Paddington Markets

This is one of the most upmarket of Sydney’s shopping streets. The markets held on Saturdays in the school and church grounds are set up besides stores like Dinosaur Designs, Collette Dinnigan and Morrissey and the market produce reflects the area: lots of one off pieces of art and jewellery, expensive antiques, handmade clothes, hand blown glass and organic foods, and coffees. It’s not all flashy, but the standards are pretty high (which is often reflected in the prices). The onsite food is better than you would expect but there’s not much space and you’re probably better off going to one of the nearby cafes or bars (Mickey’s for the best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted).

You’re also likely to see Darlinghurst’s beautiful people, perfect Sydney specimens with pony shiny hair, long languid limbs on display and uniforms of thongs (flip flops) and designer sunglasses—but you don’t need to feel too self-conscious, there are sun burnt tourists in naff hats and backpacks carrying oversized cameras as well, so you probably won’t have the smallest cache of cool. Walk the whole length of Oxford Street from Hyde Park to Bondi Junction then down the hill to the beach.