South Australia’s Barossa Valley is world famous for its Shiraz and a range of other wines. Sample these and more on a small group wine tour with lunch included.
Taste lovely cool climate wines at cellar doors tucked away in the Adelaide Hills like secret gems on a full-day hop-on, hop-off winery tour. Visit the historic German village of Hahndorf too.
1. Seafood Cruise
South Australia has a reputation for stand-out food and wine experiences, thanks to the region’s sunny climate that is perfect for growing premium grapes. The region is also home to a diverse culinary scene, with ethnic options including Vietnamese, Greek and Chinese. Whether you’re looking for fresh oysters, tender canele pastries or local brews, there is something to please every palate in Adelaide.
Foodies should take the opportunity to savor gourmet seafood on a cruise that docks at Kangaroo Island. The cruise offers a variety of culinary offerings, from freshly shucked oysters and lobster tails to smoked fish, crab claws and roasted kangaroo. You can even try a glass of wine paired with each dish—there’s plenty to choose from for even the most discerning palates.
Kangaroo Island is not only a nature lover’s dream, it’s also a wine and cuisine fanatic’s paradise. This cruise takes you to two of the world’s greatest wine regions and introduces you to the island’s thriving culinary culture. You’ll visit large and small wineries for tastings of varietals like shiraz, as well as sample countryside culinary delights such as jam and baked goods.
A visit to the Adelaide Central Markets is also a must-do for discerning foodies. Considered by many to be the gastronomic capital of Australia, the market is stocked with a wide selection of gourmet products, from cheeses and chocolates to wines and beer. Guests can take in all that the market has to offer on a guided tour, or simply explore on their own with an independent foodie guide.
Spend a day touring the Barossa Valley on this full-day small group wine tour from Adelaide, which includes transportation so that you can focus on the wine without the worry of driving. Stop at a couple of hand-selected wineries for tastings and enjoy a delicious lunch with wine included in the price. You’ll also have time to shop in the historic German town of Hahndorf and admire sweeping views from Mengler Hill.
Discover the best that the Barossa Valley has to offer on this full-day small group wine and sightseeing tour from Adelaide. You’ll taste wine at several wineries in the region as you visit towns such as Lyndoch, Tanunda and Angaston. The tour also includes stops at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and a delightful German-style lunch with wine included in the price.
2. Wine Cruise
Adelaide is surrounded by vineyards that produce the region’s prized wines. On a full-day wine tour, sample varietals like shiraz at both large and small estates. Learn about the area’s winemaking traditions from your guide and enjoy a two-course lunch with your wines at one estate. Afterward, spend time strolling the historic German village of Hahndorf and enjoy free time to explore the hills on your own.
Take a full-day trip to the McLaren Vale wine region on a private tour from Adelaide. Visit five award-winning wineries for tastings of the area’s finest wines and learn about viticulture in this scenic region. Alternatively, spend a day touring wineries in the Barossa Valley on a guided tour that also visits small villages and a chocolate factory.
Australia’s wine regions come to life on cruises that offer a first-class gastronomic adventure. A Celebrity Cruises'(r) nine-night sailing to the country’s famed wine region combines a visit to vineyards with a gourmet dinner on board. The itinerary also includes a wine tasting class and a visit to the cellars of one of the country’s top producers.
Other cruise lines pair their ships with renowned restaurants and winery tours, and many include high-profile guest chefs for on-board culinary instruction. Some also partner with prestigious cooking schools, such as the Relais & Chateaux L’Ecole des Chefs and Le Cordon Bleu Class Culinaire.
South Australia is also known for its artisanal delights, from its scrumptious cheese to its fine jewelry. In Adelaide, shoppers find everything from truffles and olives to opals, the national gemstone.
Shoppers can also indulge their sweet tooth in Adelaide, where chocolate and coffee shops are plentiful. The city is home to the acclaimed Haigh’s Chocolates, where visitors can tour the factory and try samples of their delicious creations. Shoppers seeking a special memento can also find locally mined opals at local jewelers, as well as a range of other gems.
3. Winery Tour
South Australia is renowned for its wine, but it’s also home to boutique breweries and adventurous distilleries as well as artisan food makers. Experience the region without the self-drive stress on a tasting tour. Sample gins, beers, and wines with a guide and enjoy a platter lunch of Barossa Valley produce. You’ll also visit a historic farm shop and take in sweeping views from Mengler Hill.
The Barossa Valley is an hour’s drive from Adelaide and offers dozens of cellar doors that are within biking distance of one another. Take this wine tour and visit four or more vineyards with a guide who customizes the itinerary to suit your interests. You might stop at Seppetsfield to see the historic buildings or Jacob’s Creek for cooking demonstrations. Then, take a break and savor a cheeseboard-style lunch.
For a more active edible adventure, try an Oyster Farm Tour on Coffin Bay at the very tip of the Eyre Peninsula. You’ll learn to shuck oysters and pair them with a glass of local white wine.
If you want to explore the wineries of Adelaide Hills with ease, book a half-day tour. You’ll visit three to five wineries and enjoy a gourmet lunch at the popular Hahndorf Hill Winery. This is the perfect way to get a feel for this area’s world-famous shiraz and other red wines.
South Australian cuisine is influenced by the country’s multicultural communities. You’ll find many innovative and classic dishes here that get big thumbs up from Masterchef judges like George Calombaris for Japanese at Shobosho or Gary Mehigan for his love of Australian beef at Africola.
In the heart of downtown Adelaide, Rundle Mall is a pedestrian mall with local department stores, boutiques, specialty shops, and cafes. Wander around and browse, watch street entertainers, or head to Chinatown for traditional Chinese food at Ying Chow, T Chow, or other restaurants in the area.
4. Wine Tasting
Wine is one of Australia’s greatest strengths and you can explore the region’s vineyards on your own or with a tour. Many tours also include tastings of local food products such as mozzarella, Falanghina or Greco di Tufo wines, and Amalfi limoncello.
You can also savor South Australian wines on the 3-day Barossa Valley and Clare Valley tour, which includes meals at acclaimed restaurants in both regions and visits to top wineries such as Penfolds and Rockfords.
Taste lovely cool climate wines at cellar doors tucked into the hills on this full-day tour from Adelaide. Visit Melba’s Chocolate Factory and sample award-winning cheese at Woodside Cheese Cellar, followed by a German-style lunch in the historic township of Hahndorf, which sits on the edge of the Adelaide Hills.
Another culinary adventure is the half-day Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale wine tasting tour, which offers a driver to drive you through the lush Onkaparinga Hills to McLaren Vale and back again, giving you plenty of time to chat with vintners at boutique vineyards such as Shaw + Smith and Bird in Hand. You’ll even stop at the d’Arenberg Cube to see its renowned collection of wines, as well as enjoy a deli-style picnic lunch and chocolate port tasting at Pindarie and Lambert Estate.
If you’re more interested in learning about the history and culture of South Australia, consider a sightseeing tour, such as an exploration of Adelaide’s historic buildings by foot with the city’s walking tours or by bike with Yella Umbrella or EcoCaddy, or soaring over the city on RoofClimb Adelaide Oval. You can also take a winery tour or learn about the area’s history on a cultural immersion excursion with a guide.
If you’re a wine lover, there’s no better way to cruise than on a luxury liner that’s specially designed for exploring the world’s great wine regions. The PONANT fleet features a variety of voyages that sail to some of the best-known destinations, from the shores of Italy’s Amalfi Coast to the wine regions of France and Spain. In 2023, celebrated Master Sommelier Doug Frost will join the crew aboard Seven Seas Splendor for an Epicurean Spotlight Voyage that takes you to some of these stunning wine-growing regions.