The city centre has a superb setting surrounded by open parkland separating the business heart form the suburbs and is sheltered on a narrow coastal plain between the protective ring of the Adelaide Hills and Gulf St Vincent, ten km to the west.

The international airport is seven km southwest from the centre, is small and modern.

The city centre itself is only one mile square which means everything is well within walking distance. This is one city where the airport isnt miles out of town.

Named after King William IVs queen, Adelaide is a gracious, well planned city of gardens, historic, restored colonial pubs, churches and modern buildings as well as being noted for its handsome Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate, where most of the rain falls in the winter months. Of the Australian capital cities, Adelaide is the driest. Rainfall is unreliable, light and infrequent throughout summer. In contrast, the winter has fairly reliable rainfall with June being the wettest month of the year, averaging around eighty mm. Frosts are rare, with the most notable occurrences having occurred in July 1908 and July 1982. There is usually no appreciable snowfall, except at Mount Lofty and some places in the Adelaide Hills.

It may appear dead at night, but theres actually quite a lot going on bands, clubs, film and theatre if you know where to look. The best place to find out whats on is The Guide, which comes with Thursdays Advertiser and has film and theatre listings and reviews.

At night, the two spots to head for are Rundle Street, which boasts the most fashionable pubs and bars, and the more mainstream and rather sleazy Hindley Street, where youll find several funky clubs and live music venues east of Morphett Street catering for the nearby university crowd. For something a bit different, try the Adelaide Casino.

The city has roughly one restaurant for every thirty people, so not surprisingly eating out is a local obsession. Eating in pubs in Adelaide doesnt just mean the usual steak and salad bar but covers the whole spectrum, from some of the best contemporary Australian food in town to bargain specials in several pubs along King William Street.