Barossa Valley - The Valley for Connoisseurs

The Barossa Valley is a region in the Australian state of South Australia. It has an area of almost 900 km², is about 70 kilometres away from Adelaide and is the best-known wine-growing region in Australia with a vine area of about 10,000 hectares. About 20,000 people live in the fertile valley, many of them in the cities of Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Angaston and Lyndoch. Other important locations in the Barossa Valley are the small towns and villages of Eden Valley, Bethany and Williamstown. The Mediterranean climate creates dry, hot summers and humid, cool winters and offers the ideal conditions for the many vines in the area.

Scenic vineyards, smooth hills, wonderful meadows and a harmonious flora dominate the landscape in the Barossa Valley. Holidaymakers can get to know the local flora and fauna on a stroll in the several nature reserves such as the Hale Conservation Park, the Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park or the Para Wirra Recreation Park.

The Barossa Valley, which was named after the nearby Barossa Ranges, is the oldest wine-growing region in Australia next to the Hunter Valley. In 1840, the first British settlers arrived in the region before the German immigrants. The Lutherans, most of whom came from Silesia, Prussia and Poznań, soon grew the first vines, whose produce was already exported into the whole world in 1890. You can experience the heritage of the German immigrants to the present day in harmonious villages like Krondorf, Hahndorf and Bethany (the first German settlement in the Barossa Valley), while Lyndoch and Angaston are the legacy of British immigrants. The region's cultural centre is Tanunda, which has a population of 5,000 people and contains several listed houses, art studios and the Barossa Valley Historical Museum. The town of Nuriootpa, on the other hand, is the commercial and trade centre of the Barossa Valley. Another frequently visited sight is the Whispering Wall in the Barossa Reservoir. The dam wall, which is 140 metres long, contains an acoustic phenomenon which makes it possible to hear something that someone whispers at one end at the other.

The Barossa Valley is one of Australia's most important wine-growing regions and attracts countless connoisseurs and wine lovers from all over the world with excellent wines such as the delicious Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillion and Chardonnay. 60 percent of all Australian wines are produced in the region's small and great wine cellars. World-famous wine-growing estates like Jacob' Creek, Wolf Bass, Penfolds or Lindemann as well as first-rate restaurants, cafes, pubs and delicatessen shops invite travellers to extraordinary gourmet adventures. In addition, the Barossa Farmers Market in Angaston and the Classic Gourmet Weekend in August offer regional delicacies such as cheese, wine, olives, smoked sausages, ham and brown bread.

Common leisure activities in the Barossa Valley are motorcycle and vintage car tours, helicopter flights, horseback riding, golfing, cycling and hiking. The latter is particularly popular due to the many hiking trails such as the Barossa or Tanunda Heritage Trail. The region's numerous vineyards invite you to a romantic walk, a relaxed carriage ride or a flight in a hot-air balloon.

The Barossa Valley is a particularly attractive holiday destination at the time of the wine harvest in autumn (February to April). You best arrive at the international airport in Adelaide.