Set on the eastern side of Circular Quay, ARIA has magnificent views of the Opera House. The interior is smart and subdued, accentuating the glittering lights of the harbor, and while there is certainly a complement of businesspeople here, there are also couples sharing romantic meals. The food is contemporary, with much of the produce, meat and fish locally obtained. Among the starters, the plump ravioli packed with succulent spanner crab and scampi are given the luxurious touch of black-truffle dressing, while the main course lamb is served two ways, as a roasted cutlet and a char-grilled neck cut, with garlic soubise, baby fennel and mint gel. The international wine list, not surprisingly, is strong on Australian bottlings.
CONTACT OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS (800) 375-4685 | (630) 734-4610
Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
Australia
Overview
From Andrew Harper
American travelers to Australia tend to confine their visits to a few locations, especially Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef. But this vast desert continent contains lush rain forests, arid lunar landscapes, dramatic mountain ranges, swathes of pristine beach and an amazing diversity of exotic wildlife. A month here would scarcely begin to do the country justice. And from the primeval wilderness of the Northern Territory to the Victorian manors of the Barossa Valley, the Australians themselves are unfailingly genial and hospitable. Sydney remains one of the great modern cities of the world, but even once-provincial Perth has lately evolved into a buzzing pan-Asian metropolis.
CLIMATE : December-March is summer and June-September winter, though nearly half of Australia (which is the size of the lower 48 states) lies in the tropics. Coastal cities are temperate and have mild winters (see below). The Great Barrier Reef’s average highs range from the upper 70s to the upper 80s year-round.
TIME : Eastern Australia is 16 hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY : Australian dollar (A$). Fluctuating rate valued at A$1.02 = US$1.00 as of March 2012.
U.S. EMBASSY : Canberra, Tel. 2-6214-5600. Consulates: Melbourne, Tel. 3-9526-5900; Sydney, Tel. 2-9373-9200; and Perth, Tel. (8) 9202-1224.
DIRECT DIAL CODES : To phone hotels and restaurants in Australia, dial 011 (international access) + 61 (Australia code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS : Passport and visa. Visit travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, cdc.gov.
GENERAL INFORMATION : Visit australia.com before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Australia
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Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide TreasuryComfortable 80-room hotel occupying a renovated sandstone Victorian building, originally the State Treasury of South Australia, in an excellent location. |
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InterContinental AdelaideDazzling 367-room atrium hotel on the banks of the River Torrens in the heart of the city, adjacent to the Festival Centre and Parliament House. |
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Longitude 131Unique desert hideaway straddling an isolated red dune and providing unobstructed views of Ayers Rock, 20 minutes from the Ayers Rock airport. |
Northern Territory |
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qualia, Great Barrier ReefAttractively landscaped seaside resort of 60 freestanding pavilions on lush Hamilton Island, a 90-minute flight from Brisbane off Australia’s northeast coast. |
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Hayman, Great Barrier ReefLavish resort complex surrounded by landscaped gardens and tropical lagoon pools on an island at the northern end of the Whitsunday Passage. |
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Tower LodgeMission-style lodge (the creation of Australian winemaking legend Len Evans) surrounded by vineyards in the heart of the famed Hunter Valley wine region. |
New South Wales |
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Southern Ocean LodgeRefined, environmentally sensitive lodge (sister property to Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island) located between two national parks. |
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Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & SpaRefurbished country house-resort amid English gardens along a panoramic ridge overlooking the canyons of the Jamison Valley and Blue Mountains National Park, two hours west of Sydney. |
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Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & SpaSplendid new destination resort on a 4,000-acre former cattle ranch, three hours northwest of Sydney in the Blue Mountains of the Great Dividing Range. |
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Lizard IslandSophisticated resort on a remote 2,500-acre island surrounded by white-sand beaches and crystalline lagoons. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific
Icebergs Dining Room and Bar
As lively and appealing as downtown Sydney is, you cannot fully appreciate life in this beautiful place until you visit one of the city’s spectacular beaches. Bondi, to the east, is a particular favorite for its stretch of inviting yellow sand and legendary surf. Ideally situated on the cliffs at Bondi’s south end, this bright, predominantly white restaurant offers not only a panoramic view through huge windows, but also some of the top food in the city. The menu has an Italian inflection, so you’ll find pastas such as gnocchi made with buffalo mozzarella in an amatriciana-basil sauce, as well as wonderful main courses such as the free-range Berkshire pork cutlet with pan-roasted yellow peppers, almonds and currants, or fresh whole fish with a wide range of condiments such as almond aioli or classic lemon butter. The excellent wine list is particularly good on Italian bottlings. If you can’t secure a reservation, consider sitting at the bar, ordering from the light menu and soaking up the glorious view.
1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach
Sydney
2026
Australia
See map: Google Maps
US$120
Manly Pavilion
Set in a former 1930s beachside changing pavilion, this white split-level dining room draws discerning local food lovers with a Mediterranean-inspired menu of dishes such as scallops with pumpkin, pine mushrooms and Parmesan; lamb with turnips, radishes and marjoram; and several items to share, such as whole fresh salt-baked fish with lemon verbena. Delicious desserts include spiced pineapple with gingerbread and yogurt. The wine list is outstanding, too.
West Esplanade, Manly Cove
Sydney
2095
Australia
See map: Google Maps
US$85
Marque Restaurant
Chef Mark Best cooked with the great chefs of France before coming home and hanging out his shingle in arty, upscale Surry Hills. The service here is a bit precious, but Best’s food is superb, so the multicourse tasting menu is recommended. It changes often, but may include dishes such as potatoes with bone marrow, sea urchin and coffee; cod with polenta and lemon; and a rich Sauternes custard. There is a fine assortment of wines by the glass.
4/5 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Sydney
2010
Australia
See map: Google Maps
Tasting menu, US$150
Quay
It is hard to beat the view here, right on the water, facing Sydney’s two iconic structures, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Inside, Quay is a bit glitzy, but no matter. The food and the service are superb. The four-course prix-fixe menu is full of tantalizing choices. Among them: a rich congee (Chinese rice porridge) with a generous portion of mud crab meat; roasted partridge breast with steamed truffle brioche; poached wagyu beef with black pudding and morels; and a chocolate cake that incorporates its main ingredient in eight textures. The wine list offers an extensive by-the-glass selection, including sakes and sherries, and an appealing array of half-bottles and magnums.
Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, West Circular Quay
Sydney
2000
Australia
See map: Google Maps
Four-course menu, US$170
Rockpool
Chef Neil Perry opened Rockpool more than 20 years ago to showcase his innovative cuisine using the best Australian products with influences from Asia. Always in the forefront, Perry restyled the restaurant to “Rockpool classic,” which in practice means white tablecloths and crisp, professional service. What has not changed is Perry’s imaginative cooking. Look for wonderful dishes such as blue swimmer crab congee; lobster congee with star anise-scented peanuts; John Dory and scampi with paprika, macadamia nuts and a basil pistou; tender lamb with borlotti beans, tea-smoked mussels and preserved mustard greens; and the rich date tart, a Rockpool classic. The wine list is a joy, with wide selections by the glass, half-bottle and magnum, plus many reasonably priced options.
107 George Street, The Rocks
Sydney
2000
Australia
See map: Google Maps
Four-course menu, US$155
Sepia
After a stint with Marco Pierre White in London, Australian chef Martin Benn worked for many years as head chef at the famous Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s before launching his own place in the central business district. With a low-lit décor that combines elements of an old-fashioned men’s club with those of a Parisian brasserie, it is a popular spot for corporate dining at noon, but draws serious gourmets in the evening. Benn’s menus follow the seasons, but often include superb starters such as seared swordfish belly with ponzu and dashi, and pan-roasted quail breast with peas and sunflower seeds; and main courses such as char-grilled miso beef filet with roasted buckwheat cream, or roasted scampi tails with shellfish custard.
201 Sussex Street
Sydney
2000
Australia
See map: Google Maps
US$120
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Itineraries
Australia — A Journey of Contrasts
Australia presents diverse landscape, from desert to lush rain forest to dramatic mountain ranges.
Honeymoon in Australia
Australians are unfailingly genial and hospitable making it an irresistible destination. Choose Australia for an unforgettable backdrop for this momentous occasion.
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We're going to Australia in August and are having a hard time deciding how to split our very short week between Sydney and Melbourne. Any thoughts from nonAussies (who all quaintly divide based on their home town :) would be greatly appreciated. Food and wine are our biggest priorities. Thanks!
We did 3 nights in Sydney and stayed at the four seasons, it was definitely not enough time. We unfortunately did not go to Melbourne, instead traveled to kangaroo island and lizard Island which were phenomenal.
Hello,
We did an informal poll around the Travel Office, and there is some disagreement about whether you should spend four days in Sydney and three in Melbourne or vice-versa. There are wine regions near both cities, and both cities offer a wealth of attractions. The timing of your flights might also help determine which city gets four nights.
Feel free to contact the Travel Office at (800) 375-4685, (630) 734-4610 or reservations@andrewharper.com, and one of our travel consultants would be happy to help sketch out a plan for your time and assist with any travel arrangements you may require.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office