There was a time when Adelaide was Australia’s dullest major city, with few draws for tourists (at one point, tourism authorities promoted it as being great for having lots of churches). Mercifully, times have changed. These days, the South Australian capital brims with laneway bars and restaurants, revels in the world class wine regions on its doorstep, and throws itself whole-heartedly into a gargantuan festival calendar.
On top of this, the Adelaide Fringe festival, running from 17 February to 19 March this year, is the second biggest annual arts festival in the world after Edinburgh’s. Crucially, though, Adelaide is a fantastically easy-going introduction to Australia. Beaches, parks and hills make the most of the sunshine, while cultural and indulgent streaks also get ample attention.
