WHATEVER YOU DO, THERE’S A VIEW
BEACH BREAKFAST
Any of the cafés on Bronte Road just in front of Bronte Beach offer an excellent brekkie. To eat like a local, go for a smashed avocado on toast or banana bread with a flat white (Sydneysiders are obsessed with good coffee). Pick a table on the pavement for a front-row seat to all the action.
WALK WITH A VIEW
The cliffside path winding from Bronte to Bondi Beach is 2.5km of sheer magnificence — you may even spot a whale, depending on the time of year. For the most part it is pretty easy but there are a few steep staircases.
EXPLORE BONDI
Cool off after your walk with a dip off one of the world’s most famous beaches. Make sure you swim “between the flags”, which is also the name of a beachwear shop, where you can stock up on Bondi-inspired gifts for the folks back home. Take some time to hang out in the area: it has a great atmosphere. Walk the beach promenade and check out the graffiti wall, then make your way to the main road for a mid-morning treat. For ice cream, Anita on Campbell Parade is relatively new yet already an institution, or head up Hall Street to Gelato Messina. For coffee, a snack and some cool, Gertrude & Alice café bookstore is the spot.
BUS RIDE WITH A VIEW
Hop on the 324, 325 or 380 bus heading north towards Watsons Bay for lunch. Ogle the multimillion-dollar homes en route and pay attention as the bus makes its descent into the bay for a glimpse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the entrance to the harbour.
LUNCH WITH A VIEW
Check out the 360-degree view that takes in the ocean, harbour, bridge and city from The Gap lookout, then head to the ferry wharf for lunch at Doyles takeaway. The big variety of seafood options average $20, but their signature Fish and Chips for $16 will fill you up nicely. Take a seat and be hypnotised as you watch the docked boats swaying and the ferries rolling in and out.
doyles.com.au
Nadine Tuback walks you through one helluva g’day in gorgeous Sydney
COMMUTE WITH A VIEW
Many Sydneysiders who work in the city catch a ferry into the office. Make sure you find a seat on the top deck for the best view as you sail past harbour beaches and islands, and especially as you reach Circular Quay, which sits bang in the middle of the bridge and the white sails of the Sydney Opera House.
HANG OUT IN THE CITY
The atmosphere in the CBD is fantastic. You could spend a whole day just in the area around the quay. The Botanical Gardens are next to the Opera House and on the bridge side is The Rocks, a historical neighbourhood with charming pubs, shops, an open-air market, the Museum of Contemporary Art (free entry) and upscale restaurants.
therocks.com
GO SHOPPING
You can find anything in the CBD — from cheap to costly, chain stores to luxury brands, and from global names to local designers. The pedestrian Pitt Street Mall is in the centre of the city, with shopping arcades, a Westfield mall and department stores to explore. And it’s just a short walk to the iconic Queen Victoria Building with its historical facade and modern interior, also filled with restaurants and shops.
Pittstreetmall.com.au qvb.com.au
FUN WITH A VIEW
End the day at Darling Harbour. You may even want to head there a little earlier to catch some of the attractions (Madame Tussauds, Aquarium, Wild Life Zoo, Maritime Museum) before they close by 6pm. After dark, it has twinkling harbour and city views for a vibey night out at the restaurants and bars. My dinner suggestion would be Betty’s Burgers, finished off with one of their famous Concretes (custard ice-cream).
darlingharbour.com
DRINKS WITH A VIEW
End the day in a rooftop bar overlooking the harbour, lit up by the surrounding lights of the CBD. The Glenmore Hotel in The Rocks was there before the bridge even and straddles history and modernity so brilliantly, it is the perfect place for evening drinks surrounded by locals having a great time.
theglenmore.com.au