I love the nostalgia of the amazing architecture, mixed with very modern shops and lively crowds…read more Spent a good amount of time at one of the craft and artisan made shops, then had some tea at an adorable cafe called Cielo. Even if you do not want to shop, this place is worth a quick walk through to appreciate its old world charm.

Now the Adelaide Arcade is a destination in its own right, did you know that? Not just as a…read moreshopping centre, but as a historic building of interest. I should know, one of my first jobs out of school was working at the Industrial First Aid Service which was upstairs at the Adelaide Arcade where I used to put aspirin into aspirin jars, stick on the labels and place them into First Aid Kits; and need I mention that was in the last century! Yes, well, the actual Arcade itself was built long before that - in fact around about one hundred and fourteen years before I was born in 1885. The history web page will tell you they threw the place up almost as fast as a catwalk model throws up her Christmas dinner, and it has been a destination for the refined shopper ever since. Adelaide has a great deal of old historic buildings but nothing quite like the Adelaide Arcade. It is a rather lovely spot and sort of similar to the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney, if you stretch your imagination just a touch. The difference is that the QVB in Sydney sat idle and filled with the poop of pigeons for decades, while the Adelaide Arcade has been operating since it opened. If you have time you should go up onto the rarely visited first floor and have a look in their little museum, it's a cute little spot with some significant information on show. Free of charge and fine for kids. In fact it's a special spot that you can take the kids and help them feel they've had something special that will cost you nothing. Kids as young as six or seven upwards will enjoy the display as long as you can drum up a little enthusiasm for it yourself. I've taken a couple of pictures of the FREE permanent exhibition for you to appreciate so you know what you are looking for, do check them out. Read up at the 'history' section of their website before you go so you can brag knowledge to the kids (or guests) before going - they'll think you're a star! http://www.adelaidearcade.com.au

Adelaide is blessed with a great market! We stayed two blocks away and so were able to take…read moreadvantage of the great offerings here. You'll get the best of local meat, dairy, seafood, wine and veg with knowledgeable vendors who are super passionate about Aussie goods. We tried Tuckshop for a cheap & delicious snack, Big Table for a filling breaker and grabbed charcuterie, cheese and wine from other stalls for a night in. In addition to local options, one of the cheesemongers had Epoisses which is my very favorite ever!! Don't miss it!

The most amazing market!! Every type of food vendor you can imagine!! From fresh fruits and…read morevegetables, to pastas, meats and seafood to bakeries, sandwiches and so much more!! A foodies heaven!! Can spend hours browsing and eating!!!! Really nice vendors!!!

Definitely stop off here for winter supplies! So many fluffy socks and dressing gowns and hoodies…read moreand fluffy PJ pants - this really is the perfect place to come and prepare for hibernation. (Plus it's right next to Cheap as Chips so you can stock up on junk food and tinned soup too) You will also find some regular "going out in public" kinds of clothes here too. All of it tends to be on the cheaper end of the scale and there are plenty of wardrobe basics such as leggings, track pants, plain socks and T-shirts. But you can also find some really cool stuff that you just wouldn't see anywhere else. As the name suggests, this is not high fashion, and the store reflects that. The venue is underground and very little has been done in the way of decorating. It is not a place for the claustrophobic shopper. However, prices are cheap, there is a lot to choose from and the owners have never judged me for buying 16 pairs of bed socks at once.

City Cross is located in Rundle Mall, with entrances from Gawler Place and Grenfell St also…read more It is a really nice, clean shopping centre with a food court and many cafes and retailers. Upstairs you will find Billy Baxters, a post office and Harvey Norman. I believe there is also a party supplies store but I have never paid much attention to it. You can also access the post office from the escalators leading up from Gawler Place. Downstairs, there are fashion retailers such as Hotline and the popular Bardot. There is also Charlesworth Nuts (yum!) and Boost Juice, among a few eating and drinking options. Daily Bread is really nice, so is Oporto. There is also Indian and Sushi available, as well as your KFC and Hungry Jacks Express. The place has plenty of fresh air and the food court doesn't get stuffy. I won't comment too much on the toilets, however. All I will say is they need to get their act together. On the up side, City Cross has a wide range of stores, making it one of the better places to shop. Just don't go to the toilet.

My primary experience with City Cross, is using the place as a thoroughfare to get from Grenfell…read moreStreet to Rundle Mall and vice versa. City Cross is a big food court flanked by retail outlets. The food varies a bit, but isn't bad overall. The food outlets frequently change hands and theme here, and based on its location (and likely rent), it doesn't surprise me. This changes things up a bit though. One week some place will be doing stir-fry burritos, the next it'll be donuts. I like the layout of the food court as well. You don't feel as if you're packed into a big set of troughs here as levels and options for seating vary from couches to bars. Most of the stores in the complex are the type that benefit most from walk-by traffic. So, people coming in to eat and commuters making their way through have plenty of opportunity to distract themselves and dispose of their cash between bites.

I really like the North Adelaide; it's a clean airy shopping centre that has everything from a gym,…read moreFoodland, fruit and veg grocery, bakery, newsagency, to restaurants and cafes. Although it isn't my local, I am there quite a bit. Located on O'Connell St North Adelaide, it is accessible and convenient. Furthermore, there is onsite parking which is free for the first two hours - and for some reason whenever I park here, whether it's a Tuesday afternoon or a Saturday night, it's never full! It's always busy, but never full. There are always available spots, which is amazing because finding on-street parking during peak times can be a bitch. The place is complete with restrooms and best of all, Outback Jacks is just upstairs! Finally, what I love most about North Adelaide Village is that it's open late (restaurants, Foodland, and cafes) and you can get everything done in just one easy trip!

The North Adelaide Village, just like North Adelaide, is definitely posh-ville. Which I'm not…read moresaying is a bad thing. Because it means there are some really gorgeous boutique style stores available here. I absolutely love walking past the stores here and falling in love with the dresses in the window every time I do. There's some good places to have a coffee and breakfast also. There's a lot of things available here, but I recommend going to look at the beautiful fashion stores!

Walking into a sex shop can be daunting for most people, but this place has a somewhat welcoming…read morevibe about it, and If you do happen to be too scared to walk through the door, there still is plenty of sexy costumes out the front to window shop. There was a huge selection of shoes and sex toys in this super store. My girlfriend went home with a pair of white knee high boots, and matching nurses outfit, and lets just say I give them both 3 thumbs up. A wide selection of DVD's are available categorised for every fetish (I'll let you use your imagination here). The quality is great, but the prices are steep. $50 per DVD or $25 if you trade in. That's a lot for a second hand movie, especially since you don't know where It's been. I give it 4 up the bums!

Huge store with an excellent range, especially clothing, shoes and dvds. The staff were really…read morehelpful too.

This isn't your ordinary "browse and shop" experience. You have to work hard at the Gilles St…read moreMarket, but with a strong investment comes good returns. A pair of unused heels for $20 or scarves for $3.50, a faux fur vest for $20 and more keep me coming back here, plus the Four Seeds brownies and the days when Veggie Velo appear specially to cook me a burger for lunch. I'm not a good shopper at the best of times, but when I get overwhelmed by so many vintage and seconds dresses, wooly jumpers, cheap handmade jewellery and hardly worn shoes I tend to give up quicker than actually buying anything. My tips for the serious shopper? - Go late in the afternoon when the stalls start selling off stuff at $5 to $10 - Don't go with friends, you won't see them and can rarely fit 2 of you walking side by side down the isles - Work out the standard price of things and don't go over. This isn't the place for $55 jumpers when you can get $20-30 ones 3 stalls down. - Bring cash! Very few stalls (if any) have card facilities. Held every fortnight in summer and the once a month in winter, this is a wonderful place to come for a late Sunday afternoon shop and bargain hunt.

Cheap chic! I had…read morenot visited the market for awhile and was delighted that the quality and range appears to be better than ever. With all good intentions of shopping very specifically for a leather bag I managed to walk away with 2 bags, a pair of shoes, a scarf and a skirt. At this point I had to be reminded that I needed to pace myself! A wonderful array of new and used items at very competitive prices are sure to tempt even the fussiest. Why would anyone ever pay full retail? Gilles Street Market in a wonderfully friendly and relaxed environment which reminds us that a retail experience cannot be compared with on-line shopping. Sure there's the thrill of an on-line bargain but can you also get live music, a DJ and scrumptious food as well as friendly service, a bit of bargaining and a unique way to spend a Sunday? I don't think so and I'm obviously not the only one!! The only downer is that there could be more stalls selling to guys. There's an opportunity guys to make some quick cash - invest in a stall and clear out your wardrobes. Or for the enterprising better halves- raid the wardrobe on their behalf and split the cash!!

I used to make a special effort to get to this lovely op shop on the other side of town…read more Now I find their prices match the big commercial op shops so it's not worth bothering. If you live near by you can probably afford to shop there and they do often get quality stuff so it's worth checking out.

Run by Clayton-Wesley Uniting Church , all profits from the op shop goes to the local and…read moreinternational outreach programs. With a chapel-inspired shaped door, this op shop is fantastic with prices and good stock. Rows of wooden racks displaying women's clothing, men's clothing, kids clothing and vintage tops are aplenty. I spotted some pretty evening dress shoes, most going for under $10. Am sure most ladies can relate to how expensive shoes are nowadays. Expect to find lots of Mummy groups here as they dive into kids international brands, such as Pumpkin Patch, Esprit and Gap, all going for great prices. I spotted plenty of vintage furnitures and stunning bric a brac pieces. This has got to be one of the cheapest op shop in the city. Bring a bag or two to stock up at your next visit. Caution: Highly addictive!

Most days you'll find me hanging out in this "mall"…read more I add parentheses because it's not a) lit with fluorescent bulbs b) full of teenagers or c) packed with chain stores. In fact, it's a lovely open air thoroughfare lined with quaint / useful / delicious stuff. First there's the ALL DAY BREAKFAST at Uncle Albert's Cafe (I stand by the all caps excitement); then there's the local Coles, which I actually like and they know us there; then there's coffee and baked goods; gifts; magazines and books; and a travel agent if you want to book an impromptu trip to Paris while on a sugar high. Ahem. Yeah. Nice!

Norwood Mall is located just opposite Cibo's on the parade, right next to Dillon's. First of all,…read moreif you don't find a parking space on the side of the road, there's heaps at the back of Norwood Mall. There's a rather small Coles in here and a random mix of other shops like souvenir and gift shops, chocolate shops, a newsagents, a dry cleaner etc. My favourite place is the greengrocer right at the entrance (when you come to the Parade). They often have great deals and better prices than supermarkets, plus all their fruit and veggies are really fresh. If you continue walking you'll find a great fresh pasta shop on your left, followed by a nice little gift shop that sells things like candles, soaps, cards etc. Another tip is the newsagents in the middle of Norwood Mall; they usually have a large table outside with heaps of books that are hugely discounted. Worth having a look at!

This is my kind of shopping! Round She Goes offers a big bunch of cool stalls of thrifty…read moreawesomeness. Majority of the clothing and accessory items are super high quality finds. This is thrift gold! Sparkly shiny gold! Round she Goes stall holders have a lot of designer labels on their racks. But also some home made beauties. You will find everything from shoes, jewellery, handbags, hats, roller skates to vintage kimonos. After rummaging through some stock, I came across some super cool Oneteasppon shorts, some Evil Twin dresses and a pair of Mink Pink rose jeans! I only spent around $50 for all of that! Yeehaa! If you are coming to this event, be sure to get there early. You need to beat the crowds to get the good stuff. Remember, when it comes to vintage gear, there is only one of each item. But, there is definitely plenty of gear for everyone! This is also a great opportunity for lovers of fashion to sell some unwanted clothing. You can apply to be a market stallholder via the website. I am actually thinking of holding a stall next time! With only a $2 entry fee to pay for entry, you can save big bucks on designer pre-loved gear. Love this market so very much!

This is a beautifully presented and organised treasure trove of vintage and handmade goodies. I was…read moremore than happy to part with my money for some of the lovely vintage bits I found today.