After two days in the Barossa, we spent the last day of the year driving south through the Adelaide Hills to Hahndorf: down through Birdwood and the hills, cherries from a farm gate, a cellar door and a long lunch, and then the old German main street of Hahndorf in the evening, all lit up for New Year’s Eve.
What we like
- Old German stone main street
- Cherries and fruit at the farm gate
- Hills cellar doors on the way
- Lit up and lively at night
What we don’t
- Busy and parking tight in summer
- Meals and wine add up
About Hahndorf and the Adelaide HillsAbout
Hahndorf is one of the oldest German settlements in Australia, about half an hour up the freeway from Adelaide, and its main street is still lined with stone pubs, bakeries and shops with German names. The Adelaide Hills around it are rolling farmland, orchards and vineyards, with small towns like Birdwood and Lobethal along the back roads.
A sign on the main street sums the place up: “Willkommen in Hahndorf”, and underneath, “Unser Dorf soll schöner werden”, our village should become more beautiful.
Quick facts
- AddressMain Street, Hahndorf SA 5245, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- FacilitiesRestaurantsShopsFuelParkingScenic DrivesNo Camping
- Good to know30 min from AdelaideBusy in the dayBest in the evening
- FeesFree to visitmeals and tastings extra
- 9.1/10Overall rated
Getting There
From Adelaide, Hahndorf is about half an hour up the South Eastern Freeway. We came the long way from the Barossa instead, south through Birdwood and then along the back roads of the hills, which is the better drive if you have the time: sealed all the way, with farm gates, orchards and cellar doors to stop at.
On the main street, every park was taken in the middle of the day when we came through, and it was much easier in the evening.
On the Way: Cherries and a Cellar DoorOn the Way: Cherries and a…
The hills are full of farm gates and cellar doors, and two were worth stopping for. Tilbrook Estate has a cellar door in a corrugated-iron shed off the road. Further on, Hillview sells cherries and fruit from an old packing shed, with an honesty fridge of apples, pears and lemons by the door, and a bank transfer option if you’re not carrying cash.
Wandering the Main StreetMain street
Hahndorf’s main street is lined with old stone buildings under big trees. The Old Mill Hotel has vines growing across its stone front, and the German Arms Hotel sits on a corner with a big eagle on its wall. In between there are bakeries, cafes, gift shops and the German Cake Shop with its giant pretzel sign. In the middle of the day it’s busy with day-trippers from Adelaide, so take it slow and wander.
Hahndorf at Night
The evening is when Hahndorf is at its best. The day crowds thin out, the pub verandahs light up, and over the holidays the street is decorated as a Christmas village, with red bows on the balconies. We came back for New Year’s Eve dinner at the Hahndorf Inn, a German pub with Weihenstephan beer on tap, German food and a little shop inside, and walked the street afterwards with the German Arms glowing on the corner.
Things to Do NearbyThings to do
The next morning we drove east to Monarto Safari Park, about half an hour from Hahndorf. Back the other way, the Barossa Valley is an hour or so north through the hills, and the rest of the area is in our Adelaide Hills guide.
Summary
Hahndorf and the Adelaide Hills make an easy, relaxed day close to Adelaide. Take the back roads down from the Barossa through Birdwood, stop for cherries at a farm gate and a cellar door on the way, wander the main street, and stay for the evening, when the old pubs light up.
The Adelaide Hills in one easy day.
Come down through Birdwood and the hills, stop for cherries at a farm gate and a cellar door on the way, then finish in Hahndorf, where the old German main street is at its best in the evening with the pubs lit up.
- Travellers
- Couples
Yes. The drive and the main street cost nothing, the farm-gate fruit is cheap, and a German pub dinner in Hahndorf is a good way to end a trip day.
Recommended Gear for the Adelaide Hills
A day of farm gates and pub stops doesn’t need much, but a good camping fridge keeps the cherries cold until camp, and a gas stove like the Dune single burner makes a roadside cuppa easy. A Kings camp table and a couple of camping chairs turn a roadside stop with a view of the hills into lunch.
