It’s right on our doorstep and it’s packed to the brim with great culture, cuisine and cocktails (and let’s not forget the shopping!); it’s a no-brainer we’d want to spend more time in Sydney.
With Vivid Sydney taking place over 23 nights from 25 May to 16 June 2018, there’s never been a better time to head across the Tasman. Grab a group of girlfriends or your other half and prepare to be blown away by the lights, ideas, music and colour as the festival transforms to city into a dazzling creative canvas.
We’ve partnered with Qantas to bring you our FQ-approved picks for things to do in the city during Vivid Sydney:
Start your day at one of Sydney’s many brunch options:
The shopping in Sydney is next level.
And there is no shortage of department stores and boutiques for you to shop ’til you drop. Head to the CBD to get your fix of luxury brands, Sephora and department store David Jones or to Westfield Bondi Junction, Pitt Street Mall or Chatswood Chase for your mall fix. If boutiques are more your jam, there are plenty of cool little fashion and homewares spots around Bondi Beach, Paddington and The Rocks. Some of our personal favourites include Tuchuzy (which plays host to brands like Anine Bing, Ganni and Alexander Wang); Splice (which stocks Lover, Sir the Label and Acler among others); Hansen & Gretal; and Lucy Folk.
You will have built up quite an appetite after all that shopping.
Solution? Hit the food markets. We love the Carriageworks Farmers Market (245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh), open from 8am-1pm every Saturday, where you’ll be able to watch cooking demonstrations and pick up seasonal produce including organic and bio-dynamic foods from farmers and artisan producers from across New South Wales. If you’re not already full-to-bursting, you might want to try the Bondi Farmers Market (Bondi Beach Public School, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach), open between 9am-4pm every Sunday, in which local farmers and producers share their fresh fruits and veges, farmstead cheeses, seafood, artisanal breads, homemade jams and chutneys, organically grown meat and poultry, just-picked flowers and much more. The focus is on supporting local – and the benefit is you’ll know exactly where your food has come from.
Do one of the many epic coastal walks by day…
Whether you go for the classic Bondi to Bronte Walk (pictured above), the Spit to Manly Walk or the Palm Beach LightHouse Walk, you will certainly work up a sweat while taking in some breathtaking views.
Or the Vivid Light Walk by night…
If you feel like you haven’t walked enough, then the Vivid Light Walk will help you see Sydney from a whole new perspective. From 6pm each night, the lights spring on and you can walk the 2km route from The Rocks to the Sydney Opera House. And you won’t want to miss wandering through the Royal Botanic Garden either, where you’ll spy plenty of projections and light installations on the way.
Check out the Sydney Opera House light installation.
At night, the Sydney Opera House will transform into a giant art installation thanks to the vision of award-winning Australian artist Jonathan Zawada. In honour of the 10th anniversary of Vivid Sydney, this landmark will take on a life of its own as the ‘sails’ turn into a series of kinetic digital sculptures inspired by the Australia environment. You’ll be mesmerised as they distort and mutate in continuous motion, appearing to blend the everyday with the fantastical.
You’ll have no shortage of restaurant choices when it comes to dinnertime.
Rest your weary head at the end of a busy day at one of our favourite hotel establishments.
You can’t look past QT (with two locations now in Sydney CBD and Bondi) and their promise to “take you down the rabbit hole”. Quirky, edgy and stylish, your stay will definitely be a memorable one. We’re also partial to Hotel Palisade (note its incredible views!), Pier One Hotel (situated right underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge) and The Hilton CBD (for its perfect proximity to luxury shopping!).
GETTING THERE:
Qantas flies direct to Sydney from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown over 60 times per week. When you fly Qantas, you can relax as everything is included: your meal, drinks, movies, and a generous luggage allowance for all your shopping. And if style is the name of the game for you, you’ll be pleased to know the newly refurbished A330 with the latest Business Class lie-flat suites is now flying twice a day to Sydney from Auckland.
Visit qantas.com for more information and to book your trip to Sydney today.
