Love Travelling Blog

Getting Around: Adelaide’s Free Tram Zone

Adelaide is a compact and easily walkable city making it easy to get around. There’s also a free tram zone allowing visitors to hop on and off without needing to buy a ticket. The free tram section covers travel between Rundle Mall, North Terrace, the Botanic Gardens, Festival Plaza and the riverfront. Please do remember though that when travelling beyond the free zone that tickets are required.

My four day itinerary is divided by area to keep things simple but is designed to be flexible. We enjoyed visiting everywhere listed, though you may prefer to pick and choose depending on your interests and how much time you have available.

Day 1: City Centre Culture and Shopping

Rundle Mall

Rundle Mall is Adelaide’s city centre shopping district. With its pedestrianised streets and historic architecture it was a perfect introduction into city life.

We paused to view the iconic bronze pigs, officially titled A Day Out, a popular public artwork by artist Marguerite Derricourt. Installed in 1999, the four life size pigs are shown in playful poses and have become a much loved landmark.

Victorian Arcades

Stepping into the Adelaide Arcade and the surrounding Victorian arcades felt like stepping back in time. Adelaide Arcade was built in 1885 and boasts intricate ironwork, tiled floors and a vaulted glass roof that floods the arcade with soft natural light. Window shopping was a delight with its upscale independent boutiques, artisan chocolatiers and jewellers.

Migration Museum

Housed in a former customs building, the Migration Museum explores South Australia’s social history. Exhibits focus on the stories of immigrants their challenges and contributions to Adelaide’s development. Photographs, letters, personal objects and interactive displays brought the region’s history to life for us. We read stories of families arriving by ship and of how they integrated into communities helping to shape the city. The museum offers free admission. More details here.

State Library of South Australia (Mortlock Wing)

Tucked inside Adelaide’s State Library, the Mortlock Library is definitely worthy of a visit. Its history goes back to John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, a 19th century pastoralist and passionate collector who believed the young colony’s history deserved careful preservation. Mortlock spent his life gathering books, maps, journals and artworks documenting exploration and settlement. In a generous bequest after his death in 1913 he left his collection and funds to the people of South Australia. Today, beneath wrought iron balconies and a soaring glass ceiling the Mortlock Library preserves that legacy. The library is one of the most beautiful we have ever visited so do try to find time to visit. State Library of South Australia.

Art Gallery of South Australia

Located close by, The Art Gallery of South Australia offers free entry to its permanent collections which cover Indigenous art, Australian contemporary work, European paintings, and Asian artifacts. The gallery also hosts a series of rotating temporary exhibitions. Art Gallery of South Australia.

Adelaide Contemporary Museum of Art

We then moved on to another art gallery, this time the Adelaide Museum of Contemporary Art, exploring the galleries which showcase a mix of bold modern works, experimental installations and thought-provoking pieces by both Australian and international artists. Admission free. ACE Gallery

Tour of South Australian Parliament

Located on North Terrace, the South Australian Parliament offers free 45 minute guided tours (no pre-booking necessary). We were able to tour both the House of Assembly with its green upholstery and the Legislative Council contrasting in red, representing their unique traditions. As we walked through the building we learned about its long history and admired its impressive architecture learning how construction began in the late 19th century but was not actually completed until 1939. South Australian Parliament

Day 2: Markets, Heritage Buildings and City Landmarks

Adelaide Central Market

The Adelaide Central Market is a feast for the senses. Operating since 1869, it remains a working market rather than purely a tourist site. Stalls overflow with their offerings of fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, cheese, meat and bread. The market is currently undergoing a major expansion which will preserve its iconic heritage architecture, including the famous brick facades on Grote Street that we paused to admire.

Tour of Adelaide Town Hall

We took a tour of Adelaide Town Hall spending the morning exploring one of the city’s oldest and most important buildings which opened back in 1866. Our guide led us through the grand hall with its high ceiling and famous organ before showing us the Council Chamber and other civic rooms. Guided tours are free of charge but need to be booked in advance. Adelaide Town Hall

St. Peter’s Cathedral

St Peter’s Cathedral is located just beyond North Terrace and is one of Adelaide’s most recognisable landmarks with its twin spires being visible across the city. Built in the Gothic Revival style from local sandstone, the church features detailed stone carvings and a long central nave. The stained-glass windows are a highlight, depicting biblical scenes and saints.

Light Vision Statue Viewpoint

Head to Light Square to view the statue of Colonel William Light to learn about the man behind Adelaide’s unique layout. As the city’s founding surveyor, Light envisioned a place designed for space and liveability. His plan was to set Adelaide apart with its wide streets, public squares and surrounding parklands. Looking out over the viewpoint, the panoramic views stretched out across the city skyline to the coast in one direction and towards the Adelaide Hills in the other.

Day 3: Education, Sport and Discovery

University of Adelaide Campus

Wandering through parts of the University of Adelaide campus is rather like stepping back into colonial Australia with its honey coloured sandstone buildings lying close to the River Torrens. The university was founded in 1874 and many of its most iconic buildings date from the late 19th century, including the grand Mitchell Building which was completed in the 1880’s. Designed in Gothic Revival style typical of the era with arched windows, carved details and manicured lawns.

Riverside Walk

Enjoy a stroll along the banks of the River Torrens from the university towards the Adelaide Oval. The path is well maintained with the river on one side and parklands on the other. We stopped at the Boathouse Café for our morning cappuccinos from where we watched rowers out on the river.

Adelaide Oval Cricket Ground Tour

After enjoying a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground last year we were keen to also visit the Adelaide Oval that takes visitors behind the scenes of another of Australia’s most iconic stadiums. The public 90 minute tour took us through the stands offering views of the playing area, media rooms, players’ area and museum. The historic manual scoreboard was particularly impressive as we were invited to climb inside to inspect its internal workings and views of the cricket pitch. Our tour, led by a knowledgeable volunteer was fascinating and whether you are a cricket lover or not, I’m sure you would also find it appealing. Adelaide Oval Tours

Australian Space Discovery Centre

This university affiliated museum offers hands-on space science exhibits, exploring satellites, astronomy and Australia’s contributions to space technology. Interactive displays make it engaging for children and adults alike. We enjoyed testing models of rockets and satellites and learning about space missions from an Australian perspective. Australian Space Museum

Day 4: Gardens, Wine & Heritage

Adelaide Botanic Garden

The Adelaide Botanic Garden lies within the free tram zone and is a very pleasant place to enjoy a stroll. With its ornamental ponds, scenic walkways through the lush greenery and themed gardens, it’s an oasis of calm within the city centre. A highlight for us was exploring the Palm House with its large numbers of Amazonian waterlilies with their massive circular leaves and upturned rims. Adelaide Botanic Garden

National Wine Centre of Australia

The National Wine Centre is located within the Botanic Garden so it’s a good idea to plan a visit to both on the same day. We had booked onto the “Taste of Australia Experience” which guided us through different wine regions, grape varieties and production techniques. Over 90 minutes, we learned not just about wine tasting but also the history and geography that shape the state’s wine industry. The experience was very informative as we discovered the 65 wine regions of Australia, the winemaking process and how regions influence flavour.

After our tour we were taken down into the largest tasting room in the country, surrounded by racks of wine bottles that created a spectacular setting for our sommelier led tasting of four South Australian wines paired with regional canapés, National Wine Centre of Australia.

Veale Gardens

Another lovely place to visit is Veale Gardens in Adelaide’s South Parklands which is easily reached within the free tram zone. The Rose Garden was full of colourful blooms, while Veale Gardens was laid out with open lawns and shady trees. Also located within the garden is the small Japanese style Himeji garden which appeared serene with its carefully arranged rocks, bridges and Asian plants.

Tour of Adelaide Old Gaol

Our self guided tour of Adelaide Gaol was a fascinating experience. Walking through the old cell blocks, exercise yards and execution areas brought the realities of 19th century prison life into sharp focus. Information boards told stories about some of the former inmates and helped to illustrate the harsh conditions the prisoners had to endure. Adelaide Gaol

And there you have it, so many reasons to spend a few days exploring Adelaide.

Our four days in Adelaide were supported by Visit South Australia and the above attractions. As always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.

If you have enjoyed this post you may also like:

Melbourne Must-Dos: MCG Behind-the-Scenes Tour & Eureka Skydeck Panorama

A tour of Government House and a ferry to Cockatoo Island, Sydney