Swan Valley - sublime and beautiful...
Located only 25 minutes east of Perth, the Swan Valley is Western Australia's oldest and most visited wine growing region.
It is a valley laced with ribbons of vineyards and is home to over 150 places to wine and dine - including award-winning wineries and restaurants, microbreweries and distilleries. It is also home to roadside stalls selling fresh local produce, historical architecture, art and craft galleries and studios.
Yummy ideas...
- Explore the 32km Food and Wine Trail - be sure to try the Verdelho, Shiraz and fortified wines - you'll find them at wineries throughout the region.
- Watch out for free tastings of local preserves dried fruit and nuts.
- Take a boat cruise from Perth City along the Swan River to the Swan Valley.
- Pick up a free Guildford Heritage Walk Trail brochure from the visitor centre detailing the town's 4 heritage walk trails.
- Take a wander around Guildford's historic shopping precincts - Swan St/Terrace Rd and James St.
- Stay a little a longer and let one of the many accommodation venues look after you in style.
- Over 20 operators offer a range of tours - a free tour booking service is available at the Visitor Centre.
- Visit the many art and craft galleries and artist's studios.
- Enjoy the great outdoors on the Cycle Trails.
Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail
One way to enjoy the best of the region is to embark on the award-winning 32km Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail. The loop trail is well signposted and takes you past more than 40 wineries, boutique breweries, restaurants, cafes and roadside stalls and leads you through the outstanding array of galleries and heritage sites.
The Swan Valley Visitor Centre in Guildford is your one stop shop for everything in and around the Swan Valley. You can get expert advise on how best to explore the area and pick up some free maps at the same time.
There's also an impressive gift shop to enable you to take a piece of the region home with you. The Visitor Centre's well crafted displays allow you to take an informative look into the history of the area settled in 1828.
Wine and beer tasting
The chances of you wanting to sample some, or indeed all of the area's wines are quite high and a great option is to join a wine tasting tour where you will be transported from winery to winery and not have to concern yourself about who will do the driving. Alternatively, you can take a wine cruise from the city on the Swan River, after which the valley is named.
Beerlovers will be delighted to know that there is more to the region than just wine. The Swan Valley has five boutique beer outlets, including several micro breweries offering a wide selection of more than 20 varieties of beer to tempt the palate and two German-style cafes serving their own brews with hearty, beerfriendly fare.
Food and produce
The Swan Valley is also renowned for its mouth watering food, and with good reason. Today there are more than 70 restaurants and cafes in the valley, along with companies making fresh nougat, chocolate, ice cream and honey on the premises.
If time allows, spend a few days discovering this stunning region and stay locally at one of the many accommodation choices. There is something to suit all tastes and budgets from five-star resorts, caravan parks, farm stays or chic boutique guesthouses.
With plenty of wide open space for picnicking, cycle trails and self-guided walk trails the valley is also ideal for families and many of the region’s wineries and cafes offer safe areas for children to play, as well as the wildlife park and nature activities to explore in the area.
Historic Guildford
The nearby historical village of Guildford with its collection of antique shops, cafes and pristine examples of European settlement buildings dating back to the 1830s, is the gateway to the Swan Valley and is well worth visiting.
Guildford was the first permanent community to emerge from the Swan River Colony’s settlement of the area and is the only town in Perth classified by the National Trust.
Pastimes include picnicking by the river, exploring the antique shops, enjoying a pint in an historical pub or a delicious Devonshire tea at one of the many cafes that line James Street, the main thoroughfare.
Explore further...
Spend a few days discovering this stunning region and stay locally at one of the many accommodation choices with something to suit all tastes and budgets. Find out more
The Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail will take you past more than 40 wineries, boutique breweries, restaurants and cafes and lead you through an array of galleries and heritage sites. Find out more
One of the best ways to explore Perth's Valley of Taste is by tour. Choose from a range of land and cruise options including wine tasting, lunch, coffee tasting and more. Find out more