A quirky alternative hub

Talk of the town: Several ghosts (from a rectory nurse to a 19th century military man) are said to emerge on moonless nights at the Camperdown Cemetery, just a block from King Street.

Little more than an overcrowded blue-collar community at the turn of the 20th century, the inner-western suburbs of Newtown and Enmore have emerged as Sydney's thriving alternative hub. The throbbing heart of King Street in Newtown is now crammed with quirky bookstores, cool boutiques, cheap eats and a refreshingly low-key handful of Aussie pubs servicing a largely student population from the nearby University of Sydney. Neighbouring Enmore is predominantly residential, but also houses the city's bastion of shabby-chic entertainment venues: The Enmore Theatre.

Head to Newtown for the city's tastiest (and best value) Thai food, then grab a schooner at The Courthouse, The Town Hall or The Bank (institutions of beer, not commerce) before catching a show at The Vanguard on King Street, or the theatre on Enmore Road.

To reach Newtown, take the Inner West train line from the CBD to Newtown Station, or buses 423 or 426 from George Street in the CBD.