Obligatory Opera House shot -- ain't she a beaut?!
This is quite bittersweet -- the last of my travel diary posts from our adventure down under. As mentioned in my previous recaps for New Zealand (here and here, if you're just joining us now), we headed over to Australia for the last leg of our trip hoping to unwind and decompress a bit after non-stop travel and high-adrenaline adventure. And Sydney did just the trick for us! While our stay was on the short side, we couldn't have asked for a better city to relax, drink, eat and generally enjoy each other in -- and definitely plan on visiting again very, very soon! Sydney, you haven't seen the last of us, yet!
We rushed to the Opera House on our first night in town -- how unreal is the inside architecture?
The Queen Victoria Building -- by far the best looking shopping mall I've ever seen.
A meat sampler for two at Otto in Woolloomooloo // Our cozy living room nook at the Establishment hotel
Soaking in every last bit of Bondi Beach.
Hazelnut gelato from Messina -- seriously craving this right about now! // While bouncing around on this trip, I acquired a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on how you look at it) amount of New Zealand and Aussie glossies. In total, I probably came home with around 15. Sorry, not sorry! 🙂
Loved the atmosphere and decor at Iceberg's in Bondi.
Take me back! Take me back!
Enjoyed a little retail therapy during an afternoon rainstorm. I had to pry myself away from the Josh Goot boutique. // Stopped by the Zambesi showroom (more to come on that later this week!).
While staying out at Bondi Beach, we fell in love with all the local coffee shops. There's something to be said about NOT seeing a Starbucks for two weeks. Sensory Lab was one of our favorites and I may have tried to steal these copper chairs of theirs. // A Dion Lee dress that found its way home with me. I was also tempted to purchase a gorgeous pair of pink shorts. However, did you know that according to an old Victorian law, it is against the law to wear pink shorts after 12pm on a Sunday in Australia? Who would have thought that a pair of shorts could be illegal? There are so many peculiar laws that seem to have stood the test of time here in Australia. Check out this guide to some of the most unusual Australian laws on the Ly Lawyers website for more. I can almost guarantee you will be surprised!
Just experiencing a #pinchme moment. Don't mind me.
What to do:
Since we only had about four full days in Sydney, we wanted to knock out as many of the must-sees as possible. Right after touching down in town, we headed straight to our hotel to freshen up (and so Dan could iron his suit) and walked over to the Sydney Opera House. We saw the symphony perform and I still can't get over how magical the whole evening felt! From watching the sunset over the water to grabbing drinks later that night at the opera house bar, I have to say it was one of my favorite evenings of the whole trip. Hands down. Of course, I've arguably said that about a lot of our experiences, but I really mean it for this one. 🙂
For our next full day, and I hesitate before admitting this, we signed up for the "Hop on, hop off" sightseeing bus tours. Now before you judge, I just want to say that I'm actually a big fan of these IF I know I have a very limited amount of time in a city I'm traveling around in. It's convenient, relatively cheap and you can pack a lot of sights in before deciding which one you want to spend more time at. We fit in time at Hyde Park and Centennial Park and even got to duck into a few residential neighborhoods (loved the old Victorians! Reminded me so much of SF!).
At this point of our trip, I was craving some retail therapy and after a little hunting around and great tips from our hotel, we (I mean, I) headed over to Oxford street. Hello Zimmerman, Willow, Josh Goot! I managed to escape before too much damage was done to my wallet.
And for our last days in Oz? We were in desperate need of beaches and Bondi was the perfect spot. Think Santa Barbara meets Santa Cruz meets a little bit of LA. Beautiful beaches (even despite the spurts of rain toward the end) and countless restaurants to keep us content and full.
Where to stay:
In Sydney: We stayed at the Establishment Hotel, located in the Financial district, and at the heart of a string of boutique restaurants and tucked away speakeasy alley bars (popular with the nearby work crowds for happy hour cocktails). Of course, I fell in love with our room decor (cowhide rugs, gold accents and succulents) and was a sucker for the tea and cookies they leave in your room at night.
In Bondi: Originally, we attempted to book a flat through AirBnB -- only to have it fall through at the last minute. Luckily, Bondi has plenty of beach condo/apartment hotels and we eventually went with the Adina. Minutes from the beach, on the main drag next to coffee shops and dangerously close to Messina Gellateria.
Eat + Drink:
I'll be honest, I've not had one bad meal whilst being in Australia! It's amazing! A few friends of mine have been to Australia too and have said the exact same thing, how bizarre! So, from having lunch north melbourne way, to a coffee shop in Brisbane, you're sure to have a great meal.
Otto: It's rated as Sydney's best Italian food -- and they're definitely not lying about this. It's on the pricier side, but well worth it. Plus, it's set out on a harbor so there isn't a bad seat in the house.
Iceberg's: If you're out in Bondi, you simply cannot miss Iceberg's! We had meant to try dinner here but didn't make reservations in time so we snuck in for a late lunch after catching some sun earlier that day on the beach. The restaurant itself is nestled on a cliffside toward the end of Bondi Beach, meaning the view is phenomenal. We sipped on summery cocktails (it is summer over there right now after all!) and leisurely ate our way through oysters, burrata and risotto.
Neighbourhood: Also in Bondi, this came highly recommended via Instagram and we could instantly tell why. Intimate bar setting without feeling too cramped, inventive cocktail assortments and an overall fun weekend scene.
Messina: We decided to visit Messina on our last full day in town -- which was probably for the best because I could have easily gone there multiple times each day. The lines can get a bit crazy but the wait is worth it (especially if you're getting hazelnut).
Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed traveling along with me during these trip recaps -- and if you have any questions about where we stayed or what we did, happy to chat! Just leave your questions in the comments below!
[…] or déjà vu, as if it’s hard to distinguish that particular trip from the trip before? I visited Bondi Beach years ago, on a trip to New Zealand that was bookended by a hop over to Sydney. While that trip was short lived (only a handful of days […]
[…] several years ago, I hopped down to New Zealand back in 2013, the end of that trip bookended with a pit stop in Sydney. It was a whirlwind handful of days in town and I remember leaving utterly in awe of Australia and […]
You have posted amazing story about Australia,I would like to tell you guys that i have never seen a blogger who managed their story with completely related images which compel to viewer to visit there. I was wonder about Western Australia tour packages but could find which place will be the perfect for me Now i can understand ,Thank you for your updates.
Napa wine limo tours | LIMOUSINE IN FAIRFIELD CA
|Sonoma Limousine Service |Moraga Limousine
One of the best place of Sydney. Many peoples travel this place every year. Cheap camper rental is way to explore the Australia attraction.
Applying for Australian visa can be tricky and may get complicated. Sometimes visa process takes more time than required. So, its better to consult with the immigration experts who can assist in solving all visa-related queries. Visa lawyers Australia can guide you through the migration procedure and assure a hassle-free process.
To know more, visit http://www.visatec.com.au/
Make your holiday the best this year, and travel to see the beauty of Mombasa Cheap Mombasa Flight with both your family and friends with our special packages.
Watermark Hotel Brisbane offer Rooms on rent in our Budget Accommodation Brisbane . These services are not only comfortable but reliable as well.
Haven't been to Australia for about 5 years now and I am itching to go back – it's in my plans for October – I love it there, so glad you had a great time.x
Thankfifi
So beautiful pics <3
http://www.bloghelomuller.com
very impressing, wanna go there, too!
http://gregoryxgregory.blogspot.de
Sounds like you made the most out of your time in Sydney! 🙂 Lovely photos too 🙂
Away From The Blue
I love your green dress in front of the opera house! It sounds like such a great trip and it was fun reading your recaps!
Emily
Australia is my dream country! x
http://www.rougeuse.com
this looks so incredible. your photos are amazing!
The Casual Classic
The copper chairs are Blu Dot and available at the SF store 🙂
that meat plate makes me drool!!
http://www.andrea-clare.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing these pictures with us.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family.
Love,
Sofia
stylishlyinlove.blogspot.com
Amazing photos. Love the last one so much.
xx Mira
http://www.glamdevils.com