Ballooning Over the Barossa Valley
Located close to an hour from the city of Adelaide in South
Australia, the Barossa Valley is known world wide as one of
the most famous wine regions in Australia. You can expect
to sample exquisite wines, enjoy all type of local food
produce and enjoy the beautiful gardens and vineyards
prevalent to this area. It is a beautiful area to visit and
stay a while, and with ample accommodation is the perfect
car hire getaway.
With a climate close to Mediterranean temperatures, the
rainy season is between April and October, with seasons
predictable all through the year. During summer
the temperature reaches 35C on average, and winter brings
cold days and colder nights.
There are a large number of festivals, events, art galleries
and antique shops that will easily fill up your day and are
perfect for a relaxing afternoon stroll. Why not jump in a
hot air balloon to take in the panoramic views of the
valley? There are a number of camping groups that have
shady sites perfect for a relaxing getaway while you visit
the region.
What is a beautiful, vineyard peppered valley without a
massive festival once a year? The Barossa Vintage Festival
is known for its events, food, music and of course, its
wine. With such an extensive history of wine-making, some
of the best names come from this region. Wolf Blass, Peter
Lehmann, Yaldara and Yalumba are some of the more popular
names.
With magnificent grounds, the three Chateaus which dominate
the valley have to be seen to be believed. Surrounding the
Chateau Barossa are over twenty thousand rose bushes which
would leave a scent to die for, and the Chateau Yaldara has
a café perfect for an cosy afternoon tea. The Chateau
Tanunda is also offset with a cricket oval and has its own
small winery. Stay here for a meal to dine in style and
indulge in the scenery, food and incredible architecture.
There is a great view from the lookout Mengler Hill, which
is east from Tanunda. There are pretty church steeples
punctuating the landscape, and rolling hills and green
valleys for miles on end. It is also a great spot to enjoy
the sunset. Tanunda is also a great place for food shopping
and dining. A great restaurant here is the 1918 Bistro and
Grill known all over the valley.
Just down the road is also the Stuhl Conservation Park which
is great for the family. These are walking tracks here, and
plenty of wildlife such as kangaroos, possums, parrots and
lizards.
If you are here on a weekend, you can’t miss the Barossa
Farmers Market. Held on Saturday mornings, you will feel as
though you have just stepped foot inside the home of the
friendly locals, as they offer their local produce, wares
and wines. It is fantastic for a wander and a closer look
at the relaxed way of life in the valley.
There is so much to see and do at the Barossa. Try the
Yaldara winery, which is close to Lyndoch and its beautiful
lavender farm. South from Angaston, the Yulumba winery is
also worth a visit. The Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is a great
favourite with the locals and tourists, with plenty of taste
testing and produce to tempt any sceptic. With her books
and local wines on sale, it is great for browsing and
getting to know the locals over a meal.
The Barossa valley is no longer one of South Australia’s
best kept secrets. The word has been out for long enough
now that this is by far one of the most enjoyable tourist
destinations in the state, with a plethora of wines to suit
any palette, wineries that never seem to end, pretty towns
dotted across the landscape, and friendly locals that
welcome you into their world as you get away from the fast
pace of normal life.
Enjoy the valley while you can, and there is no doubt you
will take some of it home with you until you return.
Jenny Brewer 2007
|
More Information
|
For the full Barossa Experience hire a Rental Car from Discovery.
Research the Barossa Valley online for a full and exciting holiday
|
