Adelaide

South Australia's capital, the "Festival City", within an hour of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wineries, the German village of Hahndorf and Victor Harbor.

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, has a city center encircled by a ring of parklands and a relaxed pace, and is known as the "Festival City"; about half of Australia's wine comes from South Australia. The climate is Mediterranean: December–February is hot and dry, often topping 35°C; March–May brings the autumn grape harvest and comfortable weather, making it the best season; September–November sees spring blooms; winters are mild and wet, and from June to October you can watch whales at Victor Harbor. Hotels fill up during the Adelaide Fringe each February–March. Areas to explore: ① the city center — the galleries and museums on the North Terrace cultural boulevard, the Botanic Garden, Adelaide Central Market, Rundle Mall, the River Torrens and Adelaide Oval; ② the coast — Glenelg, Henley Beach and Port Adelaide; ③ the Adelaide Hills — the German village of Hahndorf, Mount Lofty and Cleland Wildlife Park; ④ the wine regions — the Barossa Valley to the north and McLaren Vale to the south; ⑤ Victor Harbor and Port Willunga on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Getting around: the airport is about 7 km from the city center, roughly 20 minutes by taxi; the city has free buses and a free tram zone, and for the wine regions it's best to drive, hire a driver or join a tour. Allow 4–5 days: 1–2 days in the city, 1–2 days in wine country and 1 day on the coast or in the hills. Kangaroo Island is covered separately and needs an extra 2 days. Note: don't drive after wine tasting (the blood alcohol limit is 0.05); in summer, protect yourself from the sun and watch for bushfire warnings; kangaroos often appear on rural roads after dusk.

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