The Best Australian Cities To Visit In Summer

The quintessential Australian outback is a sight to behold. Australia’s golden beaches are among the best in the world. But it would be a big mistake to overlook this country’s urban credentials. Here, the top Australian city breaks to help your summer sizzle.

Melbourne | Geelong | Hobart | Brisbane | Adelaide | Newcastle | Sydney | Perth

Melbourne, Vic

Yep, Melbourne gets top billing. Not only is Victoria’s capital an absolute must on any list of city breaks – Australian or otherwise – but after a turbulent battle with COVID-19 and its varying restrictions, Melbourne needs and deserves our support. So, let’s go!

Hosier Lane Melbourn — Explore the street art of Melbourne on Hosier Lane.

For the vibrant culture and destination dining; for the gritty laneways and sun-soaked rooftop bars; for the endless shopping and crammed events calendar; for the absolute love of this world-class city brought to a devastating standstill in 2020.

Lune Croissanterie Melbourne — Line up at Lune Croissanterie for one of their world-famous pastries.

Geelong, Vic

With its pretty-as-a-picture waterfront precinct as your backdrop, Geelong is a summertime treat. While Victoria’s second-largest city, Geelong has long been seen as a handy launch pad for the magical Great Ocean Road and Bellarine Peninsula, it’s also worth exploring in its own right.

The Geelong foreshore is a main attraction.

Visit the waterfront and learn about Geelong’s rich history with a stroll along the famous Bollard Trail . The city’s creativity shines elsewhere, too – there is the Waterfront Art Trail, galleries and museums, Geelong Performing Arts Centre and Melbourne-esque street art. And you certainly won’t go hungry. Little Mallop Street in particular is a hub of great eats and trendy bars, while Geelong is also home to one of Little Creatures’ two breweries . Stay on the water at Novotel Geelong or for architectural wow points, try The Warehouse Geelong or Devlin Apartments .

Little Creatures Brewery Geelong — Little Creatures Brewery is the perfect spot for a craft brew and pub feed.

Hobart, Tas

A charming waterfront, a strong sense of history and abundant natural beauty are among Hobart’s hallmarks, while the city’s culinary scene is a delicious celebration of local produce.

Hobart Waterfront — The serene Hobart waterfront is a sight to behold. (Image: Tourism Tasmania/Kathryn-Leahy)

Fico , Dier Makr , Willing Bros Wine Merchants are a few faves, or find a spot to dine among the galleries, theatres and markets of Salamanca Place. Peacock and Jones is another gem, which you’ll find in the Henry Jones Art Hotel , a truly chic stay on the water.

Don’t miss the lively atmosphere at Salamanca Markets. (Image: Graham Freeman/Tourism Australia)

Fico Hobart — Fico is one of the many top-notch eateries to try in Hobart. (Image: Osborne Images)

Drink connoisseurs will be satiated by local craft beer and whisky. And what is a trip to Hobart without a visit to MONA? Love it or be perplexed by it, the Museum of Old and New Art is quirky at the very least.

Bed down at The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart. (Image: The Henry Jones/Adam-Gibson)

Brisbane, Qld

Brisbane’s standing as a big country town is long gone. A hotel boom, burgeoning dining scene and growing events schedule has helped complete this coming of age story and now the River City is holding its own alongside the usual big-ticket capitals.

Walk down James Street in Brisbane. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Packed with cafes, restaurants, bars and event spaces, and alight with atmosphere, Brisbane’s new multi-million-dollar lifestyle precinct, Howard Smith Wharves , could deliver a magic itinerary on its own. Visit Felons Brewing Co., Mr Percival’s , Greca and Ciao Papi , and that’s just for starters.

Soak up the summer vibes at Felons Brewing Co.(Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Elsewhere, West End and Fortitude Valley are cultural hubs. Stay at The Calile, an Instagram-friendly subtropical oasis in the thick of Fortitude Valley, or one of the city’s two Ovolo hotels, Ovolo The Valley or Ovolo Inchcolm .

Mr Percival's on Howard Smith Wharves — Sip, relax and watch the sunset at Mr Percival’s on Howard Smith Wharves. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Adelaide, SA

The City of Churches isn’t as demure as the moniker might suggest, bursting with culture, flavour, world-class events, and an atmosphere that is only bolstered by those long summer days. Australia’s largest open-access arts festival, Adelaide Fringe (19 Feb – 21 March 2021), is a major summer drawcard while the Adelaide Central Market is a year-round attraction.

Tasting Australia Adelaide — Tasting Australia is just one of many world-class events to attend in Adelaide.

The city’s dining scene is hyped for a reason (put Osteria Oggi , Africola and Shobosho on your shortlist) and a visit to the beachside suburb of Glenelg is a must. You can also feel the sand between your toes at The Moseley Bar & Kitchen ’s Beach Club.

Feel the sand between your toes at The Moseley Bar & Kitchen’s Beach Club.

Newcastle, NSW

Newcastle has been steadily building its reputation as a serious big-city contender over the past decade or so. Just two hours from Sydney, the once working-class city is now home to smart cafes, pubs and bars, fantastic boutique shopping, and a vibrant creative scene, which has ‘cosmopolitan’ written all over it.

Newcastle streetscapes — Hit the pavement and explore the streetscapes of Newcastle. (Image: Destination NSW)

For all of the above, hit up the village vibes of the popular Darby Street precinct . Newcastle Memorial Walk along the clifftop is a beautiful spot to take in the summer rays. Continue enjoying those sweeping harbour views at Rydges Newcastle or set up in the thick of things at The Lucky Hotel.

Dine at Parry Street Garage in Newcastle West. (Image: Destination NSW)

Where to eat in Newcastle — Newcastle boasts a vibrant dining scene. (Image: Destination NSW)

Sydney, NSW

A sparkling diamond, or emerald as it were, Sydney is quite simply an impossible omission on such a list. Omission Impossible, you might say.

Noahs Bondi Backpackers — Bondi is one of a handful of uber trendy suburbs in Sydney’s east. (Image: Destination NSW)

The icons hardly need introducing, but here we go: Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Royal Botanic Garden, Darling Harbour.

Dine at Newtown's Continental Deli. — Head to the Inner West to dine at Newtown’s Continental Deli. (Image: Destination NSW)

Head to the centre of town and you can tick most of these off, but you could also spend your break in the grungier Inner West, the picturesque Northern Beaches, the trendy Eastern Suburbs and be spoilt for choice when it comes to first-rate dining, culture and events.

Bondi Icebergs Pool — Swim at the iconic Bondi Icebergs pool. (Image: Destination NSW)

Perth, WA

As far as summer playgrounds go, it’s hard to beat the Western Australian capital. The sand and surf blend effortlessly with the city’s urban energy, where restaurants, bars and creative arts thrive.

Elizabeth Quay in Perth — Perth is the ultimate summer playground. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

As far as beaches go, Cottesloe is the star and The Cottesloe Beach Hotel will sort you out with a crisp summer schooner.

Island Market at Trigg Beach has summer written all over it and, in Fremantle, you’ll find it easy to settle in at Bathers Beach House .

Perth's vibrant nightlife. — Make the most of Perth’s vibrant nightlife. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Fremantle is also a must: in addition to being packed with history, it’s a hub for eateries and bars. And don’t miss Kings Park and its splendid views. From Perth, both Rottnest Island and Swan Valley make for fab day trips.

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Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

The best city breaks in Australia this summer