Quaint and picturesque are good words to describe Harndorf. Imagine a little old town in rural Germany, big trees lining the roads, stone cottage style shops lining the main Street, the smell of something delicious in the air and a real sense of community. It truly feels like you have stepped out of Australia in the 2000's into Germany 1930.
Harndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement in Australia and it's tucked away in the beautiful Adelaide hills. We were lucky enough to stumble across it buy mistake, you on the other hand, should defiantly go there intentionally and take some time to enjoy it.
Our last large trip exploring Australia we had some fairly major and frustrating engine troubles slowing us down. Isaac spent days under the car in caravan parks with the engine in 10,000 pieces "nutting-it-out" (see what i did there). He's pretty apt with mechanics particularly our troopy, but this had him and several mechanics (and engine specialists by phone) stumped.
At the very real possibility of having to put a new engine in it, we decided it was time to get her into a workshop with a hoist and a better selection of tools. The closest town that could help us and provide accommodation was... you guessed it, Hahndorf.
We spent a bit over a week enjoying our surprisingly pleasant turn of events and we have listed some of the highlights for you.
FOOD
If you like food (I hope everyone) you are in luck. We ate and drank a lot of good food and wine while we were here. There are several cafes and restaurants and we did not eat at one with bad food. There is a very delicious ice creamery and even a lollie shop. Some of our must test recommendations you can’t leave of your list
Chocolate @ no. 5
This artisan Chocolaterie and Wafflerie cafe is a dream come true. Here you can buy truffles and pralines to take home (or just eat so soon as you get them), stop to have a coffee or hot chocolate or get the most decadent deserts to really treat yourself. Seriously people, Belgin waffles and hot chocolate is a must.
The German Pantry
This small shop is all things German. It is a delicatessen but also sells many other goods. If you are looking to have a picnic this is the place to go for authentic meats and spreads and will be able to put together a yummy gourmet lunch. Even if you are not looking to buy, this shop is fun to just have a look at all the different foods and products. Something to note is that they do not allow any photos in the shop, and they do get quite upset if you ignore this shop rule.
Taste in Hahndorf
After you have gotten your meats in The German Pantry, head over to the East in Hahndorf. With some of the finest gourmet foods from around Australia your picnic will really be quite decadent. Here you can get pates, oils, chutneys, cheeses, chocolate and so much more. This store is also interesting just for a look around and see all the awesome food that our country produces.
Hahndorf sweets
Hahndorf Sweets is an 'old-fashioned' sweet shop, complete with old posters on the walls to take you back in time. It is full of hand made local treats, old lollies you don’t often see anymore and an array of international treats to try something new. It is easy to stay exploring this shop for a long time, and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We really enjoyed this shop, and spent a long time picking what sweets we were going to indulge in.
The German Arms Hotel
I don’t want to say I left the best for last...but, I did! This icon of a pub was our favourite place to eat. It was first established in 1839 and is still going strong today. It has a large array of local and German beers, pub grub and a great atmosphere. The German Arms really is a must and you would be missing out if you did not a least get a beer there. The meals are a mix of traditional German to Australian pub classics, and the sizes are very generous. We are talking an array of schnitzels, hamburgers, kranskies, ribs, pork, pretzels and so much more. The atmosphere is fun and feels like you have stepped out of Australia for an hour of so, and to top it all off you can even get hot apple strudel for desert. We went here a few times, each time got something different, and each time loved it. One thing to note is It was quite popular, and we where not visiting in peak season. So I could imagine it could be challenging to get a table if you didn't book ahead... sooo worth it!
SHOPS
Now I know a lot of you will go, oh come on, I don’t travel to go shopping, but if that's you, there are some shops in this town you won’t want to miss. It is fully of quirky and bazar shops you would not have seen anywhere else in Australia, and it is worth an explore.
The Leather-smith and Bush Gallery
This unique fixture on Main Street has been there for over 30 years, but this is not your usual leather boutique. Yes they do sell the bags, wallets, hats and the like, but it is a treasure trove of interesting and unique hand made items. There is a large fireplace and they welcome you with a glass of port. They are crazy friendly and will have a chat about what they make. I feel like you could go into this store every day and find something you didn’t see the day before. Walk up and down the paths and see the wacky, wonderful and truly beautiful creations.
Clocks, collectibles and German gifts
I won’t say just one shop because there are a few that we could recommend, walk down the street and you will see them. Shops full of strange and traditional clocks, cuckoo clocks of all shapes and sizes, wall clocks, grandfather clocks, you name it and they have it and they are beautifully made. Shops full of wooden candle carousels, hand made and delicate they are amazing to watch spin. You can also find traditional hand made nut crackers, wooden carved music boxes and many other weird and wonderful finds. They are fun shops to explore and see the different and unique products on offer.
Fairies in your garden
This shop is a delight, and if you have kids they will love it (big kids will love it too). It really is catered to building fairy gardens in your own garden. If you are creative and have a good imagination this is the shop for you. They have an outdoor garden to walk through and an indoor section and it will bring the inner-child out in anyone looking around. Little fairy buildings, gnomes, butterflies, fairy doors and bright mushroom seats, this shop is a little ones dream. Quirky and interesting this shop is just fun to look around even if you have no intention to start your own fairy garden.
Even though this town was not apart of our travel plans, we are so glad that we ended up here! I would suggest if you are in the area spend at least a day here, have a picnic and enjoy stepping out of Australia for a day.
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