Al Shami, MerrylandsCredit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying food and drink at Al Shami, Syrian Restaurant, Merrylands. Al Shami is an included location for visitors booked on a Taste of Afghanistan and Syria tour with Taste Cultural Food Tours. For more details, visit: https://www.tastetours.com.au/
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Taste your way through Sydney
Al Shami, Merrylands Credit: Destination NSW
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Savour Sydney’s diverse flavours beyond the inner city’s many excellent restaurants. Harness traditional knowledge on an Aboriginal guided tour in an unexpected location, go behind the scenes in Sydney’s culturally rich suburbs, and be amazed by the city’s edible landscape on a foraging tour — to name but a few enriching excursions worth sampling.
Find bush tucker on an Aboriginal-guided tour
Discover how the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, Sydney’s Traditional Custodians, have harvested the natural bounty of Sydney for tens of thousands of years on an Aboriginal Bush Tucker Tour at the harbourside Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Breathe in the fragrant scent of native lemon myrtle — which can be used to make a delicious tea — as you learn how flowering wattles indicate when it’s eel season. Visit an ancient red gum used in Aboriginal initiation ceremonies, taste seasonal bush foods, and be awed by the many ways that plants in the garden are used by First Nations peoples across Australia
Tuck into Sydney’s multicultural food story
Understand the many global cultures and cuisines that have influenced Sydney’s vibrant culinary scene on a guided food tour. Taste how recipes brought from China, Malaysia and Korea are elevated with Australian produce on an excursion to Chinatown, bordering the city centre, with Taste Cultural Food Tours Inc. Or hear the fascinating stories behind the recipes that have travelled all the way from Afghanistan and Syria to the kitchens of Merrylands in the western suburbs.
Sample more of Sydney’s multicultural food highlights with Gourmet Safaris, created by food journalist and broadcaster Maeve O’Meara OAM. Fuel up for the day in western Sydney’s Harris Park, also known as Sydney’s Little India, where you can try a traditional Indian breakfast. You can also meet local producers in Marrickville in the Inner West, or unleash your appetite on a gourmet Italian food tour of nearby Haberfield.
Pair a love of food with an interest in street art on a Newtown Chewtown tour in Newtown with Local Sauce Tours. Get a fun-filled taste of ‘Aussie food’ on a relaxed walk around three central Sydney suburbs, or sink your teeth into Sydney’s own Little Italy in Five Dock, also in Sydney’s Inner West.
Aboriginal Tour, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Guests learning about the rich Aboriginal culture of the Gadigal people on a guided tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
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Aboriginal Tour, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Guests learning about the rich Aboriginal culture of the Gadigal people on a guided tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Avasana Afghan Street Food, Merrylands Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying food and drink at Avasana Afghan Street Food, Merrylands. Avasana Afghan Street Food is an included location for visitors booked on a Taste of Afghanistan and Syria tour with Taste Cultural Food Tours. For more details, visit: https://www.tastetours.com.au/
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Avasana Afghan Street Food, Merrylands Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying food and drink at Avasana Afghan Street Food, Merrylands. Avasana Afghan Street Food is an included location for visitors booked on a Taste of Afghanistan and Syria tour with Taste Cultural Food Tours. For more details, visit: https://www.tastetours.com.au/
Purchase fresh produce from the source
Learn the stories behind your food when you buy it directly from farmers and producers at Sydney’s farmers markets. On Saturday, make your way to Carriageworks Farmers Markets in inner-west Eveleigh. Fill your shopping basket with everything from artisan breads to single-origin coffee, gourmet meats to freshly-cut flowers as you explore the market with all your senses.
Treat yourself to organic goodies, from homemade jams to freshly harvested seasonal fruit, at the Kings Cross Market in Potts Point’s Fitzroy Gardens, also held on Saturdays. Or head across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge to browse the offerings of more than 70 stallholders from Sydney and regional NSW at the Northside Produce Market, which pops up in North Sydney’s Ted Mack Civic Park every first and third Saturday morning of the month.
Go foraging with an expert
Feel empowered to forage for your own wild food on a tour with respected forager and author Diego Bonetto, who learned how to seek out wild edible ingredients growing up on an Italian dairy farm. Now, he leads foraging tours in and around Sydney. Whether you join a workshop that takes place in Centennial Parklands, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, or the Blue Mountains, a 90-minute drive west of the city, he’ll show you the edible riches that can be found underfoot, from warrigal greens to chickweed. Or feel the sand between your toes on a walk on Clovelly Beach in Sydney’s east with Bonetto and his collaborator Oliver Brown to learn how to identify and harvest edible sea plants found along the coastline.
Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a visit to the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh.
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Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a visit to the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh.
Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit to the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh.
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Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit to the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh.
Enjoy an urban farm experience
Be inspired by the sustainability ethos of Pocket City Farms, which grows organic produce right in the heart of Sydney’s inner west at Camperdown Commons, near Newtown. Sign up for an urban farm tour to learn more about permaculture techniques and how regenerative agriculture can improve the natural environment, tackle food insecurity and take action on climate change.
Reel in your own fish dinner
Revel in feasting on fresh Sydney seafood caught with your very own hands on a thrilling fishing charter with the likes of Off the Map, based in Pittwater in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Whether you prefer deep-sea or estuary fishing, you’ll be taken to the best angling grounds around Sydney for a half- or full-day fishing adventure.
Peppers Craigieburn, BowralCredit: Destination NSW
The heritage property at Peppers Craigieburn, Bowral.
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Promenade back in time as Netflix’s Regency-era romp returns for Season Three, escorted by the elegant Bridgerton in Bowral extravaganza from 16-23 April. And whether you’re visiting The Ton for these enchanting festivities or simply searching for a sophisticated sojourn, all year round Bowral offers decadent feasts, opulent stays, charming countryside and more – all just 90 minutes from Sydney. Read on, Gentle Reader, to learn why the Southern Highlands are the Diamond of the Season and beyond.
Make your grand entrance
Emerald hills garnished with vineyards, grand estates and a bewitching village atmosphere… Bowral’s highlights harken back to a most refined moment in history – and now they’re celebrating Bridgerton’s greatly anticipated return with a host of soirees. As befits such a momentous occasion, Empire Cinemas Bowral will host four exclusive screenings for The Ton before the new episodes hit Netflix (from May 16). Plus, you’re cordially invited to a Regency-themed Garden Party amid the stately grounds of the Milton Park Country House Hotel, where you’ll see and be seen in sprawling formal gardens, and enjoy a host of Bridgerton-themed entertainment. Nearby, Retford Park also entices with a picturesque 1887 homestead, self-guided art trail and a picnic-perfect historic garden for all seasons.
Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic grounds of Bendoley Estate, Berrima.
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Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic grounds of Bendoley Estate, Berrima.
Milton Park Country House Hotel and Spa, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic grounds of Milton Park Country House Hotel and Spa, Bowral.
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Milton Park Country House Hotel and Spa, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic grounds of Milton Park Country House Hotel and Spa, Bowral.
Sip your way around The Ton
Raise a toast to Lady Whistledown’s long-awaited new chapter with Sohi’s mouth-watering tipples – their premium gin, vodka and vermouth are available to quaff all over town, including at Hearth by Moonacres, Bistro Sociale and The Royal Hotel. And, let your thirst for discovery lead you along the Southern Highlands Wine Trail, where you’ll sample the region’s cool-climate drops at more than 60 vineyards and 15 cellar doors. Swill Tempranillo, Chardonnay, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Albariño, Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer at Centennial Vineyards; unwind between the vines at the grand Bendooley Estate; and clink glasses at Mount Ashby Estate, where red, white and culinary delights are served alongside French antiques and lashings of bucolic charm.
Shall we promenade?
Whether you’re courting a suitor or slipping out of the drawing room for fresh air, a gentle wander is one of life’s simple pleasures. Take a leisurely turn through historic Berrima; Australia’s best-preserved Georgian village unveils an intriguing selection of Regency-era relics, including the 1830s Courthouse, convict-built Surveyor General Inn and the National Trust-listed Harper’s Mansion. Bask in the majesty of manicured gardens in Bowral, Mossvale, and Robertson, where lavish plantings reveal nature’s extravagance – especially during the Tulip Time festival each spring. Afterwards, assemble your favourite dukes and duchesses to while away the day with croquet, cycle between quaint villages, or saddle up your trusty steeds for a relaxing meander along the Canyonleigh Trails.
Centennial Vineyards, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a romantic getaway at Centennial Vineyards, Bowral.
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Centennial Vineyards, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a romantic getaway at Centennial Vineyards, Bowral.
Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Autumn at Bendooley Estate, Berrima.
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Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Autumn at Bendooley Estate, Berrima.
Discover the talk of The Ton
Bowral boasts a bounty of treasures old, new and noteworthy if you’re seeking a modiste-crafted frock for your society debut, exploring the arts, or collecting key pieces to makeover your manor. Start with a visit to Dirty Janes, a unique marketplace where 90 individual sellers peddling all manner of retro, vintage, antique and artisan-made finds. Indulge your guilty pleasure for scandalous storytelling at Books Ever After, a romance-genre specialist home to an impressive selection of special editions to tantalise your imagination. And, take your cue from Bridgerton’s elite and let your impeccable taste in art and furnishings do the talking. The Ngununggula Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, Bowral Art Gallery and Milk Factory Gallery showcase the cultured art and soul of this inspired region, while Suzie Anderson Home has a wide range of premium style essentials to create your own Regency-influenced sanctuary.
Retreat to elegant chambers
From plush private residences to luxe suites catering for your every whim, the Southern Highlands offers a host of auspicious accommodations worthy of society’s highest echelon. Revel in the prestige of a grand estate to call your own on the grounds of The Rift Estate. This palatial 19th Century mansion presents a self-contained Coach House to accommodate 13 people, complete with cosy fireplaces, claw-foot bathtubs and lush lawns perfect for croquet and bocce. For a gracious stay amid rustic vistas reminiscent of the English countryside, look no further than the five-star boutique hotel, Osborn House. Nearby, the chic comforts continue at the Georgian Moss Manor, where thoughtful creativity and interior design unite for an exclusive art-hotel experience. Around the town, the historic flair also rolls into the early 20th Century, with the Berida Hotel, Peppers Craigieburn and the Links House Hotel delivering memorable stays where modern amenity and heritage flourishes converge. Wherever you choose to rest your tiara-toting head, you can find your own Bridgerton in Bowral all year round.
Osborn House, Bundanoon Credit: Stephanie Hunter
One of the Premier Suites at Osborn House.
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Osborn House, Bundanoon Credit: Stephanie Hunter
One of the Premier Suites at Osborn House.
Bradman Museum, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
Exploring sporting history at the Bradman Museum, Bowral, Southern Highlands
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Bradman Museum, Bowral Credit: Destination NSW
Exploring sporting history at the Bradman Museum, Bowral, Southern Highlands