Planning the Perfect Day in Sydney
The Sydney Harbour Bridge. Circular Quay. Chinatown. And.. making a rug? Let me know you an awesome day out in beautiful Sydney!
From breakfast with a view to making your own souvenirs, let us show you how to plan the perfect day out in Sydney Australia!
Loulou Boulangerie, Milsons Point
We highly recommend starting your day in Sydney just slightly north of the bridge, in beautiful Milsons Point. This suburb may have been made famous for the giant smiling face of Luna Park perched on the water’s edge, but there is much more to discover in this tranquil pocket just a stones throw from the iconic Sydney Harbour.
Loulou Boulangerie is one of the many culinary gems hidden just over the edge of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Stepping into this shop, the sights and smells can easily have you thinking you’ve stopped for a bite to eat along Rue St Dominique. Whether you’re after a hearty croque monsieur to fuel your morning, or just a little sweet treat to accompany your coffee, nothing will let you down from the cabinets of fabulous pastries in Loulou.
Wendy’s Secret Garden, Milsons Point
Just a short stroll down the road from Loulou Boulangerie is the stunning oasis known as Wendy’s Secret Garden.
Named after Wendy Whitely, wife of famous Australian Brett Whitely, this green oasis was crafted by Wendy herself in the wake of her husband’s passing. These days it remains as a public garden, with twisting and turning paths carving through the many different plant species within.
Tables, chairs and even little huts are dotted around the garden, so grab yourself some coffee and food and find yourself a tranquil little spot in Wendy’s Secret Garden to soak in the sunshine.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Perhaps the most obvious plan I’ve ever implemented, but you simply can not visit Sydney without taking a stroll across the iconic bridge.
After enjoying a relaxing breakfast northside, I recommend opting for the slow route back to Circular Quay. The east side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is wonderfully pedestrianised, so you can soak in the harbour views from up high as the glorious Sydney sun shines down. The walk takes about 10-15 minutes depending on your pace, and plonks you out right into one of Sydney’s best pockets, the Rocks. From here, a gentle walk around the edge of Circular Quay brings you the historical edge before the scenery opens up to a true tourist mecca.
Opera Bar, Circular Quay
Again, yes, this is very obvious. And painfully touristy. I don’t recommend necessarily adding Opera Bar to your Sydney itinerary unless you like inflate booze prices and crowds. HOWEVER, if, like us, you find yourself in the area with some time to kill, this is easily the best way to pass the time. With a view like that, it could certainly be worse.
Midden by Mark Olive, Circular Quay
Sitting on the ground floor of the stunning Opera House is Midden by Mark Olive.
A surprisingly generous express lunch menu - $45 for 2 dishes + an alcohol drink at the time of filming - will satisfy the tastebuds as much as the view satisfies the old peepers. Just make sure you note on your booking that you’d like a table with a view. Trust me, it is worth the guarantee.
Tutu Tufting Studio, Haymarket
Never heard of tufting? Neither had Benny! This studio was the perfect introduction to an exciting hobby.
This activity was a little left of centre for a day out in Sydney. But sometimes, the least expected experiences yield the best results. In this case, we were indeed very happy with the final result of our Penrith Panthers rug, painstakingly tufted over 3 hours in honour of our favourite team. Want to see the finished product? You’ll just have to watch until the end of the episode…
Chinatown Night Markets, Haymarket
Haymarket is undeniably one of the greatest nightlife hotspots in Sydney
Every week, Sydneysiders are graciously gifted with the Chinatown Friday Night Food Markets. The streets come alive with food vendors selling all kinds of delicious Chinese fare, a vibrant addition to the countless restaurants that are available during the rest of the week.
You can get adventurous here, or stick to the old faithfuls as we did.
I don’t think it is physically possible for me to go past Xiao Long Bao or BBQ Pork Buns on a menu. As we sat in the gutter of Haymarket, hungry locals and tourists jostling about us to find their own feed, I was genuinely surprised by just how fantastic these were - then again, they keep people coming back every week, so it make sense.
Bonus Stop: Emperor’s Cream Puffs
If you’ve ever visited Sydney’s Chinatown, you already know all about this.
Call it a Sydney icon. Call it an institution. Call it an unmissable culinary experience. Whatever you call it, just pop one of these delicious custard-filled dough balls in my mouth while you do it. This hole-in-the-wall vendor has been freshly baking and bagging these molten sugar bombs since the 1970s and they show no sign of slowing down. And thank goodness, because I think the people of Sydney would riot if they ever left. I know I sure would.
