When people think of Australian city breaks, the usual suspects that come up first are Sydney’s harbour, Melbourne’s laneway cafes, or Brisbane’s riverfront buzz.
Adelaide, however, has long been treated as the quieter cousin, but that might be about to change.
The South Australian capital has steadily risen through the global liveability rankings in recent years, jumping from 30th place to secure a coveted spot in the world’s top 10 most liveable cities in 2025.
And after spending just three days there with my mum during the iconic Adelaide Fringe Festival in February, I can confidently say the hype is well deserved.
What surprised me most wasn’t the wine regions everyone talks about. In fact, we didn’t leave the CBD at all.
Instead, we discovered a city bursting with culture and art, incredible food, a festival atmosphere and fun night life that feels electric yet refreshingly relaxed.
Even the op-shopping was some of the best I’ve ever come across – and coming from a thrifty mother-daughter duo who consider bargain hunting a hobby, that’s high praise.
If you only have a long weekend to explore The City of Churches and it’s central delights, I’ve narrowed down the perfect itinerary of exactly how to do it.
The The South Australian capital of Adelaide has steadily risen through the global liveability rankings in recent years, jumping from 30th place to secure a coveted spot in the world’s top 10 most liveable cities in 2025
Daily Mail’s Elise Wilson (pictured) spent three days there with her mum during the iconic Adelaide Fringe Festival in February, and agreed that the hype is well deserved
Day one: A spa reset and Adelaide’s newest Greek hotspot
After an early morning flight from Sydney, we arrived in Adelaide just before lunchtime and headed straight into the CBD to check into the Adelaide Marriott Hotel, set inside the beautifully restored former General Post Office building overlooking Victoria Square.
Not long after dropping our bags, my mum and I made our way to Selene Spa and Wellness on Currie Street, which is Adelaide’s newest luxury wellness hub.
After a morning of airports and travel, the timing couldn’t have been better. The serene space blends traditional Ayurvedic-inspired treatments with modern wellness therapies, and within minutes we had completely switched into holiday mode.
Feeling extremely zen and refreshed after three hours of detoxifying treatments, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Omada Bar and Grill, one of Adelaide’s newest restaurants that opened its doors in December.
Located just down the street, the buzzing venue specialises in elevated Greek cuisine, with flame-cooked meats, fresh seafood and vibrant Mediterranean dishes designed to share.
Over a long, leisurely dinner, it felt like the perfect introduction to Adelaide’s thriving food scene, and the ideal way to kick off our weekend in the city.
After an early morning flight from Sydney, we arrived in Adelaide just before lunchtime and headed straight into the CBD to check into the Adelaide Marriott Hotel , set inside the beautifully restored former General Post Office building overlooking Victoria Square
My mum and I made our way to Selene Spa and Wellness on Currie Street, which is Adelaide’s newest luxury wellness hub for three hours of ‘detoxifying’ treatments
Dinner was at Omada Bar and Grill, one of Adelaide’s newest restaurants that opened its doors in December. Located just down the street, the buzzing venue specialises in elevated Greek cuisine, with flame-cooked meats, fresh seafood and vibrant Mediterranean dishes designed to share
Day two: Markets, French cafés and the magic of Fringe
Adelaide’s CBD is incredibly walkable and flat, so within minutes we found ourselves at one of the city’s most iconic food destinations: the Central Market.
With more than 70 traders under one roof, the market is one of the largest undercover fresh food markets in the southern hemisphere with stalls overflowing with vibrant fruit and vegetables, freshly baked bread, artisan cheeses.
Lunch took us to Hey Jupiter, a charming French brasserie tucked down Ebenezer Place for something a bit different.
The space feels like a little slice of Paris in Adelaide, with classic bistro dishes, excellent coffee and the sort of laid-back European atmosphere that encourages you to linger.
Adelaide’s CBD is incredibly walkable and flat, so within minutes we found ourselves at one of the city’s most iconic food destinations: the Adelaide Central Market . With more than 70 traders under one roof, the market is one of the largest undercover fresh food markets in the southern hemisphere
Lunch took us to Hey Jupiter, a charming French brasserie tucked down Ebenezer Place for something a bit different. The space feels like a little slice of Paris in Adelaide, with classic bistro dishes
Naturally, we ordered the snails and duck foie gras, but swapped the traditional espresso for an espresso martini instead, which was the perfect fuel for the hours of op-shopping that followed
Naturally, we ordered the snails and duck foie gras, but swapped the traditional espresso for an espresso martini instead, which was the perfect fuel for the hours of op-shopping that followed.
Then it was time to dive headfirst into what makes Adelaide truly unique: festival season.
Every summer the city transforms during Adelaide Fringe, the largest arts festival in the southern hemisphere. For 31 days and nights, more than 6,000 artists perform across 1,400 shows, taking over theatres, bars, gardens and pop-up venues across the city.
Dinner that evening was at Tarantino’s, a lively New York-Italian bar and grill bringing serious old-school charm to Vardon Avenue.
The menu celebrates handmade pasta, wood-grilled mains and house-aged salumi, which are the kind of dishes designed to be shared over good wine.
Then we headed to the Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights for La Ronde, a dazzling circus-cabaret production from the creators of Blanc de Blanc. Part circus, part theatre, part live music spectacle, the show perfectly captures the bold and mischievous spirit of Fringe.
Every summer the city transforms during Adelaide Fringe , the largest arts festival in the southern hemisphere. For 31 days and nights, more than 6,000 artists perform across 1,400 shows, taking over theatres, bars, gardens and pop-up venues across the city
Dinner on evening two was at Tarantino’s, a lively New York-Italian bar and grill bringing serious old-school charm to Vardon Avenue. The menu celebrates handmade pasta, wood-grilled mains and house-aged salumi, which are the kind of dishes designed to be shared
Then we headed to the Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights for La Ronde , a dazzling circus-cabaret production from the creators of Blanc de Blanc. Part circus, part theatre, part live music spectacle
Day three: Galleries, cocktails and world-class theatre
The next morning we slowed the pace with breakfast before heading to North Terrace, Adelaide’s cultural boulevard.
Our destination was the Art Gallery of South Australia, one of the country’s most impressive public collections, which houses more than 45,000 works spanning Australian, European, Asian and North American art, including one of the most important Indigenous art collections in the country.
By early afternoon we were back in Fringe mode with one of the most unexpectedly fun experiences of the trip: a cocktail-making class at Prohibition Liquor Co.
Day three, our destination was the Art Gallery of South Australia, one of the country’s most impressive public collections, which houses more than 45,000 works spanning Australian, European, Asian and North American art, including one of the most important Indigenous art collections in the country
By early afternoon we were back in Fringe mode with one of the most unexpectedly fun experiences of the trip: a cocktail-making class at Prohibition Liquor Co.
Hosted by the team at Next Door Cocktail Bar, the class involved shaking, stirring and garnishing two signature gin cocktails using the distillery’s award-winning spirits.
Dinner that evening was at Osteria Oggi, widely considered one of Adelaide’s best Italian restaurants.
The venue feels like a modern Italian piazza in the middle of the city, complete with cobblestone floors, arches, intimate booths and an open kitchen where chefs roll fresh pasta by hand.
Order the beef carpaccio! It is unrivalled.
From there we walked to the Festival Theatre for a performance of Korean play The Cherry Orchard as part of the Adelaide Festival, another internationally recognised arts event that runs alongside Fringe.
Dinner that evening was at Osteria Oggi, widely considered one of Adelaide’s best Italian restaurants. The venue feels like a modern Italian piazza in the middle of the city, complete with cobblestone floors, arches, intimate booths and an open kitchen where chefs roll fresh pasta by hand
Order the beef carpaccio! It is unrivalled
Why Adelaide keeps winning global praise
Spending a few days in Adelaide makes it easy to understand why the city continues to top global rankings.
The city itself feels refreshingly easy to navigate, with a walkable grid surrounded by parklands that gives it a sense of calm rarely found in major capitals.
Of course, the famous wine regions of Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills are all within easy reach, but each is a trip in itself as they require a bit of a drive.
I know our three days barely scratched the surface, but our mother-daughter trip gave me a completely new perspective on a city that many Australians still underestimate.
Elise Wilson travelled to Adelaide as a guest of the South Australian Tourism Commission.
