Adelaide .. The City of Churches.

The capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. According to the 2011 census, Adelaide has a population of 1.23 million. The demonym “Adelaidean” is used in reference to the city and its residents. Adelaide is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, on the Adelaide Plains between the Gulf St Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges which surround the city, which stretches 20 km (12 mi) from the coast to the foothills, and 90 km (56 mi) from Gawler at its northern extent to Sellicks Beach in the south.

Adelaide History

Named in honour of Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, queen consort to King William IV, the city was founded in 1836 as the planned capital for a freely settled British province in Australia. Colonel William Light, one of Adelaide’s founding fathers, designed the city and chose its location close to the River Torrens in the area originally inhabited by the Kaurna people. Light’s design set out the beautiful city in a grid layout, interspaced by wide boulevards and large public squares, and entirely surrounded by parkland. The early settlement was shaped by religious freedom and a commitment to political progressivism and civil liberties, which led to the moniker “City of Churches”.

Adelaide Attractions

Admire the elegant colonial architecture and browse museums and libraries along North Terrace. Shop up a storm at Rundle Mall or sample the fresh produce from Adelaide Central Market. Embrace the alfresco ambience of Rundle Street in the East End or explore the exotic, bustling foodhalls of Chinatown.

Swim with dolphins in vibrant Glenelg and fish from the jetty in Henley. Bike ride in Elder Park and row past rose gardens in Rymill Park. Picnic in sprawling Botanic Park, where the international music festival WOMADelaide is held. Explore the museums, markets and historic harbour of Port Adelaide or see heritage buildings and colourful summer sideshows in family-friendly Semaphore.

Browse the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal antiquities at the Aboriginal Cultures Gallery or do a cultural tour of Adelaide Botanic Gardens with a local Kaurna guide.