Sea walks with native Australian flowers and plunging cliffs into sapphire seas. Secret beaches and gardens, perfect for a picnic… As soon as work is out, there’s no better place to kick back than Sydney, right? Just so you can make the most of your weekends and get a healthy amount of ‘relax’ time scheduled in (after a long lie-in of course), we have the ultimate in ‘easy like Sunday morning’ ideas. Fancy a little sculpture stroll? Perhaps getting arty at a new gallery? Sydney boasts both inside and out art exhibits – some even have rooftop views. Speaking of views…it’s a Sydney thing. So much so, that in this town a spa would not be a spa without a fabulous outlook. We have the lowdown on swish new spa spots with stunning vistas. Look out to Woolloomooloo wharf from a ‘pedi parlour’, glimpse sailboats on the harbour from an infinity bath tub, or enjoy stellar city scenes perched above Luna Park while your grooming goes on. You could also join our culture club and learn to dance or try your hand at a cooking class. Or, if your kitchen is a cooking-free zone on weekends, take a little afternoon tea instead. And, for a classy close to the evening, jump on the new Sydney trend of wine tasting while sampling a little cheese on the side. To work off all that indulgence, there are plenty of fit things to do in the great outdoors.

All up, there’s a host of ideas to get you chilled and rejuvenated Sydney-style.

Adriano Zumbo

296 Darling St, Balmain
02 9810 7318

He’s the man who has set out to ‘caramelise the nation’, and judging by the queues outside his patisserie, Adriano Zumbo is well on the way to success. Balmain has embraced his quirky creations like …

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Amy Erbacher Beauty Room

42 Gurner St, Paddington
0423 222 422

A new beauty room and pop in day spa created by Amy Erbacher, television presenter, whose focus is on getting onscreen complexion perfection. The Paddington Parlour attracts one or two celebrities, too. So for those …

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Ash St Cellar

1 Ash St, CBD
02 9240 3000

Sit in the laneway at the back of the Ivy complex for a large glass of red and cheese plate under the stars. Feel very French Riviera eating al fresco. Or maybe a little …

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Australian Centre for Photography

257 Oxford St, Paddington
02 9332 1455

If you want to be at the true cutting edge of homegrown photographic art, the ACP should be your first stop. Established in 1973, it initiated the first major retrospectives of work by legendary photographers …

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Azul Day Spa

6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo
02 9380 4908

The doors have just opened to the shiny space at the site of the old Spa Chakra. Azul is the perfect pamper drop-in spot, with views over the wharf. City slickers enter white treatment …

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Cabbage Tree Bay Eco-Sculpture Walk

Manly

If you’ve got a spare 15 minutes, perhaps in a ferry wait, set out from the big waves on the beach at Manly to pretty Shelley Beach on this soothing sculpture walk. The kids will love finding small pewter …

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Carriageworks

245 Wilson St, Eveleigh
02 8571 9099

A cool home for contemporary art and culture, this amazing heritage space is a unique artistic hub. Artists conceive, develop and present their work in an inspiring and creative atmosphere and sometimes their art becomes …

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Chi The Spa at Shangri La

176 Cumberland St, The Rocks
02 9250 6000

Super chic and warmly lit, Chi The Spa has a Chinese wellness approach to spa life, with roots in Ayurvedic practice and the Five Elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth, which harmonise …

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