Adelaide is a small city located in the Australian state of South Australia, with an estimated population of 1.28 million. Described as a sleepy city, Adelaide is one of the more relaxed cities in Australia; far from the busy hustle and bustle of the larger Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney.
Settled in the 1800’s Adelaide is one of the only cities in Australia that was not settled by convicted criminals from England. Some say this is why Adelaideans (the local term for those living in Adelaide) have a more “snobby” accent than the usual okker Australian.
Shopping in Adelaide
The central business district of Adelaide is located in the heart of the city, in Rundle Mall. Housing a variety of clothing stores, jewellers, opal dealers and Haiges chocolates, the main feature of Rundle Mall is two huge silver balls. Officially named ‘The Spheres’, the locals call them the ‘Malls Balls’ are they are a popular meeting place in the centre of the mall.
Closer to the coast and a short tram ride from the centre of the city is the beach side suburb of Glenelg. Offering sand and surf, Glenelg offers a range of variety stores and eateries alongside the beautiful beach. A new entertainment complex called The Beach House has recently been built in Glenelg alongside the beach. With side shows and water slides, it replaced the ugly Magic Mountain that most Adelaidean grew up with.
Also located in the city is the large Adelaide Central Markets offering a variety of fresh food produce including specialty stalls offering international delicacies in cheese, cured meats, sweets and lollies.
Culture in Adelaide
Like most of Australia’s cities Adelaide has a diverse population of different cultures which shows in the variety of different foods that Adelaidean’s take for granted from Nepalese to Moroccan, Kangaroo Steak to chicken Snitzel. This is because of its short but varied migrant history.
Adelaide has several popular cultural areas including Moonta Street in China Town, which is located near the Adelaide Central Markets. This offers several food outlets including two food courts and various restaurants and is positioned near the Gouger Street Bar and Cafe district.
A short drive from the central city of Adelaide will place you in the beautiful Adelaide Hills and the smaller hills townships that make up Adelaide. Many were renamed during the Second World War but several were changed back after the war for example Harndorf.
Harndorf is a small town that housed a large population of German settlers and is a popular destination during Oktoberfest and the Schutzenfest that are celebrated in Adelaide. Here visitors can sample a variety of food with traditional German origins as well as some of the finest wines from the Adelaide Hills district.
Art Culture in Adelaide
While not quite as strong as Sydney or Melbourne, Adelaide has a vibrant art culture the centre of which is the Art Gallery of South Australia, which contains a large collection of early Australian Art in addition to a vibrant Contemporary Art Collection and artefacts from South-East Asia.
Adelaide is also host to several art festivals including the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts showcasing fine art performances and exhibitions, and its counterpart the Adelaide Fringe that includes a variety of performances from burlesque to ballet, comedy and theatre.
Adelaide is a beautiful city with a vibrant culture and relaxed attitude and well worth a visit for a break from the busy hustle and bustle of Sydney and Melbourne.
