Adelaide 5 Day Itinerary - How To Enjoy A Beautiful Midweek!

5 days in Adelaide itinerary

Are you planning to visit the most liveable city in Australia, or to enjoy some of the best wine in the country, or maybe to eat in some amazing restaurant? Sure, you will have to read this and make Adelaide the next city where to spend at least a week of your holiday or your road trip stop.

Here is the post for you, to read my 5 day itinerary in Adelaide and around for your perfect holiday trip in this beautiful people-oriented city.

You will get to know my tips to plan the days of your stay, some of the restaurants I enjoyed the most, the different markets, some hiking spots and last but not least a good few of the best vineyards where to try some unforgettable wine. If you read my previous post, you could see I have lived in this city for 3 months and I get to see a lot of it. In my experience, this is a well-organized city, with everything a city needs to have to be liveable for everyone at every age

Something about Adelaide…

Adelaide, the South Australia’s capital city and the fifth’s populous city in Australia. The city is known to welcome many festivals throughout the year, here where food and wine meet and create one of the best encounters and where lots of history and nature, made their way to led this city and become one of the best Australian cities and one of the most liveable cities in the world.

Named after Queen Adelaide, the city was founded in 1836 and was the only freely-settled British province of Australia.

Adelaide’s history and form were dictated by her diversity, religious freedom and the progressive government, its free settles and wealth, contrasting the other cities of Australia. The faiths diversity made become Adelaide the “City of Churches”.

The grid-like city centre is small and compact so you can walk easily to see most of it, either in the morning or in the evening you will always be fascinated by the store, the coffee shops, the little street food or restaurants, the markets and the nightlife bars, pubs and clubs. The city within the Park offers 7,600,000 square metres of Park Lands that circle the whole city centre, so you don’t have to go far if you need sometimes to chill and enjoy the grass for a picnic or a little nap.

But as well, surrounding Adelaide, there is plenty of nature if you need a hike in the green, a day at the beach, or just to watch some wild animals outdoors.

When to visit Adelaide

The Mediterranean climate in Adelaide is very cosy and offers hot summer, warm spring and autumn but rainy and quite cold winter – not much if you come from Europe -.

Even though the best time for me to visit is the end of the summer you can plan your visit during the whole year, maybe just avoiding July and August as they can be the coldest and wettest months.

Day 1 in Adelaide – North Adelaide

Staying in the CBD will give you the chance to take advantage of the free tram ride within the city centre, this can help to move around if you aren’t keen to walk the whole day. Here to read more about the free services Adelaide can offer.

If you happen to arrive in Adelaide by flight don’t worry about the distance from the airport to the city, as will only take 20 minutes by Taxi or Uber, either with public transport. The bus stop is just 3 minutes walking from the exit and will bring you to the CBD quite quickly and in a cheap way. After your check-in or just baggage drop at the accommodation reception, you can start to wander around Adelaide.

The city centre is very small, so walking around will give you the chance to see much more than with any transport, as so you can look up for the restaurant where you want to have dinner or just a drink after your meal at the hostel.

Things to do in the CDB:

The Botanic Garden is a free attraction on the north-east side of the city which extends for 51 hectares, its open every day mostly from 7.15 am till 5 pm (Saturday and Sunday from 9 am till 5 pm). Opened in 1857 the Garden want to show the importance of the different plants in the world. The Botanic Garden in Adelaide is probably the best one in Australia. Spending a couple of hours just walking in this Garden you will meet some rare and endangered plants and several different areas; such as the three glasshouses housing Madagasgar plants, the Australian rainforest and Amazon water lilies, the Rose Garden and the “Santos Museum of Economic Botany”. The Botanic Garden has also coffee and a restaurant if you fancy some refresh for your morning.
The Rundle mall is this long pedestrian mall, the first in Australia where you can get lost to do some shopping, eat your lunch or drink your coffee before your next visit of the day. During the walk keep an eye on the several modern sculptures you will meet.
Just a few minutes walking from the pedestrian mall there is the Art Gallery of South Australia, open every day from 10 am to 5 pm. The entrance is free, except for special art galleries and exhibitions. The Gallery is home to more than 38.000 artworks, every room has a different theme and it will keep your attention to the pieces of art, so you won’t get bored at all. Australia’s largest collection of Aboriginal art is in this museum. The Gallery is a must-visit if you are in Adelaide, as it attracts many tourists of all ages. Plan to spend around a couple of hours here.
As your day might have run quick and the sunset time is coming closer, you can make your way to the accommodation by walking along the river Karrawirra Parri (River Torrens) which cuts North Adelaide. Here you will have a relaxing and chill walk enjoying the lights in the sky changing and getting every minute different and beautiful.
Dinner is just to pick your favourite cuisine and choose between the many, many restaurants Adelaide has. From Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek, Indian, Korean, Malaysian and German.. you will first get crazy and then, for sure, you will love the restaurant you choose for the night.

Day 2 in Adelaide – Southside and East End

After your first full day in Adelaide, you can slowly start your second day here in the southern Park of the city. Did you know that Adelaide is enclosed by 7,600,000 square metres of Parklands? Well, I didn’t too before visiting the city.

Today you can relax more around the city and see what was left behind from yesterday, you can start your day slowly and chill out for a while in one of my favourite places in Adelaide, the little Himeji Garden.

Things to see in Adelaide:

Relax or even meditate at the Himeji Garden. The Garden is situated South of the city, in one of the Parkland (park number 18, to be precise). Built in 1982, the Japanese-style garden, is to celebrate Adelaide’s sister city, Himeji. My favourite thing to do is to spend at least 5 minutes, sitting in front of the “Zen Garden” and just doing nothing, only enjoying the birds singing, the water falling and the other sweet noises around you, even though you are in the city over here that noises are mostly nature. There are no fees and it’s open from 8 am – 5 pm.
Have a walk in Victoria Square to reach the Central Market where you can grab a coffee, some fresh food or just have a walk. The Market is open from 9 am – 5 pm/ Saturday closes at 3 pm and its closed Sundays and Monday. Over 150 years of history, the Market is the first one to open in Australia and the largest covered market in the southern hemisphere. With over 70 vendors selling fresh seafood, healthy food, fresh produce, cheese, meat and handmade items, the Adelaide Central Market deserves a visit even if you are not going to buy anything.
On the opposite side of the road from Victoria Square, you will see a Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral, “St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral”. The first foundation stone was laid in 1856, however, the building was not completed until 1996. Definitely worth a visit from the outside and the inside. The cathedral is open every day 7 am – 7 pm.
Full of vibes, colours, culture, entertainment and happy people, the East End neighbourhood in Adelaide is what you need to end your day and cheer up with an Aperitivo. Street arts, iconic pubs, restaurants, boutiques and small and pleasant bars; will sparkle your eyes. Here you will find for sure the right place for you to have a drink or two, on your own or with the person you are, doesn’t matter as you will not feel alone.

Day 3 around Adelaide – Barossa Valley

Are you ready for the 3rd day in Adelaide, or should I say around Adelaide?

I bet you were waiting for this chill, tasty and different day. Let’s talk about how to reach Barossa Valley, you have a couple of options: if you have your own car is just so simple to reach the valley, as the driving distance from Adelaide is only around 70km, so an hour driving. In case you are moving around by public transport this shouldn’t be difficult as well; just reach the local Adelaide Metro train from Adelaide Railway Station to Gawler Central, once there you can transfer to Barossa via a local bus – make sure you plan the trip ahead -.

Once there you will realize the best way to go around in Barossa Valley is definitely by bike. So what are you waiting for? Go and rent that bike. The Barossa Bike company not only offers a rental service but beautiful tours, such as “wine and cheese” and the “Barista, brewer and Wine” are organized.

Barossa Valley by bike:

The Barossa Trail is a 40 km traffic-free cycling and walking linking Angaston to Gawler via the towns of Nuriootpa, Tanunda and Lyndoch. During the trail, you will enjoy the landscapes and the actual ride, which doesn’t get crazy difficult and indeed caters for all levels of fitness and experience.
If you decide to bike the Barossa Valley, the chance of finding your special cellar will be many. The trail cross many different cellar and winery, so your “wine tasting journey” can begin- just don’t drink and drive -. Not keen on a wine tasting yet? Don’t worry, on the route, there are many beautiful cafes, restaurants, bakeries and food shops to pamper your morning ride.
Lunchtime right? Got you covered tho. Some of my favourites are Seppeltsfield, Calabria Family Wines, Kalleske and Whistler Wines. Most of these wineries offer wine tasting and wine tours through the cellar, make sure to make a reservation, especially during the weekend and public holidays. Don’t hesitate to stop in more than one place both for food and wine.
Are you a cheese lover? You can’t miss Barossa Valley Cheese Company
Even though Barossa Valley is most famous for wine, there are alternatives such as beer tasting at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, Rehn Bier and others.
Your day might be over, but you cannot make your way back to Adelaide city without having seen the best Barossa Valley sunset, the Mengler hill is your place to chill and enjoy the beautiful view.

Day 4 in Adelaide – Relax at Glenelg

I usually keep it slow on my fourth day of the holiday, especially after three delightful days whirligig around. The plan for your fourth on 5 days in Adelaide, will be mostly to chill and wondering around, at one of the most popular destinations in South Australia and so in Adelaide.

Just 35 minutes away from Adelaide CBD, Glenelg is one of the best suburbs of the city. Vibes, wide beaches, cafes, restaurants and unforgettable sunsets are all gathered here to treat your needs and feelings. The tram ride with the return will cost you around 8$ but, if you are a bike lover, the bicycle lane will take you straight to Glenelg Beach too.

Things to do in Glenelg:

As soon as you get off the last stop of the tram, exclusively enjoy the pedestrian path, the cute Ferris wheel facing the seafront and the Jetty.
If you haven’t had breakfast yet, consider going for a pastry and coffee at Superette, just a few minutes from the pedestrian walk. The place is super cute, the service is amazing and their croissant with cappuccino even better.
The best thing to do at Glenelg is to have a little walk on the white sandy beach and look for your beach towel’s best spot. As usual in Australia, the beach does not get crazy busy, so anywhere you will feel perfectly at peace.
The main road offers a vast option of restaurants, fast food and others in case your plan is to eat out, otherwise, you can grab a ready-to-eat meal or sandwich at Woolworths and keep chilling at the beach.
Good Italian as I am, I can’t miss my advice for a special Gelato. Here in Glenelg, you have the chance to try one of the best gelatos, in the “Bottega Gelateria” the handcrafted gelato will leave you, of course, cooler in the hottest days but mostly with no words.

Adelaide-5-day-itinerary-bottega-gelateria — Photography: Josie Withers

Get back to your accommodation and get ready for your last dinner in Adelaide. Tonight’s experience is up to you, but I can’t withstand giving you tips about the restaurant choices I experienced.
As a chef, but first food lover, my passion for trying different cuisine are endless, happily, Adelaide is the place to be. Apoteca, Osteria Oggi, Est West, Soi38 Regional Thai, Africola, Sohoboso, 18th street Hot Pot and I can go on forever, but there will be a post about these restaurants for you soon.

Enjoy your dinner and see you tomorrow.

Day 5 in Adelaide – Morialta Park and Koalas

Finally, we get to the walking part of the trip, yes the last bit, not that we haven’t walked enough in these 5 days in Adelaide itinerary, but this time the hiking will be immersed into nature. Surrounded by trees, hills, an enormous amount of Eucalyptus trees, sleepy Koalas and three waterfalls.

So put on your comfy hiking shoes, carry some insulated reusable water bottles, some snacks and a camera. Be delighted by the walk

Morialta Conservation Park is only less than 13km from Adelaide and under an hour by public transport the entry is free and the best time to visit the waterfalls is during spring or winter, even though the Park is open all year from 6.30 am till 7 pm (closed on Christmas day).

If you are a morning person and you are going to leave Adelaide in the morning, going for an early hike will allow you to enjoy the walk and the actual natural beauty around you. The singing birds, the fresh breeze, the flowing water stream and if you are lucky with the times even beautiful dawn.

The Park offers a Rock-climbing Zone, if you are an experienced rock climber, this area is the most famous to be natural climbing area in South Australia.

As simple as the hike can be if your plan is to visit the three waterfalls, be ready to face the 7.3 km trail which can take from 3 and a half hours to 4 hours. The three falls hike offers, in addition to the actual falls, terrific cliff views and two different lookouts, the Morialta Gorge and Kookaburra Rock Lookout. The rocks can be slippery when wet and the surface can be uneven, so put extra care when hiking.

Look out for Koalas and Kookaburra.

After this intense still wonderful hiking day, the time to leave Adelaide is coming closer. The airport is still very close to the city and the way towards it is either by uber or by bus. In case you will need to catch the train, the main train station is at 125 North Terrace,10 minutes walking from the Rundle Mall, so you can walk or as well use the free tram service. If your next stop is connected by “Greyhound” or another bus company, walking 5 minutes west from Victoria Square, you will find in Franklin St the Adelaide Central Bus Station, where coaches depart daily to different directions of the country.

The Adelaide 5 day itinerary is coming to an end, but I am not going to leave you without extra tips on your accommodation and restaurant choices based on budget, mid-range and high-range basis; above all you will find a list of some extra attractions in case you are planning for a longer stay, or if you will consider a different option during your 5 day itinerary of Adelaide.

Where to stay in Adelaide

Australia isn’t a cheap country to visit, not like third-world places but more similar to Europe’s big cities standard.

Luckily Adelaide, as most of the cities here in Australia, is backpackers friendly, so accommodation, for backpackers like me, or people who wants to travel on a low budget, are many. If by chance you are looking for a hostel, a mid-range hotel or you are visiting for a special occasion, so you rather spend the days in a fancy accommodation, don’t worry because you will find the whole range of options.

Budget

The two best-rated hostels in Adelaide are surley the Tequila Sunrise and the Adelaide Central YHA, both on Waymouth Street and on a budget; the hostels have friendly staff, they offer Wi-Fi, and AC and a happy breakfast is included in the price. The fully equipped kitchen and the shared living room will make your stay more fulfilling, and so does the other services such as the laundry and the perfect central location.

Tequila Sunrise offers many dormitory options, from 16 to 4 beds of mixed and female dorms. The price range goes from 28 to 41 $ per bed. The “socializing dinners” delight you with 4 night a week free dinners.
Adelaide Central YHA provides dormitories from 4 to 8 person of mixed, female and male dorm from 30 to 35$ per bed and also a private double bedroom from 85 to 97 $. Another extra point to this hostel goes for the sustainability program they put in place, saving on water, energy and waste; not to forget the support they give trought Hutt St. Centre to help the homeless.

Mid-Range

Colourful and original in North Adelaide, Majestic Minima Hotel offer 46 unique rooms, each of them painted by local South Australian artists. The many facilities make this building my favourite mid-range hotel in Adelaide. The room’s price varies depending on the high season, the sizes of the room and the piece of art you will have all for you. It is on average per night, per room from 90$ to 120$.

High Range

Fancy an unforgettable, with all the comforts accommodation for your 5 day in Adelaide? Maybe a special occasion to share with someone, or maybe just want to spend some time on your own to be waited on hand and foot.

EOS by Skycity is your place, this glamourous boutique hotel is situated a few minutes away from Adelaide train station and next to the river that crosses the city.

Every day in this beautiful hotel you will be cuddling with events, entrainment and the many different restaurants to choose from, beginning with Vietnamese-french cuisine, Italian and of course a South Australia cuisine fine dining.

Even though you are visiting Adelaide, this place will make you so comfortable to chill with no regrets for the time you want, the wavy white terrace overlooking the city is the place to be to get some Vitamine D or to cool down inside the swimming pool. The modern suites are different in size and shape, some of them with large and clear windows, plus you won’t miss a couple of hours at the spa and the 900 original artworks you will find in the Skycity building.

Where to eat in Adelaide

My best part is the eating one. As you might know, I am a chef and trying new food, or finding the best restaurant, is one of my favourite hobbies if we can call it so.

The restaurant I will list are just some of the best ones for me, but the good thing about Adelaide is that you hardly go wrong, if you are going out for food and drinks.

Not only South Australia is the best wine region in Australia, also Adelaide is the perfect destination for the food lover who does not eat only for needs, but for the love of the ingredients, the taste, the sensations, the experience and why not to share a meal with someone or even with your own too.

After Canberra, Adelaide is the city with more restaurants per capita than other cities in the country. So you will love the experience. Choose your cuisine for the next meal and get ready to immerse in the enormous amount of restaurants Adelaide has to offer, European, Asian, Australian, African food and more..

Budget / Mid-Range

For you, my reader, the budget and mid-range section will be sharing the same position, as I believe if you are looking for Fast-Food you will know where to go.

The best Pizza in Adelaide is Etica Pizzeria. This little place will embrace you in the best vibes a pizzeria needs to have. Warm light and wall filled with photos of famous Italian places, vintage Italian advertising and a fascinating wood oven by the entrance door.

Best pizza: Burrata and Vegana.

Do you rather eat some Asian food? Simply start to get lost in China Town and follow your senses, smell and look around you, for sure you will find your place.

My favourite choices are the Hot Pot restaurant, where you can make your own dry noodle or soup noodles, Chinese style by picking the vegs, protein, the kind of noodles you want and the sauce or broth. Some of them are 18th Hot Pot, Dragon Hot Pot and Chao Chow.

High Range

APOTECA is definitely the restaurant to go once in Adelaide. The “Prescrition-style” menu offers the right balance between vegan, vegetarian and non-veg food for your meal in a well-furnished ambience. The tasting menu is also available and the iconic cellar restaurant (Friday and Saturdays only) gives you the chance to have a cosy dinner surrounded by wine bottles.

This was your Adelaide 5 day itinerary to enjoy and use as you please. I believe you will love the city, the food, the wine and the nature around. Leave a comment if you need some more tips or only to share your Adelaide experience with me and the other readers.