Winnie Stubbs

Looking to live it up on your next Aussie getaway? We’ve got you covered. Australia is practically swimming in great hotels, from new boutique stays with heated infinity pools to revamped classics boasting five-star rooftop bars and close proximity to our country's best attractions. But with so many options, choosing where to stay can be a bit of a challenge. That's where we come in – our expert travel writers have slept their way across every state and territory to bring you the ultimate list of Australia's best hotels. Whether you’re a local looking for a gram-worthy staycation or a tourist eager to be in the heart of the action, here are our top picks for a luxury stay in Australia right now. ☀️ Australia’s most incredible resorts🤩 The best things to do Down Under🌏 All the best places to visit in Australia Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do allow us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Somehow, it’s already autumn. The good news is there are plenty of exciting new openings to add to your hit list. My current favourites include Newtown’s charming new fisherman’s den, Mister Grotto; a fire-powered Mediterranean diner from the Bar Copains team called Bessie’s; and Marrickville’s new Greek grill house that’s 100 per cent worth the hype, Olympic Meats. Oh, and the five-star Neptune's Grotto. Below, you’ll find Sydney’s best new restaurants. Hungry? I am too. Let’s dig in. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for something to wash it all down with? These are our favourite bars in Sydney right now. Keen to eat your way around the city? These are the best restaurants in Sydney, from hot newcomers to the OGs.

Whether you need to get away from it all, stretch your legs a bit, or remind yourself of how tiny and insignificant you are in the immensity of Mother Nature, there’s only one thing for it: it‘s time to take a hike. Be it a month-long spiritual pilgrimage, a coastal amble or a mountain scramble, there are magnificent trails the world over – and we’ve rounded up some of the very best on the planet to help you plan your next great hike. From red rock canyons in the American Southwest to the bonnie lochs of the West Highland Way, there’s a hike, trek or trail on this list that’s calling your name. With each hike tried and tested by our editors, we’ve got all the info on where to go, when to go and how long to set aside, plus tips and tricks and the best sights to look for along the way. All you need to do is pack your bags. These are the world’s greatest hikes, according to Time Out. Updated April 2025: We’ve added four new trails to this list to help you plan for summer hikes – and moved a certain Spanish pilgrimage to the top spot. RECOMMENDED:🌲 The best national parks in the world ⛰️ The best destinations for solo female travellers🌊 The most spectacular places to swim in the world🏝️ The best beaches in the world🚂 The best train journeys around the world

It's ticking over to a shameful hour, and you've smoke-bombed from the party in search of sustenance. Is it fried chicken you're after, that fail-safe absorbent of sin and too many cocktails? Or maybe you've been working late, and you're looking to redeem a day of fluorescent-lit corporate drudgery with the perfect plate of spicy noodles? Time Out's Sydney's writers, including Food & Drink Editor (and fellow night owl) Avril Treasure, spend a lot of time out on the town at night – it's our job. So we know where to nab a decent late-night feed (when Macca's isn't it). We've rounded up the best spots where you'll find what you're craving, way up late. Most of the places on this list are open until around midnight or beyond (especially Thursdays to Saturdays). Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Still feeling snackish? Take yourself out to peruse our list of the very best cheap eats you can get in Sydney. RECOMMENDED: These are the best pizza restaurants in Sydney right now

Bell Shakespeare is kicking off its 35th anniversary season for 2025 with Marion Potts' ★★★★ production that features "a lot to praise". In mid May, a stunning contemporary retelling of one of the most famous war plays of all time, Henry 5, will show at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Celebrated theatre maker and former Associate Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare Marion Potts (Othello, Hamlet) is returning to the company for the first time in 15 years to direct this all-new production starring newcomer JK Kazzi in his highly anticipated mainstage theatre debut, with Melbourne-based composer Jethro Woodward joining an esteemed creative team. Follow young Prince Hal as he leaves his wayward adolescence behind and assumes the mantle of kingship. Following an insult by the French prince, King Henry launches England into a war with France to claim the throne he believes is rightfully his and, against all odds, he leads his troops from despair to climactic victory at the Battle of Agincourt. King Henry is hailed as a warrior and a hero – but at what cost? The Melbourne season will run from May 11 to May 25 at the Arts Centre Melbourne. You can learn more and book tickets over here. RECOMMENDED: The best theatre to see in Melbourne this month.

Sydney’s cultural calendar is stepping up its game just as summer waves its final farewell, with Sydney Comedy Festival bringing big lols to venues across the city, a whole heap of excellent plays and musicals lighting up Sydney's stages, and our city’s galleries welcoming some major new exhibitions for the winter season (our top picks include the first solo museum exhibition by Kamilaroi artist Warraba Weatherall at the MCA, and the Dobell Drawing Prize exhibition at the National Art School).As always, the best markets in the city will be serving up all the fresh produce you need for your long lunches, beer gardens across the city will be serving up weekend fuel, and the city’s best cinemas will be open for a dose of on-screen entertainment.If you’re keen to get some air this weekend, our round-ups of the best day hikes close to Sydndey and the best places to camp close to the city should help.Doing the Hoka half marathon on Sunday? This list of the city's best day spas has got your back. Heading out to one of Sydney's best restaurants instead? You can book a free hair styling appointment in the CBD all weekend long thanks to the good people at Shark Beauty. Scroll on for our full list of all the best things to do in Sydney this weekend. Weather not looking so hot? Check out our list of the best things to do indoors in Sydney. Looking for weekday fun? These are the best things to do in Sydney this week.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for mo

It's no secret that Sydney shines during the summer, but there’s something special about the way the Harbour City turns up its everything-but-the-beach offerings during the cooler months. This May, we’ve got giggly goodness courtesy of Sydney Comedy Festival, a sparkling line-up of excellent plays and musicals at theatres across the city, a major new exhibition showing at the MCA and free jazz shows in The Rocks every Thursday evening.  Adding to the illumination is Vivid 2025 – the immersive wonderland which will be lighting up the city from May 23. Until then, you can get your luminous fix at Nocturnal (lighting up a beautiful prehistoric valley in the Blue Mountains until May 11). This month, we’ll also be spending our days stocking up on local goods at the best markets in the city, walking it out on one of these beautiful scenic trails in the city, and warming up with a Sunday roast as winter sets in. May the force be with us. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.Want to get away? These are the best weekend breaks near Sydney, these are the best winter getaways in NSW, and these the best hot springs in the state.

If you didn’t know already, Australia is home to some of the most incredible hikes on the planet. From week-long treks through red deserts and green mountains to easy day hikes through rainforests and along beautiful beaches, the land Down Under has every possible kind of walk imaginable – and trust us, they’re all bloody good.  If you’re looking at lacing up your hiking boots this year, we’ve got you covered with our pick of the best hikes and walks to do in Australia. Using the age-old philosophy of variety being the best spice, this list has a little bit of everything. From self-guided, kid-friendly day walks to life-changing multi-day treks that can be done independently or in a guided group, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful hikes in Australia. 🥾 The most epic national parks in Australia🌊 Australia's best beaches🤿 The best things to do in Australia

We might be a little biased, but we don't believe there's a better place on earth to spend a day than in our sparkling waterside city.From coastal walking tracks to secret swim spots to swanky sky-high bars, Sydney is home to the kinds of settings that play host to magical memories every day of the year – from ordinary Wednesdays to the most important days of your life. On any given day, there are a whole host of happenings to discover in the Emerald City – each offering a new experience to add to your Sydney memory bank.  If you're stuck for activities, we're here to help – here is what’s in store today. Want to see some world-class art? These are the city's best galleries. Feel like a spa day? These are the best day spas in Sydney. Want to get moving? This list of our favourite walks should help.Scroll on for our full list of the best things to do in Sydney today. Want to get your weekend plans in order, right now? Check out our pick of the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.Rain putting a dampner on your plans? These are the best things to do indoors. On a budget? These are the Time Out team’s pick of 25 things to do in Sydney for under $25. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.  

The weather isn’t looking so hot, but there’s a lot of indoor fun to be had in the Harbour City this week. Sydney Comedy Festival is bringing big giggles to venues across the city, Annie is live at the Capitol Theatre, Bloom is bringing heart-warming storytelling to Sydney Theatre Company’s Roslyn Packer Theatre and there’s an incredible new exhibition now showing at the MCA.  If you’re low on funds but still want to find some fun, we’d suggest catching happy hour, then settling in for a free show – there’s free jazz in The Rocks this Thursday night, and these bars and pubs across the city have live shows most nights. Keen to keep moving? These are the best running routes in Sydney, and these are the city’s best gyms if you’d rather work out in air-con.  Scroll on for our full list of the best things to do in Sydney this week. Wether not looking so hot? These are the best indoor activities in the city. Mapping out your weekend? These are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.

Sometimes you just want to exchange your everyday for an alternate reality where plush robes come hand-laundered to your door and birds trill on command. While we can't promise the latter, we have rounded up some of the most luxurious hotels in NSW for you to escape the rigours of modern life with on a truly indulgent vacay. Whether travelling in style is your usual MO, or you're picking out a spot for a special occasion, these are hotel rooms that'll make you feel like you've wandered out of normality and into a Baz Luhrmann film. Think obscene square footage, uninhibited ocean views, and bountiful hampers of fresh, local delicacies waiting in your room. Money can't buy you happiness, but it can get you a claw-footed bathtub for a night – and the difference there is semantics, really, isn't it? Here are the best luxury hotels in New South Wales that will give you the five-star treatment you've always known you deserve. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels in Sydney.

Dancefloors come in all shapes and sizes in Sydney – sticky-floored pubs can double up as heaving rave caves, small bars morph into late-night party dens on sporadic Wednesdays, and on most Friday nights, warehouses across Sydney's Inner West transform into laser-lit super-clubs (though we can't spill too much on that front). Sydney cops a lot of flack for its nightlife, but we think it's all about just looking in the right places. Here are our picks of the most reliable dancefloors to break some shapes in the Harbour City right now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for somewhere more chill to whet your whistle? Here are our favourite hidden bars in the Harbour City.Want a live show? These are the best bars and pubs with live music in Sydney.

In France, Bastille Day is a day of revolution and feisty celebrations. In Sydney, it’s about all that too – but also, cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. In this year’s case it's also about cabaret shows, wine tours, acrobatics displays and a lot of live music. Vive la révolution! The four-day line-up of fêtes and activités will be unfolding beneath the banner of the Bastille Festival, a free, four-day celebration of the diverse culinary and cultural regions of France, whose major festival takeover of Sydney’s foreshore will be happening across The Rocks to Circular Quay, from Thursday, July 17 until Sunday, July 20.Unsurprisingly, foodies are especially well catered for here – expect French street-food favourites like raclette (melted, grilled cheese heaven), fresh crêpes, garlic-loaded escargot, umami-as-anything saucisson, and a selection of the nation’s most beloved cheeses. With more than 120 exhibitors and over 80 dishes on offer at this year’s fest, Sydneysiders can take a culinary tour of the land of love without leaving the 2000 postcode.  On top of all the food-based festivities, you can enjoy a tour of France's most reputable wine regions, all of which can be found around Circular Quay as part of the Bastille Wine Walk. The celebrations will be soundtracked by a gloriously French line-up of entertainment: with 100 free shows popping up around the Sydney foreshore over the span of four days. Dance classes, jazz shows, live acrobatics displays are among the highlights,

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first day the Australian and New Zealand troops saw military action in Gallipoli back in 1915. In recent times it’s become a day of commemorating and remembering all Australians who have served in war. What time is the Sydney ANZAC Day dawn service?  The annual dawn service held at Martin Place begins with the Catafalque Party and Band, followed by the ceremony from 4.20am by the Cenotaph. What time is the ANZAC Day march in Sydney? At 9am there is a march led by war veterans and their descendants, which will take place down Elizabeth Street. What time is the ANZAC Day commemoration service in Sydney? A commemoration service is held from 12.30 at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park by the Pool of Remembrance. What time is the ANZAC Day sunset service in Sydney? The sunset service takes place at the Cenotaph at 5pm. It is a shorter service to conclude the official commemorations, with the accompaniment of the NSW Ambulance Service Band. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, things to do and travel inspo, straight to your inbox.RECOMMENDED: These are the best places to play two-up in Sydney.

The vibeYou’ll find this friendly neighbourhood café on a sun-soaked suburban street in Sydney’s east. Huge bifold windows open up onto the pavement, where wooden tables fill with mums and bubs with oat babyccinos, and runners fresh from the park (it’s just minutes from Centennial) fueling up with smoothies and loaded toasties. On the shelf by the door, you’ll find a colourful, mismatched selection of mugs donated to the café by the local community – if you ask for your coffee to take-away, you’ll be given one of these instead of a disposable cup. This zero-waste philosophy guides the ethos here, with reusable Huskee cups available to buy, and take-away food packaged in biodegradable paper and cardboard packaging.The food The planet-loving philosophy is also reflected in the all-day menu, which is fresh, seasonal and plant-forward (with the option to add halloumi, goats cheese, bacon or eggs if you need a hit of animal protein).The drinks As you’d expect from such a sustainability-focused operation, the coffee served here comes from a local roastery (Black Market Roasters) and there’s a good selection of specialty drinks, with turmeric and matcha lattes served in Huskee cups and smoothies and milkshakes served in glass jars (an extra $2 if you want to take away). Fresh juices come from Darlinghurst based juice king Simon Says Juice, and there’s a spicy turmeric shot that will make you feel like a paragon of health.Time Out tipOrder the gluten free bread – they source from non

To bring a little musical joy to the Harbour City through the cooler months, Sydney’s historic waterside precinct The Rocks is hosting free jazz performances every Thursday throughout autumn and winter – with live performances by musicians from around Australia. Jazz Sessions in The Rocks will run from 6pm until 8.30pm every Thursday from Thursday, April 3 until Thursday, September 25 – so there’s plenty of time to catch the star-lit shows.  Local distillery Hickson House Distilling Co will be slinging gin-based cocktails, and there are a host of excellent restaurants in the area to keep you nourished pre and post show. The line-up so far includes harmonic duo Aaron Flower and Kate Wadey, the dynamic vocalist Leah Berry and Sydney-based ensemble Zodiac Quartet.The events are free to attend and there’s no need to book. You can learn more over here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.   RECOMMENDED:  Want more evening entertainment? These are the best bars and pubs in Sydney for live music. And these are the best shows to catch in Sydney this month. Need fun now? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this week

Now in its 13th year, the Palestinian Film Festival Australia will return to Melbourne from May 7-11 with a bold program of films that offer a powerful exploration of resilience, love and freedom in the face of ongoing war and dispossession. “This year’s program is guided by a deep emotional pulse,” say festival director Naser Shakhtour. “It’s about the power of Palestinian cinema to speak from the rubble, to conjure memory and to imagine freedom. These films reflect not just the struggles, but the resilience, beauty, and strength of Palestinian culture.” The ten-film program will spotlight a selection of both new voices and acclaimed international works, following through on the festival's mission to share Palestinian art and culture with Australian audiences. Highlights include The Teacher, an emotionally charged drama from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nabulsi about a Palestinian schoolteacher torn between compassion and resistance; To A Land Unknown, which tells the story of two Palestinian friends stranded in Athens and driven to extremes in their quest for escape; and the documentary Yalla Parkour, which explores the powerful connection between a filmmaker and a parkour athlete in Gaza.   The Melbourne leg of the Palestinian Film Festival will be held at Cinema Nova, and you can view the full program and plan your cinema trips over here. It will also travel to Sydney, Canberra, Perth and Brisbane. Looking for more things to do? These are the best things to do in Melbo

The One Playground empire is expanding at a phenomenal rate, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. After transitioning from ‘Fitness Playground’ back in March 2023, the boutique wellness company set about converting gyms across the city into genuine wellness meccas: not just fitness zones, but places dedicated to improving how Sydneysiders feel, inside and out. With their accessible membership model and super sexy studios, they’re sort of taking Sydney by storm – with locations in Surry Hills, Newtown and Marrickville, a lush wellness studio in Surry Hills and more gyms set to open in Merrylands and north of the bridge.  The latest site to join the ranks is arguably its most central, and spectacular, to date. Spread across 2,600 square metres and three glittering floors, the new flagship gym is found just off George Street in a bustling corner of Haymarket, just four minutes’ walk from Central Station.  Enter through the shiny monochrome foyer, and you’ll be greeted by a triple-height ceiling, marble floors and a sweeping gold staircase. The bafflingly luxe design took more than two years to complete, and transformed two levels of carpark (plus the first floor) into a high-spec gym complete with six studios (ranging from a sparkly bright reformer studio to a moody ‘pulse’ studio custom-built with super-powerful speakers and TV-screen walls) and a huge, mirror-lined gym floor fitted out with mainly custom-made equipment. Throw in the personal training zones, saunas and re

After a sold-out debut season, the Blue Mountains’ incredible immersive exhibition – titled Nocturnal – is back, bringing otherworldly visuals to life under the star-studded mountain skies. Running for an extended season, the luminous interactive experience is popping up from Thursday, April 3 until Saturday, May 11 – taking over Scenic World with a sparkly new program of light displays, holograms and magnificent dynamic light structures. On select nights throughout April and early May, visitors will have access to this surreal luminous universe – with Scenic World’s Scenic Railway offering enchanting night-rides through the forest, and the Skyway offering sky-high views of the sparkling setting. Highlights (literally) of this year’s program include a huge holographic lyrebird basking in the moonlight, a forest walk illuminating the secret language of trees and magnificent light projections inspired by the local landscape and history.  Expect moving holograms of native creatures, and spellbinding projections mapping ancient rock formations.Tickets to Nocturnal will score you access to all Scenic World rides after dark – including the world’s steepest railway – and hours of immersion in the magical luminous setting. The experience is free for children under three, and general admission for kids starts at $40.90, with adult tickets starting from $54.90. A child’s ticket will also include a special Nocturnal quest to help little explorers uncover hidden clues to the Gundungurra

More than twenty years since their debut single ‘What a Waster’ made it to number 41 on the Australian music charts, The Libertines are heading Down Under for a limited run of high-energy shows. After a six-year break, the iconic British rock band will be returning to Australia for the first time since 2018, bringing their signature chaotic energy and poetically crafted hits to three major Aussie cities. This time, they're also welcoming special guests Reverend and the Makers. With hits including ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’, ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ and ‘You’re My Waterloo’, the British rock band know a thing or two about a good anthem, and their 2025 tour will be packed full with them. Keen? Here’s everything you need to know about The Libertines’ 2025 Australia tour. Kicking off with a sold-out show on Saturday, April 12 (a convenient public holiday-eve) at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre, the band’s 2025 tour will also bring them to Melbourne for a sold-out show at The Forum on Tuesday April 15. Missed out on tickets? Queensland-based fans, you’re in luck: tickets for The Libertines’ final Aussie show of 2025 are still available. The British indie rockers will be taking over Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Thursday, April 17 – with tickets starting at $119.90. Ready to re-live the noughties? You can snap up your tickets over here.    

It’s the first Thursday of autumn, and the weather has taken note – casting a thick blanket of grey across the sky. It mutes the sunlight and wraps the hills in stillness. Down a bush-shrouded track just minutes from the coast, we find Worrowing: a hillside property dotted with rustic wooden huts and clusters of gum trees that reach their elegant, ageless shapes into the sky. We find our hut at the end of a boardwalk that curls around the lake, pour a bottle of local wine and set up camp on the deck that reaches over the water. Swallows swoop to drink and ducks cut lines through the surface, painting nature’s pattern. The air smells of eucalyptus, laced with the layered orchestra of frogs and crickets and the thud of kangaroo tails on damp earth as they bound through the rain-jewelled fields.   Why stay at Worrowing? Home to a stunning homestead with formal gardens, and accommodation to sleep up to 41 guests, the 250-acre estate is often occupied by wedding parties for exclusive use. The historic property, hidden in the hills just a few minutes drive from the sparkling white shores of Jervis Bay, is a popular wedding destination for locals and Sydneysiders seeking an idyllic countryside location for tying the knot. And while it would be a particularly special place to celebrate a milestone, this charming farmstay is a delightful base for a south coast getaway regardless of the occasion. With accommodation options ranging from repurposed stables to deluxe villas (with capaciti

There’s always a lot going on at Sydney’s favourite house. So much so that it can be hard to keep track – with new headliners dropping every other week, and huge events taking over the various venues seemingly out of nowhere.  Keen to go to a show under the sails over the next few months? We’ve rounded up a few top picks in the Sydney Opera House autumn season:  The Opera House’s May cinema season Sydney’s outdoor cinema season wraps up in the cooler months, but if you’re keen to catch a movie in a unique location, the Opera House is here to help. From Thursday, May 1 until Sunday, May 4, the Playhouse will screen a series of new and classic films. The line-up includes a sing-along screening of Wicked, the latest release from Parasite director Bong Joon Ho Mickey 17, the late David Lynch’s iconic Mulholland Drive, Studio Ghibli's cherished Howl’s Moving Castle and a special screening of The Correspondent with a live Q&A.  Tickets start at $30. Generations and Dynasties, a celebration of First Nations talent Following its debut last year, this powerful series showcases creative First Nations families through conversation, storytelling, and performance. The 2025 program will take over the Utzon Room on Tuesday, April 29, Wednesday, May 14, Thursday, August 7 and Thursday, August 14, showcasing the musical talent, creativity and resilience of four First Nations families. Tickets start at $25. You Are Here, a creative play designed to encourage storytelling between children From

Calling all cost-conscious brides! If your wedding budget is blowing over, we’re here to help. From Saturday, March 29 until Friday, April 4, the Vinnies Waverley store will transform into a wonderland of discounted delights, with a huge selection of new and pre-loved wedding gowns, suits, bridesmaids’ dresses, formalwear, and accessories (including jewellery and shoes). According to Vinnies, the average Australian wedding now costs $36,000 – so any cost-saving measure to lighten that load is a welcome gift. Back in 2023, Vinnies launched their first ever bridal expo, attracting 674 customers over three days of shopping, and helping to raise money for the organisation’s charitable mission. Later this month, the mega sale is coming back – bigger and better than ever. This year’s event will feature more than 500 wedding dresses, 200 of which are brand new, plus outfits for your bridal party and accessories galore. Mapping out your budget? All brand new dresses will be priced at $300, and all pre-loved dresses will be priced at $50. You’ll find the Vinnies bridal expo at Vinnies Waverley, 253-259 Bronte Road, Waverley. The store will be open from 9.30am until 5.30pm Monday through Saturday and from 10am until 5pm on Sunday. It’s a first-in, best-dressed situation, with last year’s event attracting queues down the street as budget-savvy brides-to-be waited to snap up their cut-price finds. Our advice? Grab a coffee and a sambo from Frank’s Deli (a few doors down), and get in line

Summer might be over, but Sydney’s event schedule isn’t slowing down – with Great Southern Nights bringing more than 300 gigs to venues across the city and beyond. Keen to get amongst it? The annual autumn gig series is reaching its peak in one of our very favourite corners of the city; with the Hollywood Quarter (the Surry Hills intersection where some of Sydney’s coolest streets collide) playing host to a crazy-good gig trail on Saturday, April 5 (and deep into the morning of Sunday, April 6).After launching during Great Southern Nights 2024 edition, the Hollywood Quarter Gig Trail is back in a big way for 2025 – with live gigs from established and emerging Aussie artists at venues around the precinct. Running from 12pm on Saturday, April 5 until 4am on Sunday morning, the urban trail will take music lovers from intimate bars to high-end restaurants, with a super-strong line-up of artists (headliners include Babitha, Jono Ma and The Pro-Teens) playing free-to-attend gigs.  Participating venues in this year’s event include Ace Hotel Sydney, the Soda Factory, Alberto’s Lounge, the Burdekin, Golden Age, Hollywood Hotel, Harry’s, Butter, Surry Hills Hotel and Paramount House Hotel. We can also expect pavement gigs and pop-up stages, with Music Curator Trevor Brown encouraging Sydneysiders to “get ready to explore the back alleys, nooks and crannies of the Hollywood Precinct.” Keen? You can learn more about the participating venues and check out the line-up over here. Stay in th

The Lycian Way is featured on Time Out's list of the world's best hikes for 2025. It's 12.28 on a Thursday afternoon, and I'm sitting in the bow of a wide, ancient plane tree. Paddle-like leaves send dappled sunlight on a slow, delicate dance over a nearby herd of wild horses gathered around a well. I'm eating a spinach and feta pancake that was made fresh that morning and wrapped in colorful paper – lunch for the road from a fire-powered kitchen. It's salty and doughy and filling and perfect – the kind of thing you crave on a hangover, and even more when you've spent the past four hours hiking through the mountains in 25-degree heat. Below us, the Taurus mountains spill out for an eternity – forest-studded hills sloping into the sky. Slow-moving clouds throw shadows across the bowl of the valley, and dusty limestone paths wind amber threads through the strawberry trees.  Photograph: Paul Fairman This was day five of our walking trip, and we'd found a meditative rhythm in the step-after-step flow of the days – hours that fell away as we wound our way up narrow mountain tracks, and down gentle sloping hillsides dotted with grazing goats. We were hiking a six-day stretch of the Lycian Way: a 540-kilometre hike that's widely known as the most scenic long-distance hike in Türkiye. In its entirety, the Lycian Way takes over a month to complete, tracking along the Turquoise Coast in the southwest corner of the country, through ancient Lycian sites and up towering, dramatic cliffs

The democracy sausage is arguably one of Australia’s most iconic dishes (if you can call it that). But is that snag sambo really worth lining up at the local school on a Saturday to cast your vote? If you've got other plans on the Australian federal election day (this coming Saturday, May 3, 2025), you can pre-poll, and early voting is open now. We've broken down everything you need to know about casting your vote for the 2025 federal election. When is the Australian election 2025? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the next Australian federal election for this coming Saturday, May 3. Who has to vote in the Australian election? Anyone who is an Australian citizen, aged 18 and over, must vote in the election.  How to enrol in the Australian election?  All Australians must be enrolled to vote. You can check your enrollment here. If you've just turned 18 or moved since the 2022 election, you'll need to have already enrolled (close date for enrolment was 8pm on Monday, April 7). Failure to vote will result in a $20 fine. How to vote in the Australian election? On election day, Australians can vote at polling booths in their state or territory, including churches, schools, community halls and public buildings. Locations are available via the Australian Electoral Commission's “Where can I vote” page, with polling stations open from 8am to 6pm. Once you arrive at your polling station, you’ll be provided with two ballot papers. The smaller piece is for the House of Representa

Relaxation isn’t hard to come by in Byron Bay. Hugging the easternmost corner of NSW, on volcanic land thought to hold a unique vibrational energy, the beloved bohemian town has long been a place of healing. And although it’s experienced something of a commercial upheaval over the past few years – with high-end hotels and luxe celebrity homes changing the fabric of the once unpretentious hippie haven – there’s still a unique magic that seems to hang over the town. Now, hidden beneath one of Byron’s most luxurious hotels (it was just listed on a prestigious list of the best hotels in the world), you’ll find Navia: a surreally beautiful Scandi-inspired bathhouse that’s bringing the town’s relaxation game to the next level. Navia co-founders Lucia Wilkinson and Patrick Dusting were travelling Scandinavia when the idea for the space was born. “We travelled through Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, and absolutely fell in love with their style of bathing. It’s a completely different culture from what we have here – in Australia it’s quite isolated, but over there, the instant you walk in you feel at home. We felt like we just had to bring that style of bathing to Australia, and where better to do it than Byron, a place that’s already so community-focused?” Dusting tells me, while we’re sitting in the carefully minimalist, rust-toned lobby, a space that calms your nervous system even before you’ve spent two hours soaking and steaming in the room below. Photograph: Supplied | Eli

It’s a big week for re-launches. Just as Freda’s opens up its third iteration – Bar Freda’s – in an intimate two-story space in Chippo, one of the most beloved pubs in the Inner City has reopened with a fresh new ’do. Straddling the border of Redfern and Surry Hills, The Norfolk is back in a big way – this time, with neighbourhood values (and a killer ice-cream lamington) at its heart. This is all thanks to the new ownership by Sydney group Solotel, who have taken over the watering hole from Public Hospitality, following a challenging few years (to say the least). Back in 2013, Time Out Sydney described The Norfolk as “a party pub… good at walking the fine line between scheduled activities and unstructured revelry.” And in its latest form, it’s still flying that flag: with an excellent happy hour (4-6pm Mondays through Fridays), Tuesday night trivia, ‘spin the wheel’ every Thursday, a hefty meat raffle every Friday and a fun, welcoming vibe that will keep you long into the night. But this time, things have stepped up a notch – with an on-point cocktail menu (order the pickle Martini) and schmick, warmly lit interiors that honour the pub’s Art Deco roots with a refined sense of style. “The Norfolk has always stood for good times, great food and that sense of belonging you only get from your local,” says Marcella Guilfoyle, the pub’s general manager. Photograph: Supplied | The Norfolk A neighbourhood drinking hole at its heart, the new iteration of The Norfolk hasn’t cut any

Star gazers and celestial enthusiasts, this one’s for you. Another astronomical spectacle is taking place right now in the skies above Sydney, just two weeks after the pink micromoon lit up our skies. Flying through the sky at lightning speed, the annual Lyrid meteor shower happens around the world from mid-to-late April each year. In Australia, it peaked last night (the night between April 22 and 23), with roughly 15 shooting stars streaking across the atmosphere per hour. Missed last night's show? There's more to come – here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Lyrid meteor shower.  When is the Lyrid meteor shower visible from NSW? The Lyrid meteor shower is visible for around two weeks every April. In 2025, the Lyrids will be at their most active between April 16 to 25, and although they were expected to peak just after midnight on Tuesday, April 22 or in the very early hours of the morning on Wednesday, April 23, the activity should still be visible for a few more nights. Until Friday, April 25, you can expect to witness up to 20 shooting stars per hour above NSW, with sporadic flashes of light visible at night throughout the two-week period. This handy interactive map will tell you exactly when to look up based on your location in Australia.  What is the Lyrid meteor shower? Lyrids are one of the world’s oldest meteor showers, with their origins tracing back more than 2,500 years in Chinese texts. The celestial spectacle is created when the Earth makes its annual

Re-listening to the first studio album from Byron-born five-piece Parcels, you’ll be transported back to a simpler world. The self-titled Parcels was released in late 2018, and it soundtracked a divinely beautiful Aussie summer: before the bushfires of Black Summer filled our skies with smoke, and the global pandemic changed the world as we know it. The band’s textured, 70s-inspired sound gained them a global network of dedicated fans, and has taken them around the world, with headline shows in the world’s biggest cities, as well as festival appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Glastonbury (to name a few). After making Berlin their base for the past few years, the Australian golden boys are coming home – announcing three major dates for their 2025 homecoming tour.  When is Parcels playing in Sydney? On Saturday, December 6 2025, Parcels will bring their funky, melodic breed of joyful soft rock to the Opera House forecourt. The announcement is the first to drop from this year’s On The Steps series, which featured Aussie icons including Troye Sivan, Missy Higgins and Crowded House in 2024. When do Parcels tickets go on sale? General release tickets for the Parcels Sydney show go on sale at 12pm Sydney time on Tuesday, April 29. Cancel your lunch date – you’ll find tickets via the Live Nation website.  Is there a pre-sale for Parcels' Sydney show? Three pre-sales (one from Live Nation, one for Sydney Opera House Insiders and one via the band’s Popshop link listed on their

Calling all Little Monsters! The paparazzi are at the ready, and our paws are well and truly up. After teasing her potential Aussie tour in interviews, avant-garde pop queen Lady Gaga has officially confirmed that she’s bringing her much-hyped Mayhem Ball to Australia, and has just announced a second Sydney show date. The huge tour announcement comes off the back of the release of Gaga's newest album, Mayhem, which marks a return to her pop roots. It's Gaga's seventh consecutive number one album (slay) and features the hit singles 'Abracadabra', 'Disease' and 'Die With A Smile', her collab with Bruno Mars. Will she play all these bangers and more when the Mayhem Ball rolls into Sydney? We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, here's everything you need to know about Lady Gaga's 2025 Mayhem Ball tour and her huge Sydney shows. When is Lady Gaga in Sydney? Lady Gaga was originally set to play one Sydney show as part of her Australian tour, due to bring the Mayhem Ball to the Accor Stadium for one night only on Friday, December 12. Due to unsurprisingly huge demand, she's just announced a second Sydney show for Saturday, December 13. When do Lady Gaga Sydney tickets go on sale? General sale for the first show kicked off on Thursday, April 17 at 12pm local time via Live Nation. General sale for the Saturday night tickets will go live at 1pm on Thursday, April 24.  Is there a Lady Gaga presale for her Sydney shows? For a music icon like Lady Gaga – you betcha! The Aussie

It’s hard to believe that two decades have flashed by since Grammy-nominated rock band The Fray's 'How To Save A Life' first hit the airways (don't worry, we feel old too), becoming the unofficial soundtrack to every breakup of the ensuing few years, and spending 58 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. The title track to the American band’s first album is undeniably their best-known, but it’s not their only hit, with that first album alone featuring beloved tracks including 'She Is', 'Over My Head' and 'All at Once'.To mark the double-decade milestone of their debut album, the multi-Grammy-nominated artists (minus original frontman Isaac Slade, who left the band in 2022) are heading on tour, and they’re bringing their How to Save a Life 20th anniversary tour to Australia this December. Here’s what we know so far. When and where is The Fray’s 2025 Australian tour? The American rockers will bring their melodic anthems to four cities across Australia this December 2025, including: Metro City, Perth – December 3 Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane – December 5 Enmore Theatre, Sydney – December 6 The Forum, Melbourne – December 7 This limited run of shows will be the first time they’ve performed on Australian soil since 2012. How to get pre-sale tickets for The Fray’s Australia tour? Signing up to The Fray’s newsletter will score you super early access, with presale tickets going live at 10am on Thursday, March 27. Spotify, venue and Ticketek pre-sale tickets will also go live at 10am on Fr

NSW is home to some truly magnificent natural wonders. The largest canyon in Australia is here in NSW, as is the second oldest national park in the world, the largest tidal lake in the Southern Hemisphere and the tallest peak in the country. But there’s one natural wonder that could blow them all out of the water, pardon the pun. Just under two hours' drive from Sydney, on the coastline of one of NSW’s most beloved tourist towns, you’ll find the largest blowhole in the entire world. Here’s everything you need to know about the Kiama Blowhole. What is the Kiama Blowhole? The Kiama Blowhole is a sea cave on the NSW coast with a vertical rockface within that blasts water up into the sky. When ocean waves crash into the cave with enough force, they’re pushed up through the vertical rockface and explode into the air – with dramatic plumes of water sometimes reaching heights of 25 meters. Where is the biggest blowhole in the world?  You’ll find the Kiama Blowhole at the appropriately named Blowhole Point Road, in the NSW South Coast town of Kiama. It's right next to the Kiama Lighthouse, so it’s hard to miss once you’re in the town. Photograph: Supplied | Destination NSW How big is the Kiama Blowhole? As the biggest in the world, you’d better believe that this blowhole’s size is worth mentioning. The blowhole itself is about 2.5 metres wide, with water spraying up from the ocean for about 10-15 metres until bursting out through the opening. When conditions are right (high tide an

It’s 5.15pm on an autumn afternoon, and the salt-laced Sydney air is unseasonably warm. We pour the last drops of Limoncello Spritz into our cups and look out across Middle Harbour as the sun drops behind the hills and sends sparkles dancing across the surface of the water.From across the bay, a speed boat pulls up beside us, and the driver smiles and asks “Did you hire that?” We tell him yes, assuming that he’s about to mock us for not owning our own vessel, but instead, he asks more: he wants to know where we hired it from, what the company’s called, and whether you need a boat licence.“I heard they were coming here, but didn’t realise they’d launched. Enjoy!” he tells us. As he zooms off into the distance, he seems impressed, and we can’t help but feel proud of our slow-moving little machine – capable of attracting the interest of a licence-owning, sea-faring local. Photograph: Winnie Stubbs | Time Out Sydney And though we’re disproportionately proud, we can’t say we can blame him for taking an interest in our charming little chugger. Designed in Denmark as an ode to the Scandinavian picnic boats seen floating around the waterways of Copenhagen, these Australian-built boats are as sustainable as they are chic: all grey tones and tasteful wooden panelling made from sustainably-sourced recycled wood. The all-electric engine means zero noise pollution, and the boats are designed for minimal environmental impact, with zero operating emissions and zero waterway erosion. A la

Back in January of this year, Time Out Sydney got a sneak peek at what we can expect when the new Western Sydney Airport opens its doors in 2026. Now, Transport for NSW has revealed what our journeys to the airport will look like, releasing the designs for the metro stations set to line the new superfast stretch of Sydney Metro connecting Western Sydney Airport to St Marys and Sydney’s shiny new CBD, Bradfield City.Currently, work on the 23-kilometre stretch of Sydney Metro connecting to the new Western Sydney Airport is well underway – with huge viaducts being built over farmland between Orchard Hills and Luddenham. According to Transport for NSW, this extension of the Sydney Metro network is anticipated to become “the backbone of transportation in Greater Western Sydney” – with the capacity to carry 7,740 passengers per hour in each direction between St Marys and Bradfield. But we’ve got some time to wait – with the metro due to open a year after the airport itself has opened its doors.  Eager to see what it will look like? The designs for the six stations along the line have now been finalised, with construction now well underway. Photograph: Supplied | Transport for NSW In consultation with First Nations design professionals Djinjama and key Knowledge Holders of Country, Sydney-based architecture firm Hassell has designed the stations to complement the local landscape, and establish a sense of connection to place, people and the communities of Western Sydney. Consultat

Sydney’s roads are getting upgraded. Earlier this month, plans were revealed for the stunning Aboriginal artwork set to line the M12 Motorway connecting to the new Western Sydney airport. And this week, a whole new “adults playground” has opened up beneath one of the city’s major motorways. Named Junction Street Plaza, the new urban space features a heap of outdoor activity facilities – from table tennis tables to a colourful parkour course – designed to get people (adults) outside. Taking over a previously unused space beneath the M4 Motorway in the Western Sydney suburb of Granville, the new “adults playground” features a parkour course, basketball hoops, table tennis tables and street skating ramps. Funded in conjunction with the NSW Government through its 2021/22 Places to Play Program, the new urban space is one of many outdoor spaces across the city that are designed to encourage Sydneysiders to get active in the open air. To date, the Places to Play program has reportedly provided more than $16 million to carefully positioned outdoor recreation projects around NSW. With its varied recreational equipment and weatherproof colourful design, this project cost $1.4 million – with City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter describing the space as “up there with some of the best urban parks around the world.” Photograph: Supplied | City of Parramatta The multi-purpose park is part of a pilot program to transform about 1,000 square metres of under-utilised space under t