This was initially a German settlement, and traces of their influence still runs thick through this region. One great example is the Hahndorf which is the oldest surviving German settlement which dates back to 1839. Majority of the buildings here were the initial buildings built by the Germans. The elm and plane trees that line the streets are a century old. There are shops selling German items such as cakes and wursts.

Another town in the Adelaide hills is the Macclesfield. It lies deep in the Hills and a bit further away from Adelaide than most other towns. It’s about an hours drive from the South Australian capital.  This is a town that is donned with marvelous farmlands, vineyards, and natural bushes all around it. Macclesfiled is built in a village which was the center of a major transport route during the gold rush days, this was in the early 1900s. Today it is very laid back, not as busy as it was in those days. There is a market day in Sundays where the farmers from the surrounding regions set up stalls and sell off their produce to the public.

Besides the little beautiful towns in these hills, there is great natural beauty that adorns The Adelaide Hills. One such is the summit of Mount Lofty which is near Adelaide. Other great sites are of the valleys and the Adelaide plains, the Kangaroo Island, and the Yorke Peninsula. You get a perfect, magnificient view of all these from the summit of the mount lofty. The summit is locates in the Cleland National Park, home to the Water Gully. The water fall is a major tourist attraction site.

Besides the fauna and great scenery in the Adelaide hills there are also a couple of wildlife parks that you would enjoy. Cleland Wildlife Park is close to Mt Lofty, and visitors are able to walk through large enclosures and interact with Australian animals such as kangaroos, koalas and echidnas.

Just 20 minutes out of Adelaide is the Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary. This is much bigger than the Cleland Wildlife Park. There are over 100 species of bird and animals. This is a spectacular wildlife conservancy that will give you an opportunity to experience the bush and wildlife in the state of South Australia in a special way

There are other very intriguing aspects of the Adelaide hills. The German settlements, the art galleries and museums found in the different towns in these hills add a rich streak of history and culture to the hills. The museums have a lot to offer as well in terms of learning and conserving the history of this part of Australia.

On striking museum is the National Motor Museum in Birdwood. An intriguing place to visit. It is home to more than 300 vintage, and classic motor bikes and bicycles. This  is the largest collection in the whole of the country.

The Cedars is a great place to visit if you are the kind that appreciate art. This was first the home and studio of the famed artist Sir Hans Heysen. There is a wide display of his paintings materials, tools, and sketch notes.

There is also another hideout in the Adelaide Hills that you may want to visit. A tour to the many cellar doors would be a great experience. You will get a chance to sample some of the local produce.

The valleys are also lined with spectacular vineyards. The purity of wines produced in this area in unmissable. There are great restaurants in this area too serving exotic and different indigenous cuisines.

The Adelaide Hills is a place you don’t want to miss when you are on tour to South Australia. There is plenty to see and do for you and your family when you are on holiday in Adelaide.

Here are some of the main tourist attractions in Adelaide:

Ayers Historic House Museum

Ayers House is famed as one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in Australia. This was initially a simple house built in 1846 by Henry Ayers who for very many years was prime minister of South Australia.

There are superb collections of period decorative arts, furniture, silverware, artworks and changing exhibitions.   The interior of Ayers House is popular for its beautiful decorative painted finishes on internal walls and ceilings that extend to every room of the house.

South Australian Museum

The South Australian Museum occupies a building with a French-style mansard roof and a tower (1914). It contains a large collection of Aboriginal and Melanesian art and Egyptian antiquities. There are magnificent prehistoric and natural collections.

Art Gallery of South Australia

The Art Gallery of South Australia was built in 1889, with a colonnade added in 1936 previously served a variety of purposes. It was once a church, at another point it was a police barracks, and at another it was a state record office.  It has a fine collection of pictures, drawings and prints, both from Australia, Europe and Asia.

Central Market

This is a great place to tour as you buy a few items, especially fresh fruit, vegetables and culinary delicacies. It is located just next to Victoria Square, on the south side of Grote Street. It has been in existent since 1870.

Edmund Wright House

This is a richly decorated building built by Edmund Wright in 1875. It owes its current life to the local people who campaigned against its demolition in the 1970s. It houses the History Trust of South Australia and is open to visitors.

North Terrace

There are a few spots on this part are public facilities some of which include the State Library, art galleries, museums and former railroad station. A little off the North Terrace are the Torrens Lake, expansive parks and gardens with the Festival Center. Government House, the campus of Adelaide University and the Parade Ground.

Parliament House

The new Parliament House is the most imposing public building in Adelaide and has a monumental colonnade. It was opened in 1939 and it was built in five years.

Victoria Square

At the intersection with Grote Street and Wakefield Street, King William Street opens out into Victoria Square, with beautifully laid out gardens. In the midst of the modern buildings there are a few ancient buildings that have been preserved. At the center of Victoria Square is the statue of Queen Victoria.

On the north side is a charming fountain by John Dowie, with figures representing the three principal rivers of South Australia, the Murray, the Torrens and the Onkaparinga. Nearby are monuments to the explorers Stuart and Sturt.

Adelaide Botanic Garden

These are spectacular Botanical gardens that were established in 1855. They feature a great variety of subtropical and Mediterranean flora. One element of this garden that stands out is the palm house which dates back to 1871. Another spot is the Bicentennial Conservatory which contains plants from the Asian Pacific region.

Adelaide Festival Centre

To the north of Parliament House is the Adelaide Festival Centre which was opened 1977. It is a modern cultural center with a tent-like roof structure. It in a way resembles the Sydney Opera House. Here in alternate years is held the highly regarded Adelaide Arts Festival (theater, opera, ballet, exhibitions, readings by writers, lectures).

Adelaide Hills

About 20 kilometers east of Adelaide are the beautiful Adelaide Hills. They are the southern part of the Mount Lofty Ranges and a popular recreation area for the people of Adelaide, with a rich and varied Australian flora and fauna. It’s a great way of taking a break from the city life.

Belair National Park

This was the first nature reserve in the state of South Australia. Belair National Park was established in 1891. Within the park is Old Government House, with a ballroom and a swimming pool. It was the summer residence of the governor of South Australia until 1880, when it gave way to a much grander house, Marble Hill, in a high and secluded situation in the hills 25km east of Adelaide. The new residence was destroyed in a forest fire in 1955 and thereafter was partly restored.

National Motor Museum

An attractive excursion is through the Adelaide Hills to Birdwood Mill, a historic mill idyllically situated on the Torrens River, with play and picnic areas. At Birdwood Mill is the National Motor Museum, the oldest exhibit in which is a Peugeot of 1897. Every two years is held the Bay to Birdwood Rally, in which veteran and vintage cars cough and splutter their way from Holdfast Bay up into the hills.

Black Hill Conservation Park / Morialta Conservation Park

These are steep crags northeast of Adelaide on the scenic Old Norton Summit Road. Some of them include The Three Sugarloaves which are about 466m and are part of the Black Hills. The adventurous gouges and the spectacular waterfalls on fourth Creek draw many visitors from the city.

These few places we have discussed above are just a scratch on the surface in terms of what Adelaide has in store for you. This is surely a destination of choice for many tourists each year for very good reasons. You experience the South of Australia in an unforgettable manner.