Home to 1.2 million people and as Australia's fifth largest city, Adelaide is located between white sandy beaches and the Mount Lofty Ranges. Known as the 20-minute city, it takes 20 minutes to get from the city to the hills or beaches. It's also renowned for its parklands, which ring the city centre and make up 45 per cent of the total city area. The New Yorker magazine called Adelaide possibly the last well-planned and contented metropolis on earth and Lonely Planet described it as civilized and calm in a way that no other Australian State capital can match.

Whether you're into arts, music, sports, outdoor activities, or simply spending time with friends shopping or eating out, there will always be something entertaining to do. The city is a popular venue for international and national sporting events such as Test cricket at the Adelaide Oval, the SA Open Golf Championship, The International Rugby Board Rugby Sevens, the Classic Adelaide car rally, and the Tour Down Under cycling race.

All of the city's major learning and cultural institutions are only a short walk or drive from the heart of Adelaide. Tree-lined North Terrace in the city centre is home to the South Australian Art Gallery, the State Library, the South Australian Museum, Government House and two of SCEI's campuses. Just a stroll from the Botanic Gardens and the banks of the River Torrens, these campuses are in ideal settings for study, entertainment or relaxation.

Adelaide is regarded as the food and wine capital of Australia, with 50 per cent of all Australian win produced here. Many major department stores, shopping centres, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and entertainment facilities are conveniently located within the city and outer suburbs. It is also home to the National Wine Centre and numerous food and wine events. Adelaide has more restaurants per head of population than any other major Australian city, over 70 pubs in the city centre and the largest fresh produce market in the Southern Hemisphere.

Adelaide has a hot Mediterranean climate (Koppen climate classification Csa), which generally means mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Of all the Australian capital cities, Adelaide is the driest. Rainfall is unreliable, light and infrequent throughout summer. The average in January and February is around 20 millimetres (0.8 inches) but completely rainless months are by no means uncommon and in 1893 sixty-nine days passed without measurable rainfall. In contrast, the winter has fairly reliable rainfall with June being the wettest month of the year, averaging around 80 mm.

In the summer, maximum average is 29 °C (84 °F) but there is considerable variation and Adelaide can usually expect around 3 days a year when the daytime temperature is 40 °C or above. In January 1939, the temperature reached 46.1 °C (115.0 °F) twice. From 3 March 2008, Adelaide recorded 15 consecutive days of temperatures over 35 °C, again a record for an Australian capital. In winter from June to August, maximum average is 15–16 °C (59–61 °F) and minimum is usually around 8 °C (46 °F). Frosts are rare, with the most notable occurrences having occurred in July 1908 and July 1982. There is usually no appreciable snowfall in Adelaide, except on rare occasions at Mount Lofty and in some places in the Adelaide Hills.