When it comes to holiday hotspots, Sydney ticks all the boxes. Photo / Destination NSW
When it comes to holiday hotspots, Sydney ticks all the boxes. Photo / Destination NSW
Dreaming of a long weekend away? Gather your besties for a post-pandemic catch-up in Sydney, writes Cassie Tannenberg.
"Are we ready to get drunk?" our effervescent waitress asks. Well, not quite but this party of four 30-to 40-something females is ready to shake off the responsibility of children, pets and significant others, not necessarily in order.
We're in Sydney for a long-overdue, extended weekend girls' trip where guilty pleasures are on the itinerary. Cocktails at lunch and dinner? Check. Shopping at leisure? Check. Soul-affirming stroll from Bondi to Coogee with gelato at the end? Check and check.
From city views to beachside chic, you can have the best of both worlds on a Sydney getaway. Photo / Destination NSW
We've based ourselves in Sydney's newest landmark dining and entertainment precinct Barangaroo, which has reimagined a disused container terminal near Darling Harbour on the western edge of the CBD and has done a stellar job of reviving the city's nightlife.
The 22ha waterfront district near Wynyard Station houses an array of accommodation options and restaurant dining, such as Tequila Daisy ,where our waitress matches our vacation mood with signature margaritas all round.
The Streets at Barangaroo is just a five-minute walk from our hotel, so we also snack on Brazilian tapas and cocktails at Zoha Food & Wine and heartier servings at South African-flavoured The Meat & Wine Co during our stay.
With restaurants galore, delicious food is all part of the Sydney experience. Photo / Destination NSW
On the first night, we head to Totti's Bondi, adjacent to The Royal pub and part of hospitality czar Justin Hemmes' Merivale empire, where we're thankful to have booked ahead.
Sydneysiders are making up for lost time and embracing being back out and about. While most establishments will set aside tables for walk-ins, online bookings are still de rigueur and recommended to avoid disappointment.
With its casual Italian appeal and family-style share plates, Totti's is an Instagram staple and when we visit, the eatery is definitely a social scene and the pasta and organic wines – delectable and comforting, especially the signature wood-fired bread, served puffed to perfection.
Saturdays are for shopping and we walk the easy five minutes to Pitt St Mall where you can bounce from high street to haute couture in just a few CBD blocks.
Sydney's Queen Victoria Building is a shoppers' paradise. Photo / Destination NSW
We check out the multi-level Westfield Sydney, peruse the Australian designers housed in the heritage-listed Strand Arcade and Queen Victoria Building and enjoy the cutting-edge windows and refined hospitality at the likes of Gucci, Prada and Chanel on Castlereagh St.
The Galeries, opposite Queen Victoria Building, is also worth a stop to peruse the imported tomes, magazines and stationery upstairs at Books Kinokuniya and the stylish shops downstairs, including the flagship and only P.E Nation boutique.
Heading back to Barangaroo is the ideal opportunity to meander via the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) at The Rocks with free admission to the galleries and temporary exhibitions.
You can also wander the Wulugul Walk along the Barangaroo foreshore, or take in the view on the full 11km harbourside route, which links Woolloomooloo to Anzac Bridge via Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Royal Botanic Gardens and Sydney Opera House.
On Sunday, we channel the quintessential Bondi Beach stereotype. We see no reason to fight fate, enjoying smashed avocado on toast and oat-milk lattes from hole-in-the-wall Birichina Cafe while sitting on the grassy knoll overlooking that famous sandy crescent.
Plus, it's the perfect fuel for the classic Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, a breathtaking 6km walk from Bondi Icebergs baths to the Coogee Pavilion that hugs the glossy Pacific Ocean and takes in multiple beaches and coves.
The 6km Bondi Coastal Walk is a scenic way to squeeze in some exercise on a weekend getaway. Photo / Destination NSW
We spotted whales breaching on the flight into Sydney, so we keep our eyes peeled for marine life and sure enough, some flippers are rolling in the surf. They're too small for whales but we're thrilled to encounter two seals frolicking in the winter morning sun.
There's time to hop on the bus from Coogee to Westfield Bondi Junction for more retail therapy and lunch – I can never go past Sabbaba at the chi-chi David Jones-end food court for a tasty falafel with all the fixings on the fluffiest, pillowy pita bread.
Then it's back on the 380 bus for a quick stop at the corner of Oxford St and Glenmore Rd in Paddington, known as The Intersection, for the concentrated proliferation of upscale and indie Aussie labels, including Zimmermann, Scanlan Theodore, Aje and the vacay vibes of Emma Mulholland on Holiday.
We squeeze in brunch at the whimsical The Grounds of Alexandria on the way to the airport on Monday, however the always-popular cafe-florist-farm-bakery now hosts a satellite site, The Grounds of the City, if you can't swing a trip south.
Stacked with equal parts new finds and old faves, Sydney never disappoints. We leave with bags a little heavier and hearts lighter after a weekend of reconnection in the city.
