Barossa, Clare Valley & Adelaide Hills
Day 1
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Arguably the closest wine region to any capital city in the world, the Adelaide Hills boasts some amazing boutique wineries. The regions produces cooler climate wines (crisp Sauvignon Blancs and delicious sparkling are particularly good) which can be tasted at a number of wineries including Shaw and Smith, Bird in Hand and Golding Wines.
Lovers of chocolate should visit Hahndorf Hill Winery’s taste sensation ‘ChocoVino’ for something very different where the world’s premium chocolate is matched with a selection of wines.
Spend the afternoon exploring Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement where German heritage mixes well with modern cafés and gourmet foods. Shop for local arts and crafts, taste delicacies, dine in a chocolate café or stop for a stein of beer at the Hahndorf Inn.
Make sure you sample local cheeses from Udder Delights, taste jams and sauces at Beerenberg Farm and explore Sir Hans Heysens studio ‘The Cedars’.
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Day 2
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Australia’s most famous wine region, the Barossa, is a 45-minute drive north of Hahndorf. Take the picturesque route through to Williamstown where just outside the town is the Whispering Wall. The wall has a remarkable acoustic phenomenon: messages whispered at one side can be heard clearly at the other end, 140 metres away.
On the road to Tanunda stop at the Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre, and enjoy a meal at the award-winning Jacob’s Creek Restaurant.
The town of Tanunda is a delight, and a walk around is the best way to see its unique historic attractions. There are great cafés, bakeries and antique and craft shops along this street too. Recommended wineries in Tanunda include Peter Lehmann Wines, Richmond Grove and Langmeil Winery. It is worth taking a short drive out of Tanunda to Krondorf Road, to try the wines at Charles Melton and Kabminye.
At 3:30pm you may wish to visit the historic Seppeltsfield Wines for their Daily Heritage Tour of the winery and tastings – their ports and fortified wines are a speciality. |
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Day 3
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If your visit coincides with the Barossa Farmer’s Market (Saturdays 7:30 – 11:30am), drive to Angaston to try the produce at the Farmer’s Market. Try the egg & bacon rolls for breakfast or sample local mettwursts and cheeses. It’s even worth making a few purchases for a picnic during the day.
Alternatively drive to Penfolds Barossa for their ‘Make Your Own Blend’ experience. Don a lab-coat and with beaker in hand, blend your own version of Penfolds GSM from Grenache, Mourvedre and Shiraz (10:30am daily, bookings essential).
In Angaston, visit the Barossa Valley Cheese Company to try their delicious range of 19 cheeses, stop for a well deserved break at Blond Coffee and Store for lunch or a coffee. Both Saltram Wines and Yalumba are near Angaston.
This afternoon continue exploring the wineries of the region, such as Elderton Wines and Wolf Blass Visitor Centre. |
Day 4
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Check-out of your accommodation and head to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop outside Nuriootpa to sample her delicious produce (highlights include pate, verjuice and quince paste. Purchase a picnic pack or morning tea to eat on the deck or lawn.
Nearby wineries to visit and taste their wines include Two Hands Wine, Whistler Wines and Hentley Farm.
Drive north to the Clare Valley and enjoy lunch at one of the wineries in the region.
The area is famous for its Riesling so spend the afternoon walking or cycling the appropriately named Riesling Trail which links towns and wineries together.
For the less active, visit the historic Sevenhill Cellars, founded by Jesuit priests in 1851. Take a tour of the winery with Brother John May (2pm Tuesdays & Thursdays or by prior appointment).
Tanunda to Clare: 100km (1 hour) |
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Day 5
Check-out of your accommodation and continue to explore the Clare Valley.
Take another scenic drive from Sevenhill to Mintaro. Rich in history and heritage buildings, the entire town of Mintaro was declared a Heritage Area for South Australia in 1984. This atmospheric village has quaint historic buildings, boutique accommodation and sensational food and wine.
Visit Martindale Hall to the south east of the town is a magnificent Georgian-style mansion built in 1879 by Edmund Bowman for his aristocratic English bride-to-be who jilted him, so the legend goes.
Lose yourself in the Mintaro Maze, a living hedge maze of more than 800 conifers, featuring fountains, twists and turns.
Mintaro is also home to Mintaro Gardens, a multi award winning, Ecotourism accredited attraction. See its diversity of plants within a sustainable design. Experience this exceptional garden that demonstrates the success of water wise plant selection.
Return to Adelaide or continue to explore South Australia, through the majestic Flinders Ranges and into the Outback.
Clare to Adelaide: 132km/82miles, 1 hr 40 min
Contact the Australian Holiday Centre to book your travel via email
or free call within Australia on 1300 799 342 or from outside Australia +61 8 8221 5044
Images: South Australian Tourism Commission