Sydney is a city that knows how to live well—from sun-drenched beaches and waterfront escapes to hidden cafés, bustling markets, and vibrant dining spots. Whether you’re eating, drinking, shopping, or simply soaking in the views, the city offers a mix of experiences that feel effortlessly local. This guide highlights the best places to stay, eat, unwind, and explore in Sydney.
Where To Stay
A quintessential Sydney experience—and the one place I insist friends visit if they only have a single day in town—Watson’s Bay Hotel blends waterfront charm with a relaxed, sun-drenched atmosphere. Arrive in style by ferry from Circular Quay, then while away the afternoon over buckets of tiger prawns, gooey pizzas, and spicy margaritas as sailboats slip across the harbour. Time your visit for golden hour: few spots capture Sydney’s pastel sunset palette quite as beautifully as this beloved institution.
Sydney’s most extravagant stay, Crown Towers is where sleek architecture, marble-drenched interiors, and cinematic harbour views collide. The rooms offer floor-to-ceiling vistas that feel almost surreal—particularly at dawn, when the city is washed in that early morning glow. Be sure to carve out a few indulgent hours at the infinity pool, suspended high above the skyline, ideally with a sunset cocktail (or two) in hand.
Manly Pacific blends coastal luxury with the slightly scrappy surf-town charm that Manly is known and loved for, offering bright, breezy rooms that look straight onto the golden arc of Manly Beach. Don’t miss the rooftop pool or the morning walk to Shelly Beach—a route locals flock to in their droves for its fresh air and ocean views. And the onsite restaurant, Cibiria, is hands down one of the best Italians in Sydney; the squid ink spaghetti aglio e olio is a must-try.
Where To Eat
A staple of Sydney’s dining scene, Totti’s is loved by locals for its wood-fired flatbread, creamy burrata, and droolworthy line-up of antipasti that arrive on the table like edible art. The sunlit courtyard, draped in greenery, gives off that long, lazy Mediterranean vibe we all fantasise about while on holiday.
Morena, set within the historic GPO Building in Martin Place, is Executive Chef Alejandro Saravia’s elevated ode to the depth and diversity of Latin American cuisine (full disclosure: he’s a friend, but I swear I’m not biased). The menu draws on flavours from Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and beyond, all delivered with the warmth and generosity that defines the region. It’s one of my favourite spots in Sydney for a weekday lunch or a romantic dinner.
Arguably the most decadent dining experience in Sydney, Catalina delivers a glittering waterfront setting in the boujie enclave of Rose Bay, paired with a meticulously crafted menu featuring dishes like island scallops and Moreton Bay bug lasagne. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the harbour in all its shimmering splendour. The showstopper, though, is the roaming drinks trolley, where bellinis are whipped up tableside with theatrical flourish.
Where To Relax and Unwind
Nielsen Park is a serene spot that fuses calm water, heritage pavilions, and sweeping harbour vistas. It’s a perfect spot for leisurely swims, while the surrounding coastal trails offer a glimpse into Sydney’s quieter side. It’s the kind of place locals return to for its understated beauty—and it’s mercifully far from the well-trodden tourist trail.
No trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to Bondi Icebergs—said to be the world’s most photographed swimming pool and a firm favourite for capturing that iconic wave-splashed shot that you’ve probably already seen on Instagram. Open year-round, the pool offers an unforgettable swim as the ocean crashes theatrically against its edges. Post-dip, warm up in the timber sauna or head to the café for an iced coffee with unbeatable views of Bondi’s vistas.
Tucked around the headland from Manly, Shelly Beach is a sheltered marine reserve known for its gin-clear water and sea life. Snorkellers will find everything from blue gropers to schools of dart weaving through the shallows. Settle in with an Aperol Spritz at beachfront eatery The Boathouse and enjoy one of Sydney’s most picturesque pockets.
Where To Shop
This gorgeous boutique in leafy Hunters Hill is a treasure trove of curated homewares, French linen and vintage finds. There’s always something new to covet—most recently, a range of soft furnishings freshly arrived from Paris. Just be warned: you may walk in for a browse and walk out with a $365 cushion, as I once did.
A Sydney Debate
A common criticism of Sydney is that it floats along in its own sun-soaked bubble—so pristine and easy that it can feel a little removed from the rest of the world. I’ll admit there’s truth to that: life here is so safe and beautiful that it sometimes lacks the grit and cultural friction of bigger global cities. But that very bubble—clean air, swimmable beaches, and an almost cinematic sense of safety—is part of what makes it such a great place to call home. After a decade here, I’ve never so much as had my phone stolen (and yes, I leave it on the beach when I swim), I often forget to lock my apartment, and you can wander around in a bikini without being harassed. If it’s a bubble, it’s a pretty blissful one.
The best bookshop in town?
Ampsersand in Paddington: it’s a sprawling three-story café–bookstore hybrid, that—despite its scale—still manages to be cosy. There are endless shelves of well-loved titles that wrap around tables of excellent coffee and even better people-watching. It’s the kind of place you wander into for a flat white and end up staying for an afternoon, lost in a book you had no intention of buying.
The best place to read a book on a Sunday afternoon?
The stretch of sand beside the Bronte Bogey Hole—tucked at the southern end of Bronte Beach, just beyond the rock pool—is hands-down my favourite place to read, whatever the day. I’ve spent countless hours here with my nose in a book, alternating between slathering on factor 50 and slipping into the shimmering ocean to cool off. It’s Sydney at its most blissfull.
What spot attracts your favorite kind of weirdo?
The Bondi to Bronte coastal walk attracts the wellness weirdos we all secretly love to hate—the ones pumping weights as they power walk, practising barefoot grounding, or doing their sunrise manifestation meditation as the sun lifts over the horizon.
What place enables your worst decisions—and when were you last there?
The Royal on Bondi Road. It’s a place known for its sticky floors and syrupy drinks, and is always packed with people desperately clinging to the night’s fading embers. The last time I was there was when my friend Will visited from Byron a couple of months ago—naturally, we went for just the one drink, which is the biggest lie The Royal inspires. I’m fairly certain that most questionable decisions made in Bondi can trace their origins back to that bar.
Where do you secretly wish you could ban one very specific type of customer?
Oh, easily the influencers who treat Bondi Icebergs like their personal photo studio. Tripod in hand, perfecting the same over-the-shoulder glance while swimmers politely try to navigate around them. I adore Icebergs, but sometimes I wish everyone had to hand in their phones at the door so the only thing being captured was the view—not yet another slow-mo hair flick.
Sydney, Australia
