Adelaide Hills Christmas Markets & Festive Escape

ITINERARY

Day 1 – Monday 7 December 2026

Adelaide Airport, Hahndorf & Our German Feast

Our Adelaide Hills Christmas Markets & Festive Escape officially begins at 2:00 pm at Adelaide Airport, where you’ll meet your Travel With Lesley Whyte host and fellow travellers. From here we’ll travel together into the beautiful Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf, our home for the next seven nights.

Once we’ve checked in and settled in, the Christmas shopping can officially begin, with the afternoon free to explore Hahndorf’s wonderful main street, filled with boutiques, galleries, artisan stores, gourmet food stores and gift shops.

Shopping opportunities: Hahndorf is going to be one of our favourite places for those smaller Christmas gifts, with everything from fashion, jewellery, accessories, homewares and art to German-inspired gifts, gourmet foods, confectionery, locally made products and Christmas treats. Take your time, browse and perhaps start ticking a few names off that Christmas list on our very first afternoon.

Tonight we’re celebrating our first evening together with a traditional German feast at The Haus Restaurant, a fitting way to begin our week in Hahndorf. Enjoy a traditional German feast followed by your choice of German cheesecake or apple strudel, accompanied by a German beer or glass of wine. Great food, a glass raised to the week ahead and our first taste of Hahndorf. What better way to start our Christmas escape?

Included today: Adelaide Airport transfer departing at 2:00 pm, dinner, dessert and one German beer or glass of wine.

Day 2 – Tuesday 8 December 2026

Hans Heysen, The Cedars, Hahndorf Shopping & Taco Tuesday

Today we’re combining art, history, beautiful gardens, bubbles, Christmas shopping and margaritas. Not a bad Tuesday! Our morning takes us to The Cedars, the historic home, studio and garden of one of Australia’s most celebrated artists, Sir Hans Heysen, where we’ll explore the gallery and house before enjoying a guided tour through the beautiful gardens. Afterwards, it’s time for Devonshire tea accompanied by a glass of bubbles.

Shopping opportunities: At The Cedars, look out for art-inspired gifts, books, cards, prints and keepsakes celebrating Hans Heysen and the Adelaide Hills. This afternoon we’re back in Hahndorf with plenty of time dedicated to Christmas shopping, so wander the main street, explore the boutiques and galleries and start seriously ticking names off that Christmas list. Look out for clothing, jewellery, accessories, art, homewares, candles, gourmet foods, local produce, confectionery, German-inspired gifts and those quirky little presents that are often the hardest to find.

Tonight we’re heading to Ms Perez in Stirling for Taco Tuesday, where we’ll enjoy tacos along with their famous 2-for-1 margaritas, and yes, the margaritas are included! Shopping, art, bubbles, tacos and margaritas. Tuesday sorted!

Included today: Breakfast, Devonshire tea with bubbles, dinner and margaritas.

Day 3 – Wednesday 9 December 2026

Auchendarrach House, Lunch, Bubbles & Jurlique Farm

Today we’re discovering two very different sides of the Adelaide Hills, beginning with history, architecture and a beautiful lunch before spending our afternoon immersed in the world of Jurlique. Our morning takes us to historic Auchendarrach House in Mount Barker, where we’ll enjoy a guided tour and discover the history and character of this magnificent heritage property, followed by lunch accompanied by a glass of bubbles. It’s a wonderfully relaxed way to spend the first half of our day before heading to our next Adelaide Hills experience.

After lunch we’re heading to the beautiful Jurlique Farm for a guided farm and garden tour, where we’ll learn more about the botanicals, plants and growing philosophy behind this iconic South Australian skincare brand and see where many of the ingredients used in Jurlique products begin their journey.

Shopping opportunities: This is definitely one for the skincare lovers. Look out for Jurlique skincare, facial products, hand and body products, botanical favourites and beautifully presented gift sets. These make fabulous Christmas presents, although we suspect quite a few may be purchased as presents for ourselves!

Included today: Breakfast, Auchendarrach House guided tour, lunch with a glass of bubbles, Jurlique Farm and Garden Tour.

Day 4 – Thursday 10 December 2026

d’Arenberg, Salvador Dalí & Dr Seuss, Vineyard Buggy Adventure & Gepetto’s

Today we’re leaving the Adelaide Hills behind for a fabulous day in McLaren Vale, combining extraordinary art, great food, beautiful vineyards, South Australian wine and, of course, more Christmas shopping opportunities. Our first destination is the extraordinary d’Arenberg Cube, one of McLaren Vale’s most distinctive destinations, where we’ll have time to explore the Salvador Dalí and Dr Seuss exhibitions before sitting down to enjoy lunch at d’Arenberg.

Shopping opportunities: Expect d’Arenberg wines and wine-related gifts, along with merchandise, art-inspired pieces and some wonderfully quirky finds. This could be the perfect place to find something for the person who is notoriously difficult to buy for.

After lunch we’re heading to Oliver’s Taranga for something a little different, a buggy experience through the vines! We’ll head out into the vineyard by buggy, getting beyond the cellar door and amongst the vines for a wonderful way to experience this historic McLaren Vale property. Our experience also includes wine tasting, giving us the opportunity to discover some of the wines produced from the vineyards we’ve just explored.

Shopping opportunities: Wine is naturally the star here, with the opportunity to purchase whites, rosé, reds and special releases, along with other winery goodies. And remember those protective wine bottle sleeves we’re giving you. Today is exactly why they’re included!

After a fabulous day exploring McLaren Vale, we’ll finish with dinner together at Gepetto’s accompanied by a glass of wine. Art, lunch, a buggy ride through the vines, wine tasting, Christmas shopping and dinner. That’s our kind of day!

Included today: Breakfast, d’Arenberg Salvador Dalí and Dr Seuss exhibitions, lunch at d’Arenberg, Oliver’s Taranga vineyard buggy experience and wine tasting, dinner at Gepetto’s and a glass of wine.

Yes, I’d retain all the activities from the final itinerary rather than replacing them. The change is simply to move Sidewood and Ambleside to Friday, then place Melba’s, Woodside Cheese Wrights, Field Trip, Beerenberg and the Christmas market activities together on Saturday, finishing with the Lights of Lobethal Festival.

Day 5 – Friday 11 December 2026

Sabrage, Bubbles, Pizza & Gin Blending

Now this is our kind of Friday! We’re heading to Sidewood Estate, where we’re starting our day with a little theatre and some bubbles with a sabrage and bubbles tasting experience. Yes, we’re learning how to open a bottle of bubbles with a sabre! We’ll enjoy the fun of sabrage before settling in for a tasting of Sidewood’s bubbles, making this a fabulous way to begin our day in the Adelaide Hills and perhaps discover a bottle or two worthy of the Christmas table.

Shopping opportunities: Sidewood’s cellar door gives us the chance to shop for sparkling wine, rosé, whites, reds and cider, making this an excellent stop for the wine lovers on your Christmas list or for stocking up for your own Christmas celebrations. And remember those protective wine bottle sleeves we’ve given you, because today they could definitely come in handy!

After our sabrage and bubbles tasting experience, we’ll sit down at Sidewood Estate for a relaxed pizza lunch before changing from bubbles to gin as we head to Ambleside Distillers for our Gin Blending Masterclass. This is much more than simply sitting down for a gin tasting. We’ll be introduced to the world of gin and the different botanicals, aromas and flavours that give each gin its individual character, exploring how different botanical elements work together before getting hands-on and experimenting with creating our very own gin blend.

This is your opportunity to play distiller for the afternoon, tasting, blending and adjusting until you create a gin that suits your own palate. Prefer something citrusy, floral, herbaceous or with a little more spice? This is all about creating a blend that is uniquely yours, and it’s a fun, interactive way to discover what actually goes into creating a great gin while enjoying plenty of laughs along the way.

Shopping opportunities: Naturally, there will be an opportunity to shop for gin too! Look out for artisan gins, distillery products and gin-related gifts. A beautiful bottle of Adelaide Hills gin dressed in one of your Christmas Dwarf Bottle Covers is practically a ready-made Christmas present, although whether it actually makes it to the recipient is another matter!

Sabrage, bubbles, pizza and gin. Friday sorted!

Included today: Breakfast, Sidewood Estate sabrage and bubbles tasting experience, pizza lunch, Ambleside Gin Blending Masterclass and tastings as specified.

Day 6 – Saturday 12 December 2026

Chocolate, Cheese, Fashion, Beerenberg, Christmas Markets & Lights of Lobethal

If you’ve been taking your Christmas shopping seriously all week, today we’re stepping things up another level! This is one of our biggest Christmas shopping days, with chocolate, artisan cheese, fashion, beautiful gifts, gourmet produce, Christmas markets and the Lights of Lobethal Festival all on the agenda. Come armed with your Christmas list because by the end of today, we expect quite a few more names will be well and truly ticked off!

Our first stop is Melba’s Chocolates, and really, is there a better way to start a Saturday than with chocolate? We’ll have time to browse and stock up on South Australian-made chocolates, traditional confectionery, sweet treats, gift packs and stocking fillers, whether you’re buying for family and friends or creating your own secret chocolate stash for Christmas.

Next we’re heading to Woodside Cheese Wrights, where artisan cheese takes centre stage. This is our opportunity to discover beautiful South Australian artisan cheeses and gourmet goodies, perfect for Christmas entertaining, gifts or simply taking home to enjoy yourself. And yes, this is exactly why every guest is receiving a cooler bag!

From cheese we’re moving to fashion and gifts with a visit to Field Trip in Balhannah. This is the place to browse women’s fashion, accessories, beautiful lifestyle pieces and thoughtfully designed gifts, with plenty of opportunities to find something a little different for underneath the Christmas tree. Of course, there is absolutely nothing stopping you from adding your own name to the shopping list!

Our next stop is Beerenberg, one of Hahndorf’s best-known family producers and another fabulous place to tackle that Christmas list. Browse jams, chutneys, relishes, sauces, dressings, preserves, gift packs and gourmet goodies, with plenty of easy-to-pack presents for the food lovers in your life. Lunch today is at your own cost, and we’ve deliberately allowed time for you to relax and enjoy your choice of lunch while we’re at Beerenberg.

And then we’re turning the Christmas dial right up!

We’ll spend time enjoying the Christmas market atmosphere in the Adelaide Hills, including the Gathered Christmas Design Market in Hahndorf. This is a fabulous opportunity to browse South Australian makers, creatives and producers while soaking up the festive atmosphere, with everything from homewares, fashion, art and jewellery to ceramics, candles, locally made food, gifts and Christmas treasures.

Shopping opportunities: Today is all about variety. We’ll be shopping for South Australian chocolates and confectionery, artisan cheeses, women’s fashion and accessories, beautiful lifestyle pieces, gourmet pantry products, locally made gifts, art, jewellery, ceramics, candles, Christmas decorations, crafts and stocking fillers. Whether you’re looking for something delicious, something stylish, something unique or simply something for the person who is impossible to buy for, today should have you covered.

As afternoon moves into evening, we’re heading to Lobethal for one of the real festive highlights of our week, the Lights of Lobethal Festival. We’ll have time to enjoy the Christmas market atmosphere, browse for a few more treasures and find something delicious for dinner before experiencing Lobethal as the town comes alive with Christmas lights.

Dinner tonight is at your own cost, allowing you to graze, browse and choose whatever takes your fancy while enjoying the festival atmosphere.

Chocolate, cheese, fashion, gourmet goodies, Christmas markets, shopping bags and an entire town sparkling with Christmas lights. This is Christmas shopping, Travel With Lesley Whyte style!

Included today: Breakfast, visits to Melba’s Chocolates, Woodside Cheese Wrights, Field Trip and Beerenberg, Adelaide Hills Christmas market experience, Gathered Christmas Design Market, Lights of Lobethal Festival.  Lunch and dinner are at your own cost.

Day 7 – Sunday 13 December 2026

Château Tanunda Old Vine Expressions, Maggie Beer & Gin Cocktails

Today we’re heading to the Barossa for a fabulous day celebrating some of South Australia’s most celebrated wine, food and regional produce, and we’re beginning somewhere very special. Our first experience is at magnificent Château Tanunda, one of the Barossa’s most historic wine estates, with more than 135 years of winemaking history.

Set amongst beautiful grounds in the heart of Tanunda, the Château itself is part of the experience. Step inside the grand cellar door and you’ll find yourself surrounded by hundreds of barrels of maturing wine, creating a wonderful introduction to our morning in the Barossa. But we’re not simply stopping by for a look around, as we’ve included the Old Vine Expressions Tasting Experience.

This is an opportunity to delve deeper into one of the things that makes the Barossa so extraordinary, its old vines. Our hosted tasting will introduce us to Château Tanunda’s Old Vine Expressions and give us the opportunity to explore the character, depth and individuality that comes from these remarkable old vineyards. Rather than simply tasting a line-up of wines, this experience is about discovering more of the story behind them, the vineyards they come from and how different sites and old vines can produce their own distinctive expressions. It’s a wonderfully indulgent way to start our day and one for both serious wine lovers and those who simply enjoy discovering beautiful wines in an extraordinary setting.

Shopping opportunities: After our tasting, there will be time to visit the cellar door and perhaps take home a little piece of the Barossa. Look out for Château Tanunda wines, including their Old Vine Expressions, special releases and other premium wines. Those protective wine bottle sleeves we’ve given you may be getting another workout today!

From Château Tanunda we’re heading to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, one of those places where it is almost impossible to leave empty-handed. We’ll enjoy a fabulous Maggie Beer experience, including lunch, wine and gin cocktail making, with time to explore the Farm Shop and all those wonderful gourmet products.

Shopping opportunities: This one could fill the cooler bag! Look out for Maggie Beer favourites, cheeses, fruit pastes, pâté, verjuice, olive oils, vinegars, crackers, preserves, pantry products and gourmet gifts. There are wonderful options for food-loving friends, Christmas entertaining and, of course, your own pantry.

We’ll also get hands-on with our gin cocktail-making experience, adding another little bit of fun to our Barossa day. Dinner tonight is at your own cost, giving you the freedom to choose how you’d like to spend our final evening together in Hahndorf.

Old vines, historic cellars, beautiful Barossa wines, Maggie Beer, fabulous food, gin cocktails and Christmas shopping. What a way to spend our final full day!

Included today: Breakfast, Château Tanunda Old Vine Expressions Tasting Experience, Maggie Beer experience, lunch, gin cocktail making and wine with lunch. Dinner is at your own cost.

Day 8 – Monday 14 December 2026

Haigh’s Chocolates & Homeward Bound

Surely we can’t go home without one final shopping opportunity? After breakfast and checking out, we’re heading towards Adelaide, but there is one very important stop to make before the airport, Haigh’s Chocolates! We’ll enjoy a factory tour and discover more about this iconic South Australian chocolate maker, with time afterwards for that all-important final bit of Christmas shopping.

Shopping opportunities: Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! Look for boxed chocolates, truffles, chocolate bars, confectionery, gift boxes and beautifully presented Christmas gifts. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up those last few presents before we head to Adelaide Airport.

Our Adelaide Hills Christmas Markets & Festive Escape concludes at approximately 1:00 pm at Adelaide Airport. When arranging your onward travel, please allow sufficient time after our scheduled arrival at the airport for airline check-in and security.

By now we expect those suitcases to contain wine, gin, cheese, chocolate, skincare, clothing, Christmas gifts, gourmet goodies and probably several things you never knew you needed until this week. Christmas shopping sorted!

Included today: Breakfast, Haigh’s Chocolates factory tour and transfer to Adelaide Airport, arriving at approximately 1:00 pm.