Balmain

Once a tough working class suburb on the city fringe. The area has transformed into a bustling, stylish suburb retaining village charm with great shops, delicattessens, patisseries, cafes and restaurants. Visit Balmain markets held every Saturday in the grounds of St. Andrew’s Church, corner of Darling and Curtis Streets. Balmain is famous for beautifully restored stone and timber cottages, old pubs with regular live music and contemporary art galleries. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay for stunning views of the city.

Bondi Beach

Australia’s world famous beach and has a character all of it’s own. Bondi is a trendy suburb with a focus on the sand n surf lifestyle it embodies. Easy to get to, Bondi is the closest beach to the city and has popular cafes, restaurants plus good pubs with ‘pumpin’ nightlife’. Bondi is a popular base for backpackers wanting beach culture or good surfing on their doorstep. Bondi Markets are held every Sunday at the Public School on Campbell Parade and are great for ‘second hand’ shopping and people spotting. Bondi Pavilion holds numerous festivals, dance parties and exhibitions year round. Historical Bondi Icebergs is a great place to grab a pint, get to know the locals and enjoy the picturesque beach outlook.

Coogee

Via Bronte with fantastic views, popular beaches, good snorkelling spots and vibrant cafes or pubs along the cliff top walk. ?Coogee is a lively beach suburb with a village atmosphere. A popular backpacker haven known to the Irish as “County Coogee” with a vibrant nightlife including regular live bands and a popular dance music scene. Coogee Bay Road has many good cafes and restaurants for all tastes plus the famous Coogee Bay Hotel. The beach is known as a safe swimming beach and the protected Wiley’s Baths, at the southern end, are great for those who don’t want to tackle the big waves of other Sydney beaches.

Darling Harbour

Experience some of Sydney’s best outdoor and waterfront bars, restaurants and nightclubs at Harbourside, Cockle Bay Wharf and King Street Wharf. Daylight activities include Sydney Aquarium, Australian National Maritime Museum, Powerhouse Museum, IMAX Theatre and the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Shoppers can find quality Australiana and surf wear plus countless fashion, jewellery and souvenir shops.

Darlinghurst

At the city end of Oxford Street is the hub of Sydney’s gay and lesbian community. The area is a thriving 24 hour non stop place to be seen with glamourous shops, cafes, bars and nightclubs. The flamboyant atmosphere is attributed to the gay and lesbian community and local nightlife is popular for people from all walks of life. The world famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade passes along Oxford Street and year round the gay and lesbian community holds regular vibrant and vocal festivities, events and parties.

Glebe

An inner city suburb, walking distance from the city with an element of grunge and a large student population from the nearby University of Sydney. Glebe markets are a ‘must do’ for backpackers with a treasure trove of bargains including great clothing, jewellery and vinyl. The markets are every Saturday at Glebe Public School and the area has good pubs, restaurants and cafes for all price ranges. Glebe offers backpackers laid back inner city living and is characterised by it’s terrace houses with Sydney wrought iron ‘lace’. The famous Valhalla Cinema is a great place to catch the latest independent films in a 1937 art deco cinema.

Home to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games site, Sydney Olympic Park. Sydney Olympic Park is 14 kilometres west of the city covering 760 hectares including parklands, picnic areas, restaurants and bars. Allow a day to tour Telstra Stadium, Sydney Aquatic Centre, Bicentennial Park, State Sports Centre, Sydney International Tennis Centre and the Sydney SuperDome. The Tennis Centre courts are available to the public or enjoy a swim in the world class Aquatic Centre pools. Contact the Olympic Park Visitor Centre for venue tour information. Travel to Olympic Park by train or RiverCat from the city.

Haymarket

Chinatown, is a bustling district filled with good restaurants, cheap food courts and interesting asian shops. Chinatown is a cultural melting pot of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Japanese with local pubs and restaurants staying open until after midnight. One highlight is the traditional lunch time Yum Cha served daily at most Chinese restaurants. Paddy’s Market and Haymarket shopping centre are a shopper’s paradise or film buffs can catch latest release movies at the cinema.

Kings Cross

Known as ‘The Cross’ is a mosaic of bars, clubs, cafes, restaurants and bargains. It’s an old favourite for locals and travellers with 24 hour drinking bars and the usual Red Light District haunts. A bohemian atmosphere, many backpackers end up staying a few days or experience the local nightlife at least once. Kings Cross is a great place to buy or sell a car at the government licensed car market on Ward Avenue.

Manly

Popular North Shore beach suburb for backpackers who don’t want to live in the thick of the city. Manly has less crowded swimming and surf beaches plus it offers some good snorkelling and diving spots. The atmosphere of ‘laid back, no nonsense beach culture’, the trendy surf shops, good seaside cafes, restaurants and bars add to the holiday resort feel. Manly is a half hour ferry ride from the city and the journey is regarded as one of Sydney’s most scenic routes. Manly’s Jazz Festival, is internationally famous and local nightlife includes regular live music. A great 10 kilometre walk starts in Manly and follows the harbourside round to Spit Bridge. Take your swimmers, water and camera to make the most of this scenic adventure. For more information on Manly.

Newtown

An ‘alternative’ suburb with an interesting mix of inner city subcultures from grunge to gay and young professionals. Close to the University of Sydney a student scene adds to the atmosphere. Local nightlife includes glittery drag shows or live music in friendly working class pub and local cocktail bars are stylish but no nonsense. Newtown is famous for its shopping scene with anything from pre loved collectables, jewellery, tribal art, recycled fashion to fetish fashion and bookstores on Kings Street and Enmore Road. Local shopping is affordable and fun with plenty of cafes and restaurants to suit the budget.

Palm Beach

Sydney’s northernmost suburb nestled on a peninsular surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Pittwater. The area is stunning with the calm sailing paradise of Pittwater and the lush bushland of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park backdrop. The area offers sailing, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, bushwalking and good swimming beaches. It’s a great day trip from the city and, time permitting, the Aboriginal Rock Art and West Head Look Out in the national park are a ‘must do’. Palm Beach is home to another attraction, ‘Summer Bay’ out of the famous ‘Home & Away’ TV soap. For more information on Palm Beach.

The Rocks

Sydney’s oldest quarter is rich in colonial history and colour with historic buildings, art galleries, museums and live entertainment. Enjoy some of Sydney’s best shopping, pubs and dinning. Purchase a self guide Rocks walking tour brochure from the Sydney Visitor Centre to really discover the Rocks and learn some Australian settlement history. The Rocks Markets are open weekends on George Street offering affordable arts and an eclectic range of craft, jewellery and gifts. Situated 106 George Street, The Rocks. The Sydney Visitor Centre is open daily and provides comprehensive information on Sydney and regional NSW. Find out what’s happening, what to do, where and when to do it. A comprehensive range of maps and guide books is also available.?

Watson’s Bay

A magnet for Sydneysiders and tourists with secluded, pristine harbour beaches and picnic spots offering stunning city and harbour views. The famed Doyle’s seafood restaurant is on the waters edge or you may prefer fish and chips at the ‘chippery’. Watsons Bay has a popular harbourside walk highlighting quaint old fishing cottages, palatial homes, parklands, beaches and stunning views from the clifftop of South Head. You can start the walk at Macquarie Lighthouse and follow it round to explore one of Sydney’s most desirable suburbs.