South Australia is a region of exceptional beauty and striking contrasts, from the cosmopolitan city of Adelaide with its food, wine and laid-back charm, to the renowned wine-regions such as the Barossa Valley. Beyond the vineyards you’ll find vast wilderness in the red-ruined landscapes of the Flinders Ranges, the remote desert opal-mining town of Coober Pedy, and the dramatic coastline and wildlife of Kangaroo Island, home to an abundance of native wildlife. Whether you’re gliding along the Murray River, spotting sea-lions on the Eyre Peninsula or enjoying luxury lodges in the bush, South Australia offers a host of unforgettable experiences. Call our Australia holiday specialists, who'll help plan your perfect trip.

Adelaide

The capital city of Adelaide brings together fabulous food and wine from right across the state. There is a distinct sense of the Mediterranean to Adelaide, and a handful of cellar doors and breweries can be found in the city's surrounding suburbs, including the lauded Penfolds Magill Estate. Adelaide is also home to the striking National Wine Centre – the largest open cellar in the southern hemisphere and the colourful Central Market, with its old school neon, painted signs, enthusiastic hawkers and gloriously exotic smells, is also where the city meets for a chat, listens live music, reads the paper and generally just lets its hair down.

Kangaroo island

This unspoilt island, often referred to as Australia's Galápagos, is just a short flight from Adelaide. Comprising a national park and nature reserve, it's a place of wild beauty home to possum, bandicoot, platypus, wallaby, more than 250 species of bird and hundreds of kangaroos. There's also some exceptional accommodation to be found, especially at Southern Ocean Lodge where sweeping Southern Ocean views are matched by fine wines, gourmet dining and a full spread of guided island activities.

Wines and wilderness

South Australia's wines, such as those produced in the Barossa Valley, Claire Valley and Coonawarra are right up there with the best in the country. Vineyards characterise much of the countryside surrounding the lively state capital, Adelaide, and are a mainstay of the region’s reputation for superb food and drink. North of the wine regions, huge tracts of wilderness extend inland, dotted with sheep stations and opal mines. The craggy terrain of the Flinders Ranges and the vastness of Wilpena Pound provide classic images of Outback Australia – sparse areas where cattle and sheep outnumber humans and whose sheer scale is best appreciated from the air.