The 20 minute city

by - tha_real_misfit

From the hills in the east to the restaurants in the west, with the coastal towns up north and the beaches down south, are people finally waking up to this city known as Radelaide?

Once described as the "sleepy state", I have discovered since moving here in 2022 that this city is completely overlooked.

Adelaide (as I've been proudly informed from almost everyone I have met) was founded in 1836 and is the only freely settled province of Australia.

Coming in from Victoria I had no idea how proud these South Australians were. With their inventions of stobie poles, toilet cisterns, air conditioners, sunscreen, and the infamous "parmi" which we all know is pronounced "parma" I continue to be amazed by what this state has to offer.

Now you may be asking yourself, why the 20-minute city though?

Well one of the many beauties of Adelaide is the ability to get pretty much anywhere in no time at all.

Remember the days of planning out the weekends adventures, making sure the car was loaded with the appropriate necessities, the journey was mapped out and the destination was time-stamped to allow for maximum enjoyment? Well, living in Adelaide, those days are gone.

Here, in this city, it's as easy as waking up on Saturday morning with the thought, "Today I feel like going on a nature walk in the hills, after that I might go get lunch in the german style town of Hahndorf, followed by watching the sunset at the beach, before going out in the city for dinner".

Now while many Adelaidians have become spoilt and privileged and would shun me for suggesting you drive for more than an hour on the same day, all these journeys/adventures are very possible in Adelaide.

And boy does Adelaide have some destinations worth visiting.

Nestled within Adelaide are the Barossa Valley for all the wine lovers, Rundle Mall for the shoppers, Glenelg for the entertainment seekers, Hindley Street for the nightclub frequenters, and Victor Harbor for the beachgoers.

And as I spend more time here, I understand that this city has long been neglected. But whether it's described as the "city of churches", "the festival state" or "the 20-minute city", Adelaide seems to be getting mentioned in more conversations across the world for all the right reasons.