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Longitude 131

Australia,Uluru

"A luxury retrest and desert camp all in one; this is remote, rustic chic at its very finest."

From GBP 550.00 Read review

The Lyall

Australia,Melbourne

"A chic and comfortable boutique hotel with private, homey feel and a soothing neutral palette in trendy South Yarra."

From AUD 446 Read review

Australasia > Australia > New South Wales > Sydney > Articles > Why Go To Sydney?

Why Go To Sydney?

by Mark McCrum

Because it’s still (just) a little slice of laid-back paradise. Sydney's focus is of course the famous harbour, on the subject of which even the most level-headed writers lapse into breathless cliché

The Hatton Hotel

Australia,Melbourne

"This century-old Italian mansion in South Yarra now houses an intimate, 20-roomed boutique suite hotel with a relaxed vibe."

From AUD 350 Read review

Ravesi's

Sydney,Bondi Beach

"A trendy boutique hotel right on Bondi Beach - Ravesi's has surfer chic by the bucket and a loyal, beautiful clientele base to prove it."

From AUD 295 Read review

Thala Beach Lodge

Australia,Port Douglas

"Enjoy fine sunsets and lazy days on the beach at this isolated luxury resort in Queensland's Port Douglas."

From AUD 335.00 Read review

Because it’s still (just) a little slice of laid-back paradise. Sydney's focus is of course the famous harbour, on the subject of which even the most level-headed writers lapse into breathless cliché. But who can do justice to this gorgeous Antipodean fjord, whose myriad bays and inlets invite you to stay, marry a callipygous local (there are plenty to choose from) make a fortune and buy yourself a house with a garden running down to a city-centre private mooring. For those already committed, or just on a visit, the ferry ride from Circular Quay to Manly is a reasonable substitute.

Variation on…

If you grow tired of loafing from brunch to beach to bar, jump in a car and drive for days on empty roads in any direction. Take your pick from unspoilt coastline, hazy eucalypts in the Blue Mountains, or the harsh heat of the outback beyond, which will have you whimpering back to base in no time …

Come for…

The food, which as in the rest of coastal Australia, has been transformed by the skills of immigrants from Italy to Japan, cross-bred, and become mouthwateringly original …
The laid-back atmosphere, which reveals why ‘she’ll be right’, ‘no worries’ and ‘snot a problem’ are genuine national catchphrases.

For the most concentrated experience…

Walk down to the water’s edge in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Have an exotic sandwich at the kiosk on Macquarie Street.
Take the train to Cabramatta, where the Asian ‘New Australians’ have made their own Chinatown.
See how European Art movements influenced colonials but not Aboriginals at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on the Domain.
Walk round the headland from over-hyped Bondi to far prettier Mackenzie’s Bay or Tamarama.
Observe or enjoy the biggest public gay scene outside of San Francisco in Darlinghurst or Oxford St.

Watch out for…