31/05/2026
Sydney absolutely delivered on every level on my recent trip for VIVID ✨
From long harbour walks, late-night light shows, café stops, and a little too much shopping (in the best way), it was one of those trips that just keeps getting better the longer you stay.
🛍️ Favourite shopping spots
I spent a lot of time wandering and discovering:
* Paddington — boutique heaven for fashion, homewares, and those one-off seasonal pieces - head to Glenmore Road for boutiques and Mecca Cafe
* Queen Victoria Building (QVB) — iconic, beautiful and full of great Australian designers
* The Galeries — easy CBD browsing with curated stores
* Potts Point — perfect for vintage finds and hidden gems
* Sydney CBD — just wandering the streets between everything is half the fun
And yes… in true me-style, I came home with a stack of new seasonal pieces plus my very first Oroton bag 🤍
☕ Favourite cafés
A few standout coffee + brunch moments:
* Jackie’s (Paddington) — local, relaxed, and perfect between shops
* Mecca Cafe Paddington — always a reliable stop in Paddington
* Bills Surry Hills — still one of the best brunch spots in the city
* Thecca (CBD) — great for a quick city pause
* PINA in Potts Point - Llankelly Place (laneway)
* Paddington Alimentari - William Street (corner of Toun Street) - a real fav! A modern Italian deli/cafe - great pastries and people watching surrounded by quaint terraced houses.
🍸 Eats & bars I loved
Sydney really knows how to do atmosphere:
* Bar Totti’s — book ahead! buzzing, fun, and perfect shared plates
* The Fenwick — book ahead! the harbour views alone are worth it and the Ferry stops right outside!
* The Rocks — wandering here at night is magic with all the laneway energy and historic charm - a plethora of eateries to choose from!
* The Potting Shed - at The Grounds - a real experience, a gardeners delights, sunflower gardens and artwork and the most divine menu - based Alexandria
* Harbour-side bars in the CBD with views back toward the water and skyline - nothing beats that golden hour drink moment 🍷
🌟 VIVID Sydney magic
Experiencing Vivid Sydney was next level this year.
Walking from Darling Harbour all the way through to the Sydney Opera House was one of the highlights — every corner had something glowing, immersive, or surprising. The harbour itself felt like part of the artwork.
⛴️ Getting around made easy
Sydney is so simple to navigate:
* Ferry rides across the harbour (best views in the city, hands down)
* Light rail and buses using tap on / tap off — super easy and stress-free
* Walking! We walked about 15-20,000 steps a day! It’s an easy city to walk around!
All up, it was one of those trips where everything just flows — incredible food, beautiful walks, inspiring light installations, and of course… a little (ok… ALOT!) of retail therapy in between.
Thinking of a girls trip, a getaway with your partner or a solo experience - I’d love to help and share more of my tips for making the most of your time here.
