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Make the most of Sydney in winter

Bondi Icebergs, BondiCredit: Destination NSW

Aerial view of Bondi Icebergs and surrounds, Bondi

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Make the most of Sydney in winter

Bondi Icebergs, Bondi Credit: Destination NSW

Aerial view of Bondi Icebergs and surrounds, Bondi

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Hashtags #feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Prepare to be dazzled by Sydney at any time of the year, with the winter months heralding some of the city’s most unique experiences. Rug up, step out and enjoy everything a Sydney winter has to offer including plenty of crisp, clear sunny days.

Be captivated by Vivid

Watch Sydney sparkle in a whole new way as the city lights up during the Vivid festival for three weeks across May and June. The world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, this annual celebration illuminates Sydney with astonishing artworks projected onto buildings (including the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House), glowing urban exhibitions and other boundary-pushing creativity, including an innovative Vivid Food program hosted for the first time in 2023. Prepare to be mesmerised by every element of the cutting-edge program.

Celebrate Sydney at more winter festivals

Roll up to a smorgasbord of other fascinating festivals held throughout Sydney during winter. Watch Bondi transform into a winter playground during the Bondi Festival, held over a fortnight from the end of June, and embrace the world’s best filmmaking over 12 days in June at the Sydney Film Festival. Enjoy two weekends of frosty fun at the Darling Harbour Winter Festival in July, with food stalls, firepits, ice-skating and even igloos, or hit the outdoor ice rink at Campbelltown’s ChillFest from the end of June until mid-July.

Vivid Sydney 2022 Credit: Destination NSW

Views of Harbour Lights installations on marine vessels moving across Sydney Harbour during Vivid Sydney 2022.

#feelnewsydney #vividsydney #ilovesydney

Vivid Sydney 2022 Credit: Destination NSW

Views of Harbour Lights installations on marine vessels moving across Sydney Harbour during Vivid Sydney 2022.

#feelnewsydney #vividsydney #ilovesydney

Darling Harbour Night Market, Darling Harbour Credit: Destination NSW

Family enjoying a night out at the Darling Harbour Night Market in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Darling Harbour Night Market, Darling Harbour Credit: Destination NSW

Family enjoying a night out at the Darling Harbour Night Market in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Snuggle up in a cosy bar

Warm up for a big night out at one of Sydney’s cosiest bars. Recline on a leather banquette in front of the fireplace with a gin cocktail in hand at Frank Mac’s in The Rocks, or step back into old London at the Duke Of Clarence in the city centre, which also features a fabulous fireplace surrounded by walls of vintage books. Head underground for a thrillingly clandestine cocktail at Palmer & Co, also centrally located, and sample a tantalising taste of Sicily at subterranean Apollonia, hidden in the moodily lit basement of Hinchcliff House, just behind Circular Quay.

Settle in for a decadent meal

Retreat from the elements to experience Sydney’s renowned culinary creativity at some of the city’s finest restaurants. Feel the warmth of the open kitchen at Firedoor in Surry Hills, where everything from the brussels sprouts to the 184-day dry-aged steak is cooked over fire. Descend the spiral staircase behind a mysterious wooden door on Bligh Street in the city centre to the basement dining room at Hubert, where classic French fine-dining is de rigueur. Imagine you’ve stepped into a friend’s rustic country home as you linger over a long paddock-to-plate lunch at Fred’s in Paddington. Or tuck into one of Sydney’s best Sunday roasts by a crackling fire at the charming Glebe Hotel.

Be mesmerised by migrating whales

Marvel at the majesty of Mother Nature as whales put on a spectacular show in Sydney during the cooler months. Each year from May to November, more than 40,000 humpback and southern right whales make their way along Sydney’s coastline during their annual migration from Antarctica to the warmer waters of the Pacific and back again. Watch in wonder from coastal vantage points such as North Head at Manly and the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, which traces the clifftops of the city’s inner eastern beaches. Or get up close to these giants of the deep on an action-packed whale-watching cruise from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour or Manly with the likes of Whale Watching Sydney, Oz Whale Watching, Ocean Extreme and Manly Ocean Adventures.

Palmer and Co., Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple ordering cocktails at Palmer and Co., Sydney.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Palmer and Co., Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple ordering cocktails at Palmer and Co., Sydney.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

Seek warmth through wellness

Get a taste of Sydney’s renowned wellness scene via an array of restorative experiences ideal for the winter months. Warm up from the inside out during a calming infrared sauna session at Nimbus & Co or Slow House, both located at Bondi Beach. Try something different and bathe nude at Arisoo, women-only Korean-style bathhouses in Paddington and Chatswood. Float in the 20-metre indoor pool under a canopy of twinkling ‘stars’ following a decadent treatment at the subterranean Day Spa by Chuan at The Langham. Or treat yourself to a decadent day of bespoke facials and body therapies at the new two-storey Spa at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.

Spend an unforgettable night at the theatre

Hit the town for an exhilarating night at the theatre during Sydney’s packed 2023 winter season. Take your seat and be entertained by the likes of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, premiering at the Capitol Theatre in June, or be swept away by the drama of Miss Saigon, coming to the Sydney Opera House in August. Get ready to sing along to Mamma Mia! The Musical, returning to the Lyric Theatre for a limited season in May, and catch an all-star cast in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Do Not Go Gentle in May and June in Walsh Bay. These are just a few of the fabulous performances to catch at the city’s many entertainment venues in winter and beyond.

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour Spa Credit: Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour Spa

#feelnewsydney

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour Spa Credit: Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour Spa

#feelnewsydney

The Day Spa by Chuan, at The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham

Set underground at The Langham, Sydney, The Day Spa by Chuan boasts a 20m heated pool.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

The Day Spa by Chuan, at The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham

Set underground at The Langham, Sydney, The Day Spa by Chuan boasts a 20m heated pool.

#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney

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