The hub of city shopping sits between Pitt Street Mall and George Street. Here you’ll find chain stores and the two big department stores: Grace Bros (436 George Street, +61292389111) and David Jones (86-108 Castlereagh Street, +61292665544), the latter of which revamped its impressive food hall in 2003 with the help of every top chef and foodie in town. The grand Strand Arcade (412-414 George Street, +61292324199) houses some of the city’s more interesting clothes and jewellery shops while the Queen Victoria Building (455 George Street) has designer fashion and Australiana gift shops packed with didgeridoos.

If you want more souvenir schtick head to the Rocks or for something more interesting go to Paddington Market (395 Oxford Street, next to the church) on a Saturday. Paddington is also the place where most of the fashionistas have their signature stores, Collette Dinnigan (33 William Street, +61293606691) and Alannah Hill (118-120 Oxford Street, +61293809147) among them.

The Galeries Victoria (500 George Street, CBD, +61292656888) is one of Sydney’s newest shopping centres and has more than a whiff of Tokyo about it, not the least in Kinokuniya, the city’s largest cross-cultural bookstore.

One shopping sight (and smell) not to be missed is the Sydney Fish Markets (corner of Pyrmont Bridge Road & Bank St, Pyrmont, +61290041100). Look out for the ugly but very tasty Balmain Bugs.

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