When the early colonists arrived and began building Adelaide they used stone. They wanted to build a solid, dignified city, a civilised and calm place, with a manner no other state capital in the country could match. Nowadays, much to the wowsers' chagrin, pubs and nightclubs outnumber the churches.

Scratch the surface of the quiet achiever of Australian cities and you'll tap into its hedonistic vein. This epicurean playground celebrates the cultural, artistic, gastronomic and sporting. During the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the artistic flair of this progressive, yet still conservative city, truly emerges.

When To Go:

Spring and autumn bring out the magnificent wild flowers and you can combine other highlights of South Australia while avoiding extremes of weather. Winter (June to August) can get a bit cold and soggy and, as Adelaide can be pretty damn hot in summer (December to February), if you don't have access to a pool or air-conditioner you might find it unpleasant.

If you're a festival buff you really shouldn't miss the three-week Adelaide Festival of the Arts, held in late February or early March on even-numbered years. The main school holiday period is from mid-December to late January, with fortnight holidays also occurring early to mid-April; late June to mid-July; and late September to mid-October. As South Australian families take to the road (and air) en masse at these times, many places are booked out, prices rise and things become a little hectic, particularly over Christmas and Easter.

Full Name
Adelaide

Area
870 sq km

336 sq miles

Population
1,467,300

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9.5 ()

Daylight Saving Start
last Sunday in October

Daylight Saving End
last Sunday in March

Currency
Australian Dollar (A$)

Electricity
220-240V 50Hz

Electric Plug Details
Australian-style plug with two flat angled blades and one vertical grounding blade

Orientation:

Adelaide sits on the eastern shore of Gulf St Vincent, in the far south of South Australia. The streets of Adelaide's central business district follow a grid pattern, which makes it very easy for visitors to find their way around. Victoria Sq sits in the centre of the grid, and the main street, King William, runs through it. Although not the geographical centre of town, Rundle Mall is the shopping centre of the city, with the big department stores - Rundle St's eastern end has some of the city centre's best dining and boutique shopping. North Tce, running parallel to Rundle St, is the city's cultural centre, a grand boulevard lined with a gallery, museum, state library and university. The River Torrens separates the city centre from North Adelaide, and a green belt of parkland surrounds both areas.

Adelaide airport is about 8km (5mi) west of the city centre, the interstate train terminal is just southwest of the city centre in the suburb of Keswick, and interstate buses arrive at Central, almost smack in the middle of town. Most hostels are in the southeastern corner of the city centre; Hindley St in the city has mid-range options, North Tce has the top-end hotels. Rundle St, Hindley St and North Tce are the main food centres.

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9.5 ()

Daylight Saving
Start: last Sunday in October
End: last Sunday in March

Weights Measures System
Metric