Sydney's irrepressible command as a city-break destination knows no seasonal bounds. Regardless of the time of year, Australia's leading lady is ready, willing and available to embrace all-comers with its effervescent spirit and cosmopolitan charm.
But I still reckon that the spring months are the most enticing and rewarding time to
pay a visit to the perennial party girl. From October to December the average daily mercury nudges the comfortable mid-20C, and you won't be contending with the seething mass of the high-season summer tourist trade. Before Christmas, the golden sandy blankets of Bondi, Manly and Coogee resemble vast uncluttered playgrounds at your service.
A spring getaway is the ideal opportunity to unleash your inner urban adventurer and dip deeper into the city's daily tempo. Jump on a ferry at Circular Quay for the short 10-minute ride to leafy, historic Balmain. The inner harbour enclave is one of Sydney's oldest suburbs, settled by boatbuilders in the 1830s.
It is where most of Sydney's familiar yellow and green ferries were built. Balmain is now a thriving and artistic suburb, home to some of Australia's best-known writers, actors and musicians. The main thoroughfare of Darling St is an exquisite melange of sandstone cottages and wrought-iron-wreathed villas, natty galleries, boutique stores and historic pubs - be sure to quaff a foaming lager from the sprawling balcony of the London Hotel.
The inner-city suburbs of Newtown and Paddington continue to throb with personality, luring an increasing number of day-trippers.
In Newtown, rub shoulders with the edgy, eccentric and bohemian locals, who have given rise to the cluster of idiosyncratic shops. Paddington's status as an antiques fleshpot is legendary, but in recent years the growing presence of high-end fashion boutiques has spiked Paddington's pulling power.
After some specialised retail therapy, immerse yourself in Paddington's celebrated architecture, which boasts the biggest concentration of Sydney's most beautifully restored Victorian terraces, replete in cast-iron latticework.
Go west from central Sydney, and a 40-minute bus ride from Circular Quay will bring you to the colourful suburb of Leichardt. This traditional bastion of Italian Australians has become more ethnically diverse in recent years, but will always be Sydney's Little Italy. Norton St serves up a zesty smorgasbord of all things Italia. Whether it's pasta smothered in Parmesan, the hiss of espresso machines, a dollop of gelato, or traditional cake shops ... you're in for an epicurean treat. A popular gathering point is the Italian Forum - a modern piazza encircled with alfresco restaurants and stylish boutiques.
TOP TIPS
Kables Restaurant is one of Sydney's legendary dining rooms and is again the talk of the town, after the menu's recent retro makeover. The focus on elevating cuisine "classics" has been an instant hit, and Kables offers a reasonably priced and exciting dining experience. www.fourseasons.com/sydney
The highly acclaimed musical production, Jersey Boys, has just started its season in Sydney. For booking details, go to www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au
Sydney's irrepressible command as a city-break destination knows no seasonal bounds. Regardless of the time of year, Australia's leading lady is ready, willing and available to embrace all-comers with its effervescent spirit and cosmopolitan charm.
But I still reckon that the spring months are the most enticing and rewarding time to
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