Adelaide – Markets, Gardens and Culture

Adelaide brings together culinary discoveries, extensive gardens, wildlife and significant collections. This makes the city appealing for trips that are not centred on just one theme: you can explore markets, stroll through different gardens and include art or cultural collections in your itinerary. For families, the zoo also offers keeper talks and feedings, where visitors can learn more about the animals and interact with staff.

Market life and culinary variety

Founded in 1869, Adelaide Central Market now has more than 70 traders. It is one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere. Its offerings range from fresh fruit and vegetables to smallgoods and artisan products, as well as multicultural cuisine and dining venues. A visit to the market brings together a variety of culinary interests: you can discover fresh produce, look for artisan goods or explore the market’s dining scene. The Central Market’s long history and the diversity of its current offerings each give it a distinctive appeal.

Gardens, plants and animals

Adelaide Botanic Garden spans 50 hectares of manicured gardens and striking architecture. Its plant collections include the Garden of Health, the Mediterranean Garden and the award-winning Rose Garden. Their different names reflect the broad range of horticultural themes across the grounds. If you are particularly interested in plants, you can make the collections the focus of your visit; the architecture is also part of the garden’s character.

Adelaide Zoo offers a different perspective on nature. Set in eight hectares of botanical surroundings, it is home to more than 2,400 animals from 200 species. The species represented include exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. In addition to the variety of animals, daily keeper talks and feedings are part of the zoo experience. Visitors can interact with staff and learn more about the animals. The market, garden and zoo each offer a different focus: culinary discoveries, plants and architecture, or wildlife and learning.

Art, design and cultural heritage

The Art Gallery of South Australia comprises nearly 47,000 works of art and design. Its collections are Australian, contemporary, European and Asian; they also include works by Aboriginal and South Australian artists. General admission is free, although some exhibitions may have an entry fee. If you would like to explore Adelaide with a focus on art and design, you will find a broad range of collection areas here. Be sure to distinguish the possible fee for individual exhibitions from the free general admission.

The South Australian Museum complements this focus on art and design with cultural objects and specimens: it houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural heritage, as well as more than four million specimens and material cultural objects. Galleries and exhibitions span five floors. This gives the museum a different focus from the Art Gallery of South Australia. You can therefore choose between the two venues according to whether you would like to focus mainly on art and design or on the museum’s collections.

Choosing Adelaide as a destination

To decide whether Adelaide suits your trip, it helps to consider which themes you would like to experience together: markets and food, gardens and architecture, animals, or art and cultural heritage. This selection can also guide your search for holiday accommodation in Adelaide. Consider which experiences matter most for your trip, rather than choosing accommodation around just one itinerary item. This leaves room for different interests within your travel group, without reducing your choice of destination to a single offering.

More destination pages

For more options in the destination overview: North Haven, Glenelg, Oaklands Park, Hahndorf, Glenunga, Mclaren Vale, Cheltenham, Aldgate, Balhannah, Gawler, Cherry Gardens, Noarlunga Downs, Walkerville, Port Willunga, Devon Park, Belair and Crafers.

For the broader travel overview: South Australia.