier aspect, appealing to younger crowd.

Accommodation:
All types of hotel and many motels from 5-star to backpacker hostels and Victorian pubs offering rooms.

Shopping:
Plenty of shops, befitting capital of state of South Australia. Rundle Mall is a pedestrian street in NE of city with department stores and lots of shops. Its continuation, Rundle Street, is full of boutiques. Central and East End Markets plus another in suburbs at Tea Tree Plaza. In North Adelaide, Melbourne Street and O'Connell Street meet shopper's needs. Opals are promoted as a good buy.

Beach:
Dozen or more spread along 20 mls of coast nearest city, boasting stretches of golden sand. Glenelg is probably the best known and most developed.

Entertainments:
Daytime: botanic gardens housing rainforest in glasshouse; Japanese gardens; various parks; zoo; museum. Large aquatic centre with extensive indoor swimming pools. River cruises. Cricket and Australian rules football at Adelaide Oval. Horse and greyhound racing. Australian Grand Prix motor race, held on streets of city. Street entertainers. Nightlife: Festival Theatre for shows, plays and concerts. Cinemas. Pubs, clubs and discos abound in seedy Hindley Street, which also boasts strip clubs, "adult" cinemas and sex shops.

Eating:
Adelaide is said to have more restaurants per head of population than any other Australian city with many oriental, Italian, Greek and native restaurants; local fish is a favourite and even legal "Aussie tucker" like kangaroo-tail soup can be found. Head for Melbourne and O'Connell Streets in North Adelaide or Rundle and Hindley Streets in city centre.

Public-transport:
Since centre is flat and built on human scale, walking is a serious option and allows time for various sights to sink in. Trams run from centrally placed Victoria Square out to Glenelg Beach. Extensive bus and suburban railway system. Automatically guided "busway" to Tea Tree Plaza. Free buses run every 30 mins in figure-of-eight route through city. Bicycle hire. Plenty of metered taxis.

Local-excursions:
Barossa and Clare Valley wineries.