Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia, is most accurately described as a city within a park.  Elegant Adelaide was carefully planned to be a city of broad streets logically laid out and surrounded by a green cushion of parkland set against the rolling hills of the Mount Lofty Ranges Colonel William Light designed  this way in 1837, and his vision has resulted in a city that is free of traffic jams and ideal for walking as well.  Throughout the city there are sports fields, a top-class golf course, walking and cycling tracks and beautiful gardens. Beyond the inner city, residential neighborhoods share space with protected natural bushland.  These natural spaces bordering the sea, the foothills, and the rivers protect the environment while providing unique recreational opportunities.

In the heart of the city and out into the suburbs, the River Torrens stretches for miles.  Sealed cycling paths and hiking trails follow its course through gardens, parks, and natural bush.  Adelaide Botanic Garden, Mount Lofty Summit, Hallett Cove Conservation Park, Cleland Wildlife Park, and Belair National Park are among the many outstanding outdoor venues. 

Throughout the year, activities abound.  Just 15 minutes from the city, the white sand beaches and clear waters of Gulf St. Vincent provide endless hours of entertainment for those who love swimming, fishing, and watching cliffs that glow with the setting sun. 

Glenelg is the most famous of the beaches and can be reached by the heritage tram ride from the city centre. Glenelg is in Holdfast Bay which also includes Brighton, Seacliff, and Kingston Park.

The early days of settlement saw a blending of cultures that continues in the present time.  The Kaurna (pronounced Gar-na) people had lived there for more than 10,000 years when they were joined in 1836 by Governor John Hindmarsh who proclaimed the area a British colony.  Many of the first European settlers were seeking a more open society than that of their homeland.  Lutherans escaping persecution in Germany settled in the adjacent Barossa Valley and established a wine industry.  Italians now make up the city’s largest non-Anglo cultural group, adding their distinctive styles of food preparation to the wide range of fine cuisine available in the Adelaide area. 

Adelaide's Rundle Mall is the largest pedestrianized shopping mall in the Southern Hemisphere and includes over 800 shops and 14 interconnected arcades.  The Antique Market on Grote Street houses 36 of Adelaide’s leading antiques and collectibles dealers in a 10,000 square foot showroom. The Brickworks Markets is Adelaide's largest and is situated just 10 minutes from the Adelaide central business district. The 100 permanent stalls in the market are centered on the historic brick Kiln, established in 1912. The shops, are complemented each weekend with dozens of casual day traders selling products and gifts from local crafts people and from around the world. The air-conditioned main market building provides shoppers with thousands of items from the latest clothing to handmade candles and soaps, fashion to floor coverings, leather goods and lace.

The Art Gallery of South Australia holds one of Australia's finest art collections and is housed in a beautiful, historic building that is a fine example of Colonial architecture.  The collections are divided geographically into three main areas:  European, Australian and Asian. Contemporary works are displayed alongside period painting and sculpture. The Gallery also contains an important collection of Aboriginal Western art.

For the family, there is the South Australia Museum with its fascinating galleries offering hands-on exploration of such wide interests as early Antarctic treks (complete with a real ice wall), Ancient Egypt (in the form of a New Kingdom tomb), Australian Aboriginal Culture Gallery, Life in the Deep (includes a 4 floor level display of the Life of he Giant Squid).  Meteorites are also displayed.