Two ways to go: Adelaide v Perth

The city with iconic wine regions at its doorstep or the land of eternal sunshine and endless beaches? Our duelling experts can help you decide.

By Amy Cooper

Here's my case for Adelaide in a nutshell - or rather, a grape skin: wine capital of Australia. Adelaide is immersed in wine. Steeped in the stuff. On a wine region map, Adelaide resembles a little grape surrounded by huge lakes of wine spreading outwards in ever-increasing circles of the oldest vines, greatest drops and most famous names in our country's vinous history.

Of South Australia's 340 cellar doors across 18 wine regions, 200 are within an hour's drive of Adelaide. Adelaide Hills, emerald backdrop to the city's stately buildings, is just 15 minutes' drive from the CBD. It's the closest wine region to any capital city in the world.

That boggles my mind. In less time than it takes to drink a small glass of Grange (preferably the 2008), you can be among venerable vines first planted in 1844, at the Penfolds Magill Estate Winery, one of the world's few urban single vineyards and home of liquid legends. South and just a little further - about 40 minutes - is McLaren Vale, and a mere one-hour jaunt northeast puts you in the Barossa.

By the time you've driven from Perth to Margaret River or even Sydney to Hunter Valley, an Adelaide wine explorer could have imbibed an afternoon's worth of cellar doors, filled the boot with bottles and be back in the CBD in time for dinner. And you wouldn't want to miss that - because food is this southern city's other superpower. The party for your palate continues at Adelaide Central Market, one of the southern hemisphere's largest undercover markets, where more than 70 traders move a million kilos of produce every month. Adelaide's surrounding terroir isn't so much a food bowl as a banquet table.

A rising tide (of wine) raises all vessels, and Adelaide's stellar restaurant scene reflects its oenological pedigree, with luminaries including Africola and Restaurant Botanic. Bars are a no-brainer. From cocktail temples like Hains & Co, Maybe Mae and BRKLYN to new breweries Mismatch and Brightstar to ocean-side party pop-ups like Moseley Beach Club in Glenelg, Adelaide's cup runneth over.

I reckon Adelaide's awesome cultural scene, with its multiple major festivals, street art, galleries and music, is grape-influenced, because wine fuels creativity. Maybe it influenced Adelaide's convenience, too. In a country defined by vastness and remoteness, this epicurean playground is astonishingly accessible. In the compact, "20-minute city", you can flit easily from airport to CBD, vines to beach, hotel to hills. There are free buses, trams and bike hire, wide streets are strollable and everything's on the doorstep.

Adelaide is impeccably connected, no more than 2.5 hours from other state capitals... except for Perth, which is closer to Bali than much of Australia. Far out! Literally.

By Mal Chenu

Perth is the outdoors capital of Australia, where the sunscreen flows, the barbecues sizzle and the beaches are as long and salty as the list of complaints about the eastern states.

According to BOM (sorry, Bureau of Meteorology) data, Perth is the sunniest state capital with an average 8.8 hours of sunshine a day, more than the so-called sunshine state, and a full hour a day more than Adelaide.

Yes, it is a long way. As a Perthite, I am well aware of the tyranny of distance. Most Sandgropers would rather go to Bali than head east - it's cheaper, more convenient and you come home with a Bintang singlet. And then there's the time difference - when it's noon in the east, it's 1993 in Perth.

I escaped through a hole in the rabbit-proof fence (the first attempt to keep eastern-staters out, a practice perfected during the "hermit kingdom" days of the pandemic) during the Court administration. Back then even the locals took the proverbial, dubbing their city "Dullsville, the capital of Wait Awhile". Our only solace back in those days was "well, at least we're not Adelaide!"

Since then, as if to spite me personally for leaving, Perth has thrown off (some of) its jingoism and antipathy to visitors. New restaurants and clever bars have sprung up out of the sandy soil, and the Perth Cultural Centre and excellent new sports stadium are welcoming patrons.

These days, Perth is a vibrant city, full of exceptional attractions, easily reached on the free Central Area Transit bus system. Or toll-free, if you are driving. (No tolls and available parking spaces are two of the weird things eastern staters will have to get used to, as well as no poker machines and no daylight saving).

COMO the Treasury is regularly named Australia's best hotel and, at one stage, was named the second best in the world by Conde Nast Traveler. Kings Park botanic garden, overlooking the CBD and river, is the largest inner-city park in the world. Most of the guided walking tours are free and the park is carpeted with wildflowers in Spring. You can also walk or cycle the 10-kilometre loop around the Swan River between the Narrows and Causeway bridges. This will take you past the city's biggest improvement of recent years, Elizabeth Quay. This well-designed riverside precinct features an island playground and water park, public art, promenades and plenty of chances to enjoy a crayfish and a Little Creatures ale.

Scenic river cruises depart from here for Rottnest Island, the epicurean Swan Valley and bohemian Fremantle. And a day trip to Rotto is a must for the quokka selfie alone.

However you choose to spend your days in Perth, be sure to head to the coast at sunset to watch the natural sky show over the ocean, paired with a glass of something special from Margaret River.