If you are looking for a holiday of spectacular scenery, wonderful food and wine, city excitement and friendly locals then South Australia is waiting to enthral you.

Ian Wolfe was captivated...

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is a gracious elegant city with lovely parks and heritage buildings. Shoppers can’t go past Rundle Mall, and Gouger Street offers dining experiences from around the globe at affordable prices. I was really impressed with the National Wine Centre, the showcase of the Australian wine industry. Not only can you learn about all the processes of growing and producing wine but you can try your hand at blending your own wine – not as easy as you might think!

Adelaide’s Central Market is a huge hive of activity, each stall proudly displaying an incredible variety of produce and the friendly retailers are always ready to offer a sample and advice.

The beauty of South Australia is that most of the key regions that you would want to visit are within easy driving distance from Adelaide.

When I was last there we took a 4WD tour and passed through huge sheep stations and abandoned mines of yesteryear. Our driver happily pointed out the kangaroos, emus and wedge tailed eagles while regaling us with tall tales of the South Australian outback.

We visited Flinders Ranges where the rugged beauty is spectacular, especially when viewed in the changing light of dawn or dusk. I just loved the scenic flight over the natural wonder of Wilpena Pound and its surrounding ranges – truly spectacular and worth the investment.

Within the Ranges there are also many opportunities to explore the Aboriginal rock art, stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife and much more by foot.  The friendly locals are always ready to offer suggestions.

We treated ourselves to a leisurely cycle tour of the wineries in the famous Clare Valley, sampling wonderful food and world-class wines. Plenty of charming B&B’s are in this area too so for those with time on their hands a few days exploring this region and venturing into the Barossa Valley will provide you with holiday memories to last a lifetime, plus some great local produce for the cellar at home!