Blast-from-the-past harbourside village

Word to the wise: Despite the prevalence of pubs and live music venues, the area tends to close down a little earlier than spots like Darlinghurst and Newtown.

Across from Darling Harbour to the west lies one of Sydney's oldest suburbs which, in recent years, has been transformed from an industrial, working-class neighbourhood to a fashionable waterside village. There's still a huge sense of yesteryear here, with dozens of old-fashioned boardhouse pubs, rows of Victorian terraces, and a clutch of municipal buildings that offer a glimpse of 19th century Sydney. But the main road, Darling Street, definitely belongs to the present day: it's a merry little hive with myriad cafes, restaurants, and quirky independent stores.

Sydneysiders are drawn to the area on weekends by the Saturday market (in the grounds of St. Andrew's Congregational Church on Darling Street), the healthy live music scene, and a plethora of second-hand shops which often replenish their stock for Saturday morning. Several buses from the CBD service the suburb, and there is a ferry from Circular Quay.