Adelaide (South Australia, Australia)

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In keeping with its climate, Adelaide, capital of South Australia, has a Mediterranean ambience as it straddles the Torrens River, filled with churches, gardens, civic buildings, sidewalk cafes and a plethora of museums, galleries and festivals catering to the culturally inclined.

The city was originally laid out in 1836 by Colonel Light in a square mile (three sq km) grid of wide streets with gracious colonial architecture. This has resulted in a compact inner city area, geared for easy exploring on foot, allowing the central area to be surrounded with hectares of parklands, walking trails, sports grounds and picnic areas on the banks of the river. The main boulevard is North Terrace, along which are the restored Mortlock Library, the Art Gallery of South Australia and the South Australian Museum with its spectacular whale skeleton and collection of Aboriginal natural history. Aboriginal culture is also catered for at Tandanya, a multi-arts cultural centre that has galleries, performance areas and a café serving native cuisine. Visitors who have had enough of culture can take a cruise or gondola ride on the Torrens River, or ride a vintage tram to the nearby seaside town of Glenelg with its magnificent white, sandy beach, popular despite the occasional rumour of sharks.

Adelaide's Central Market is the destination for 'foodies'. Among the noisy, colourful atmosphere and wondrous smells are fruit and vegetable stores and a large selection of meat and fish along with gourmet specialities introduced by the waves of immigrants who call Adelaide their home.

Also popular with visitors is the Adelaide Zoo and Cleland Wildlife Park, which features local birds and animals including koalas and kangaroos. Locality: On the flat Adelaide Plain, bounded by the Gulf to the W and the low, rolling Adelaide Hills, part of the Mt Lofty Ranges to the E. Near the coast of South Australia, on the Gulf of St Vincent. 400 mls NW of Melbourne (1 hr by air). City centre 4m ls E of airport.

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Adelaide suits all types of tourist but especially a more mature, quieter clientele who appreciate Victorian architecture and a refined, genteel atmosphere. The city does, however, have a livelier aspect, making it appealing to a younger crowd.

A dozen or more beaches spread along the 20 mls of coast nearest the city, boasting stretches of golden sand are also a fabulous attraction to this city. Glenelg is probably the best known and most developed with safe swimming, a variety of water sports and a water park.

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

There is plenty do in Adelaide, examples of which include: the botanic gardens housing rainforest in a glasshouse, Japanese gardens, various parks, a zoo, museum, large aquatic centre with extensive indoor swimming pools, cricket and Australian rules football at Adelaide Oval, horse and greyhound racing, Australian Grand Prix motor race, held on the streets of the city, street entertainers.

By night there is the Festival Theatre for shows, plays and concerts, cinemas, casino, pubs, clubs and discos, with the best selection on Hindley Street, in the NW corner of the city centre, which also boasts a few adult entertainment venues.

Those looking for a place to eat will not be disappointed, 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 the city centre.

Local excursions to Barossa and Clare Valley wineries; Kangaroo Island; boat trip along River Murray are also popular options for tourists.

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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra

Australia - New South Wales - Sydney

Australia - Tasmania - Hobart

Australia - Western Australia - Perth

Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).

The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.

Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.

In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.

The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.

But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.

The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.

The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.

Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.

The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers.