SUN 02 October | NO MEALS

Day 1  Arrive Adelaide airport

Transfer to Adelaide accommodation by airport shuttle

Overnight Adelaide

MON 03 October  | BLD

Day 2  Breakfast at your accommodation

You will be collected from the hotel at 7.30 am and transferred to Mannum to meet our passengers disembarking from the pre-tour cruise. Drive to the picturesque Clare Valley wine region.

The Clare Valley ~ where life is entwined with the vine – a region renowned for producing a variety of crisp Rieslings. It boasts more than 40 wineries, some operating out of farm sheds and rustic buildings, and its charming, largely untouched historic towns feature some of the most significant 19^th century buildings and ruins in the state.

First stop is historic Martindale Hall, a Georgian style mansion located near Mintaro. The hall has 32 rooms and a large seven-room cellar. Martindale Hall’s construction was completed in 1880, and at that time featured a polo ground, a racecourse, a boating lake and a cricket pitch in its environs. Martindale Hall was used as a film set for the 1975 Australian movie; Picnic at Hanging Rock. Upon arrival our group will be taken on a guided tour of this fascinating historic mansion.

Next, we travel to Pike Brewery and Pikes Winery, for your choice of a beer tasting palette or wine tasting.

A light lunch will be provided at one of the venues during our tour today.

Our last stop for today is at Kilikanoon wines cellar door, which is housed in the property’s original stone farmhouse. Built in the 1860’s and surrounded by cottage gardens, a fruit orchard and vineyards, it is an idyllic setting for tasting their award- winning wines. Afterwards, transfer to our accommodation for this evening.

Dinner is in the hotel restaurant or a local hotel bistro.

Overnight Clare

TUE 04 October|  BL

Day 3        Breakfast in the hotel restaurant, before checking out by 8am.

This morning we drive from one spectacular wine valley for another; the iconic Barossa Valley.

Along the way, drive through Kapunda, a town on the Light River. Once a keystone in the early development of South Australia, Kapunda is considered the birthplace of Australia’s commercial mining industry. See Map the Miner, a tribute to Kapunda’s mining history.

First stop in the Barossa is Maggie Beers Farm. Our group will be given a brief talk on the history of the farm and farmshop and Maggie’s culinary career, along with a private group taste and talk cooking demonstration in the studio kitchen where the ‘Cook and Chef’ series was filmed.

Next travel the short distance to the historic Seppeltsfield Winery. This estate boasts 150 acres of majestic vineyard, diverse gardens, and historic buildings – twelve of which are heritage listed. Seppeltsfield is one of thirteen estates to be included in the ‘Ultimate Wineries of Australia’ collective. Join a wine educator for a behind-the-scenes look through the estate’s treasure trove of historical buildings and spectacular surroundings. Learn about the Seppelt family history and their profound influence on the Australian wine industry. The tour starts on the Homestead veranda and takes in the Elm Walk, distillery, and underground blending cellar. At the conclusion of the tour enjoy a tasting of their sparkling, table, and fortified wines.

Drive to Pindarie Wines in Gomersal – A winner of multiple tourism awards, their cellar door provides a genuine vineyard to glass experience. Enjoy a formal wine tasting and a light lunch of seasonal local produce, whilst surrounded by the 180-degree view of Pindarie’s vineyard.

Our final stop for today is at the Jacobs Creek Visitor Centre. The Jacob’s Creek history spans three centuries with original vine plantings in 1847. Today the Jacob’s Creek Visitor’s Centre is a leading wine tourism site located in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Enjoy a walking tour of the Jacob’s Creek display vineyard, where our host will provide an overview of the different grape varietals grown in their vineyards. A structured wine tasting will follow, incorporating approximately five wines and covering basic wine education. Afterwards, transfer to our accommodation for the next two nights. Remainder of today is at your leisure.

Two nights Barossa Valley, South Australia * Featured image Tourism Australia

WED 05 October |BL

Day 4   Breakfast in the hotel restaurant

This morning, drive to Angaston via Menglers Hill for hazy valley views from its lookout. Drive onto Tanunda – this quaint town is known as the heart of the Barossa. In its early years the town was the very essence of German Lutheranism. German settlers arrived in ‘Langmeil’, as it was once known before changing its name to Tanunda in 1842. You will have just over an hour to explore Tanunda on your own.

Suggest strolling along Tanunda’s main street to experience Barossa’s unique lifestyle.

Drive onto the small town of Lyndoch – the southern gateway to the Barossa. At the Monkey Nut Café, indulge in a local produce platter along with a wine flight of selected Kies Family wines.

After lunch drive the short distance to the Barossa Chateau. Discover the estate’s extensive rose garden, admire the vast treasure trove of antiques on display and relax over devonshire tea. Barossa Chateau sits in one of Australia’s most important rose gardens and is of international significance. Combined with Lyndoch Hill, the overall estate covers an impressive 25 acres and boasts over 22 acres of dedicated rose gardens, accessed by 5kms of pathway. 

Inside the Chateau, the Grand Ballroom and Art Gallery present an opulent side to the Valley. Boasting high ceilings, glitzy chandeliers, and porcelain tiles, it is a luxurious addition to the Chateau. Our group will be taken on a guided tour of the antiques room, which boasts the largest porcelain collection in Australia, spanning back to the early 18th century and originating from all over the world. The collection has been meticulously put together over 35 years and comprises pieces from the famous porcelain houses of Meissen, Sevres, Worchester, Chelsea, and Stinton. Last stop is at Chateau Yaldara 1847 Wines. Learn about their rich wine history and wine-making techniques on a walk-through of their historic cellars and maturation areas with one of their wine ambassadors. Upon your return, explore the range of award-winning white and red wines. Finish with a small indulgence of Chateau Yaldara’s renowned vintage fortified wine. Return to the Novotel late this afternoon, with free time for the remainder of today.

Optional return transfer into Tanunda tonight. Giving you the opportunity have dinner at local restaurant.

THU 06 October | BLD

Day 5        Breakfast is in the hotel restaurant, check out of your accommodation

Travel through the Adelaide Hills region this morning. There will be a short stop at the Barossa Reservoir’s Whispering Wall. The dam is notable for its parabola effect, where a voice can be heard clearly from one side to the other — over 140m in length. This unusual acoustic phenomenon has earned the reservoir the name of “Whispering Wall”.

Travel onto the nearby town of Birdwood and visit the National Motor Museum. Established in 1964, this is Australia’s largest motor museum, with close to 400 vehicles on display.

Drive further into the hills region to the Hahndorf Hill Winery, where our group is booked in for their tasting experience at 12noon. Participate in a comfortable seated tasting experience of five wines, held in the beautiful upstairs Gallery Room. Discover what makes the Adelaide Hills unique as a wine region and experience a diverse range of their wines.

A short drive takes us to The Cedars – historic home of one of Australia’s notable landscape artists, Sir Hans Heysen. This unique 60-hectare heritage property also houses the artist’s Studio – a workplace frozen in time – the building remains intact and is extremely well preserved.

Enjoy a “picnic” lunch in the beautiful gardens, before being taken on a guided tour of The Cedars House. At the conclusion of the tour, it is only a short drive to our accommodation for this evening.

After checking in, you may like to take advantage of some free time to visit Hahndorf – Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. Hahndorf was established in 1839, when almost 200 German-Lutheran migrants made their way to the Adelaide Hills in search of a new life. Over the years, Hahndorf has seen many changes, but has retained its old-world charm. A stroll through historic Hahndorf’s main street is the highlight for many visitors to the region. 

At 5.50pm we take the short walk to the Hahndorf Inn to participate in a Strudel Making Class. A special hands on experience with a Hahndorf Inn chef, who will teach us in 30 minutes, how to make Oma’s traditional German Apfel Strudel. Baked fresh, eat your strudel dessert during our group dinner.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to join the strudel cooking class, enjoy a beer tasting paddle in the bar, featuring german beers.  

Dinner is reserved for 6.30pm at the Hahndorf Inn. Stroll back to your accommodation after the meal.  

Overnight Hahndorf               

FRI 07 October | BL

Day 6    Cooked breakfast at a local restaurant before checking out of your room and departing Hahndorf. Travel to the McLaren Vale wine region early this morning

Nestled between rolling hills and sandy beaches, 35 km south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula, McLaren Vale has a Mediterranean climate ideal for grape growing and is famous for its intensely flavoured Shiraz.

The first stop is D’Arenburg Winery to take a guided tour of “The Cube” and their Alternate Realities Museum, a contemporary art gallery. Discover quirky details of the interior design through a space filled with wall-to-wall art installations designed to excite and awaken your senses. Join in a hands-on interactive experience where you play winemaker. The Blending Bench is where the craft of winemaking becomes an art form. A palette of wine parcels, each with distinctive flavours and textures, are melded in search of balance, fullness, and finesse. D’Arenberg did the physical work – picking, crushing, fermenting, foot treading, basket pressing, and barrel ageing, and you get to create a wine that is truly unique. You then bottle, name, and label a 750ml sample to take home.

Drive the short distance to Serafino Winery, which is set amongst 300 acres of prime McLaren Vale vineyards. Serafino’s rich Italian heritage shines through the names of many wines including Terremoto, the Italian word for ‘earthquake’. Participate in a paired food and wine flight, indulging in some of Serafino’s iconic wines, perfectly paired with a tasting plate of delicious regional flavours.

If time permits, there will be an opportunity to take a stroll along the main street in McLaren Vale where you can visit gift boutiques and a variety of gourmet food places including; The Almond Train, Menz Confectionary, Blessed Cheese and the Olive Shop.

This afternoon, travel to Adelaide, with a short orientation drive around North Adelaide and historic North Terrace. The vibrant suburb of North Adelaide boasts charming tree-lined streets, majestic mansions and significant historic sites. View one of the city’s iconic landmarks, St Peter’s Cathedral before stopping to visit Light’s Vision – a lookout on Montefiore Hill created in 1938. Drive past the magnificent historic buildings along North Terrace, before heading to the hotel.

Free time for the remainder of the day. You might choose to go to Rundle Mall for some late night shopping, or perhaps the Adelaide Central Markets – open until 9pm.

Two nights Adelaide

SAT 08 October | BD

Day 7        Breakfast in the hotel restaurant

Free morning at your leisure. Suggest you may like to visit the Festival Centre precinct or North Terrace historic precinct.

Make your way to Elder Park by 11.40am to check in for a 30 minute journey on the River Torrens, by Popeye motor launch. Arrive at the zoo landing, where we will be collected by our coach and transferred the short distance to the National Wine Centre AND the Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Choose an activity from the following two options:

Visit the National Wine Centre and participate in an Australian Wine Discovery Guided tour with wine tasting. The National Wine Centre of Australia is a public exhibition building about winemaking and its industry in South Australia. It contains an interactive permanent exhibition of winemaking, introducing visitors to the technology, varieties and styles of wine.

OR

If you are feeling “wined out” you can choose to visit the Botanic Gardens and Bi-Centennial Conservatory, including an afternoon refreshment (tea / coffee and cake) at the Gardens kiosk.

Points of interest in the gardens include the magnificently-restored 1877-built Palm House, Amazon Waterlily Pavilion, Santos Museum of Economic Botany and the Bicentennial Conservatory.

Mid afternoon, travel to Penfolds Magill Estate, for their heritage tour and taste experience. Be immersed in the history of one of Australia’s oldest, iconic wineries. Walk through the original working winery, explore the vineyards, and uncover the historic tales of the underground drives. To complete the Penfolds experience, taste a selection of wines from The Penfolds Collection at the cellar door.

At the conclusion of our visit, drive to the popular beach-side suburb of Glenelg. You will have free time to look around, take a walk on the jetty, or perhaps do some shopping along the Jetty road precinct.

Celebration farewell dinner will be in the Promenade restaurant at the Stamford Grand

Glenelg.

Return transfer to the Hilton Adelaide, at the conclusion of dinner.

  SUN 09 October  | B               

Day 8   Breakfast in the hotel restaurant

Check out of your room by 11am. Airport shuttle transfer to the airport

OR

Take an optional post 3 day / 2 night tour to Kangaroo Island (additional cost)