Adelaide named Top City to Visit in 2014 by Lonely Planet

Adelaide has been chosen as one of the world's top 10 cities to visit in 2014 by travel guide publisher, Lonely Planet.

The only Australian city to be listed, South Australia 's capital is ranked ninth on the list included in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 guide.

Adelaide has been placed alongside capitals including Zurich, Paris, Shanghai and Vancouver in the annual roundup of best destinations around the world for the upcoming year.

The capital city of South Australia is described in the guide as “effortlessly chic – and like a perfectly cellared red, it’s ready to be uncorked and sampled.”

Adelaide is recognized for its strong cultural focus, with a thriving food scene, immersive local music community and frequent, world-class visual arts exhibitions.

Lauded as the “perfect host city,” the Lonely Planet entry recognizes Adelaide’s festivals including the Santos Tour Down Under, WOMADelaide, the Adelaide Festival, and the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

It also highlights the refurbishment of the Adelaide Oval sports ground—which has undergone an AUD$535 million redevelopment—for such sports as Australian rules football and cricket.

The Lonely Planet guide draws attention to the diversity of the city’s eating precincts including the revitalized Leigh, Gouger and Rundle Streets and the vast range of dining experiences throughout the city.

Embracing Adelaide’s quirkiness, Lonely Planet features Adelaide’s “parklets” as a recent trend—converting the undersused public spaces, such as parking lots, into temporary landscaped areas for the public to enjoy alongside cafes and restaurants.

To mark the achievement, the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) has released a video clip that highlights the city’s recent transformation, which can be viewed on the SATC’s YouTube channel.

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