Ah… where do I even begin!

I remember getting back to my hotel room after the Barossa Valley trip and asking myself why it had taken me SO long to come to Adelaide when it’s only an hour flight away from Melbourne.

Anyway, it was my first day in Adelaide and I knew I wanted to start it with a bang. Also, I knew it would take a looooong day to visit all of these places in a single day so I wanted to get it done earlier in my trip so that I could leave some time for rest and relaxation towards the end of the trip.

So the day had come. It started off with the bus company Gray Line picking me up from a pickup point close to the hotel where I was staying. It was raining that day so it wasn’t going to be the typical sunny winery hopping day, unfortunately. Little did I know, traveling through lush greenery and rolling hills would turn out to be that fun because of the overcast weather. I think all my countryside road-trips would have to be on days when it’s overcast, it creates an atmosphere that is just so romantic and nostalgic. 🙂

We drove almost an hour north of Adelaide and our first stop into the wine region was Seppeltsfield winery. This was my favourite winery, the stories told by our driver of how it was established and the family that started it all was something to smile about. The old bluestone buildings along with the drizzling rain created this old world charm that I found so endearing. This was the part of my trip I found myself wondering if I could ever come back to this part of the country when I find the love of my life. Fingers crossed! Someday that will happen. 🙂 The pictures below don’t do this place enough justice. If you are ever in this region, please go here.

The next stop on our trip was the Jacob’s Creek winery. Driving into the Jacob’s Creek Visitor Center, it reminded me of the fact that the JC Shiraz was the first ever wine I ever picked up when I moved to Australia and had never had a red wine before. So this felt special. Like meeting an old friend. 🙂 The rain was still pouring down and we had an hour to soak up the history behind the winery and a chance to experience some of their most amazing wines.

Then we were whisked away for a 2 course lunch at the Chateau Barossa and although, not too impressed with this place or the food that was served to everyone on this trip, it didn’t really dampen the rest of the day and what was to come in Hahndorf.

An hour drive after lunch, we finally drove into the most beautiful and quaint little village (or town) of Hahndorf. I had seen pictures of Hahndorf before but you really have to be there to see and experience this place. Although I had never been to Germany, this little village gave me a taste of what visiting Germany would be like. From the stone buildings to the German food shops and beer houses to cute ice cream parlors and novelty stores, this place was everything and more. Although quite a lot of tourists get to Hahndorf, don’t let that put you off. It’s worth a visit at least once if you are in Adelaide. Since my camera went off by the time we got to Hahndorf, I have had to rely on my iPhone to capture some of the below pictures and some off the internet, so please don’t mind the quality.

How to get there:

There are a number of companies that sell tickets for Barossa Valley + Adelaide Hills + Hahndorf tours. I booked my trip directly with Gray Line via their website however I learned on the day that although a lot of companies are selling tickets under different names and prices, there is actually only one bus that does the trip. So get the cheapest ticket available by doing some homework beforehand. Search the tour name on Google, and book with the cheapest company! 😉

Cost:

This Gray Line tour set me back by $139. There are other companies selling tickets for as low as $99.

Should you drive there OR Get the day trip by bus?

If you can afford to rent a car, I highly recommend driving to this region on your own and exploring the region at your own pace. We were only given an hour at each stop, and although it was plenty of time at the wineries to get a tasting done, I would have liked more time in Hahndorf to sit at a nice beer garden and enjoy some beers with good company.

If you are traveling solo or cannot/don’t want to drive, certainly booking a day trip is a great option. You get to sit back, relax and enjoy the tour while there will be some great commentary from the driver. A good way to learn more about the history and stories behind each of the wineries. Maybe even make new friends! 🙂

So there you go beautiful people, I hope this article helps you in planning that memorable trip to Adelaide soon.. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the pictures below!

Until next time,

Lots of love,

Upasana