How to spend the perfect day in Sydney

The capital of New South Wales is a city of grand harbours and glorious beaches, with a laidback lifestyle to suit its coastal locale. With just 14 hours to explore the city, it's possible to discover the nearby tropical rainforest, enjoy salmon ceviche while watching the surfers beachside and raise a glass in front of the Harbour Bridge — here are the best things to see and do.

6.30am: Sunrise swim at Bronte Baths

Watching the sun come up over the Pacific Ocean isn’t just a pastime in Sydney — it’s a ritual. Head first thing to Bronte, a laid-back beachside suburb on the city’s eastern coast for a windswept dip in its ocean-fed rock pool. Bronte Baths isn’t as famous as Bondi Icebergs, a mile north, but its position on the southern edge of the beach gives it one of the best sunrise views in the city.

8am: Coffee & pastries from Iggy’s

The city’s obsession with good coffee and pastries has sparked a bakery boom, with queues often forming at the most popular spots before sunrise. Just a 10-minute walk from Bronte Baths is Igor (Iggy) and Ludmilla Ivanovic’s beloved bakery, where you’ll find sticky pecan buns, cinnamon rolls and the flakiest almond and chocolate croissants outside of Paris. Grab something buttery — and an extra treat for later — and eat it on the beach for breakfast with surf views.

10am: A coastal hike from Spit to Manly

While Bondi to Coogee gets all the limelight, Spit to Manly offers a wilder, quieter alternative. About 16 miles north of Bronte, this six-mile coastal path takes in subtropical rainforest, secluded beaches and Aboriginal rock engravings. It’s best enjoyed slowly; stop for a swim in the calm, turquoise waters of Reef Beach or the Clontarf Reserve, and check out Arabanoo lookout at Dobroyd Head for views across Sydney Harbour and the cliffs of North and South Heads.

1pm: Lunch at Ripples Little Manly

Follow the trail into Manly until you reach Ripples, a laid-back cafe on the edge of Little Manly Beach. Don’t be fooled by the casual setting ­— the food here is refined. Think beautifully presented baked miso scallops, salmon ceviche and crispy prawns with lime salt and fermented chilli aioli. It’s BYO, so grab a cold bottle and settle in for a leisurely beachfront feast.

2.30pm: Ferry ride back to Circular Quay

You could take a taxi back to the city centre, but that would mean missing out on Sydney’s most scenic commute. The 20-minute commuter ferry from Manly to Circular Quay is your ticket to perfect harbour views. You’ll pass rugged headlands and sandy bays, round Bennelong Point and finally gliding close to Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. For the best seat in the house, take it all in from the outside deck.

3pm: Afternoon drinks at Opera Bar

Yes, it’s crowded, but there’s no denying the magic of a late-afternoon drink overlooking the harbour. Just a short walk from the ferry wharf, this waterfront bar has widescreen views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge that are hard to beat, especially with a lemon myrtle negroni in hand, which gives the classic cocktail a sweet lemon and herbal eucalyptus touch. There are live music performances held here most afternoons, plus Sydney rock oysters if you’re still feeling peckish.

7pm: Seafood dinner at Mister Grotto

Squeezed into a former shopfront in Newtown — an inner-west suburb 10 minutes from the city centre — Mister Grotto is an intimate, candlelit bistro reminiscent of a Spanish taverna. The all-seafood menu changes depending on what’s in season, but it always leans on Australian produce — think abalone with tarragon sauce, yellowfin tuna with native finger lime and nannygai fish cooked over hot coals. For a front-row view of the crudo (raw seafood) station, snag a seat at the bar.

8pm: Sip on Martinis at Bar Planet

A four-minute walk from Mister Grotto you’ll find the neon-blue lights of Bar Planet, a psychedelic cocktail bar specialising in martinis. Its signature tipple is made with a bespoke gin infused with seasonal fruits and botanicals — such as citrusy blood lime or hints of vanilla from fig leaves, depending on the season. Served at -16C and poured from a Spanish porrón — a glass wine pitcher with a long, thin spout — it’s the perfect way to finish the day.