72 Hour City Guide: Perth | Australian Traveller

A perfect day in Perth might involve museums, art galleries and historical attractions. But the best of the Wild West can also be found everywhere from its hip hangouts to a lazy lap of the Swan River.

What to expect in Perth

The city of Perth straddles the Swan River, which snakes east to west through the middle of the WA capital. The most isolated city in the world is located in the ancient country of the Whadjuk Nyoongar people, and has the Indian Ocean on one side and Australian outback on the other.

While once regarded as a big country town, Perth’s plethora of restaurants, pubs, bars, night markets, galleries, cafes, theatres and festivals has repositioned it as a destination that is now as worldly as it is working class. Perth’s rebirth has seen the city expand outwards from the original settlement on the Swan River where the CBD and Port Of Fremantle are situated.

It’s continued with an abundance of new and refurbished properties, such as the Vibe Hotel, Subiaco, The Adnate Perth – Art Series, Quay Perth , Doubletree by Hilton, The Westin, The Ritz Carlton, Como The Treasury and Aloft Perth.

Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails at The Adnate in Perth — Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails at The Adnate Perth – Art Series. (Credit: Damien Smith)

See the scenic side of Perth with Captain Cook Cruises, which skirts the Swan River between Perth and Fremantle past the city’s Bell Tower, The Old Swan Brewery Precinct and Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Don’t miss the Swan River landmark the Crawley Edge Boatshed in Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Visit the snazzy new waterfront development of Elizabeth Quay, located on the Swan River and in the heart of the CBD, or join Perth locals making the pilgrimage to hip hubs such as Subiaco and Mount Hawthorn. Getting to know Perth’s laid-back and outdoorsy side means finding an expanse of lawn and some live entertainment.

Headlining the city’s cultural calendar is Perth Festival, the oldest arts festival in the southern hemisphere. Also worth pencilling in is Perth International Jazz Festival, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival , Fremantle International Street Art Festival , Perth Comedy Festival and Rottofest.

The city’s sophistication also shines at WA Museum Boola Bardip, located in the Perth Cultural Centre and a great place to get a feel for the influence of Indigenous culture on WA’s visual art offerings.

Join Two Feet And A Heartbeat for a progressive dinner and bar crawl to discover the city’s hidden dive bars, revitalised pubs and atmospheric eateries.

Perth has 19 metropolitan beaches, but its proximity to Rottnest Island is what put it on the world map for being home to the quokka, ‘the happiest animal in the world’. Perth is also renowned for its vineyards and valleys: head to Bickley Valley, Guildford and the Swan Valley for the best of them.

Swim at Little Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

How to spend 72 hours in Perth

Beachside Fare

Odyssea at City Beach, Clancy’s Fish Bar and Hamptons City Beach are three top spots to take in the ambient sounds of the Indian Ocean while watching the waves roll in on the West Australian coast.

Cellar Doors

Some of WA’s oldest vineyards and newest cellar doors are located within easy reach of Perth. Drop a pin using your map app and plot a course to Oakover Wines , Pinelli Estate Wines and Olive Farm Wines.

Visit Rottnest

Hire a bicycle and take it on the ferry to Rottnest Island, where you can cycle, swim, snorkel, and commune with the local population of quokkas, peacocks and pelicans. Stay overnight at The Samphire.

Elizabeth Quay

Perth’s newish precinct, Elizabeth Quay, has added some sparkle to its CBD. Choose between a range of elegant restaurants and casual cafes dotted along the river such as The Reveley or V Burger Bar.

Cottesloe

The Cott, as Cottesloe Beach is known colloquially, is popular with everyone from surfers to swimmers. There is also some great snorkelling to be had at North Cottesloe Beach.

Best places to stay in Perth

Affordable

The Vibe Hotel in Subiaco is near to a string of fashion boutiques and galleries.

Moderate

The Adnate, Perth – Art Series Hotels is a draw for arty types with its 25-storey mural.

The Adnate Perth – Art Series mural — Mural at The Adnate Perth – Art Series. (Credit: Damien Smith)

Luxe

Perth does posh well with Como The Treasury , the most indulgent digs in town.

Where to eat in Perth

Good food and wine permeates every aspect of life in the Western Australian capital so dive in headfirst with a visit to Wildflower , at Como The Treasury, where you can pull back the curtains and peep at the fine dining scene in Perth.

You can also eat like royalty downstairs at Long Chim, and at Silks in the Crown Metropol . Balthazar is another Perth institution, while Petition inside the State Buildings is a popular place to play ‘spot the politician’.

In country Australia, a ‘cooee ’ is a call to gain attention, which is exactly what’s happening at the restaurant of the same name located on the site of the Old Swan Brewery.

Go for Albany rock oysters and Geraldton emperor at Cooee Perth, which is also open for Sunday brunch. For a more international focus, go for a wander down William Street or Washing Lane in Northbridge.

Out on the town in Northbridge, Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

The Ramen Lab in Mount Lawley and Pinchos in Leederville also nod to Perth’s rich cultural heritage as does the pocket-sized French restaurant P’tite Ardoise Bistro, perfect for a romantic dinner.

An hour’s drive away, Flics Kitchen has put Mandurah on the map for foodies.

What to do in Perth

Head to the hip hubs of Mount Lawley, Leederville and Victoria Park to flit from vintage fashion boutiques and independent design stores to cafes and bars trending on Instagram.

Visit Scarborough on a Thursday night to check out the Sunset Markets where you can find everything from ceramics to jewellery, funky wares and food.

Scarborough Beach in Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Next, don’t miss the new $400 million WA Museum Boola Bardip, the living museum that celebrates WA’s rich Indigenous heritage. A day spent wandering around the boho enclave of Freo is also compulsory.

Best walks in Perth

You will find the paths in Kings Park full of Perth locals who climb the Jacob’s Ladder stairs for views of the Swan and Canning Rivers and Darling Ranges.

In addition to the beach walks to suit every mood, walk to Lions Lookout in Lesmurdie to get a great perspective over Perth. If you’re feeling adventurous, set out for Ellis Brook Valley Reserve where you will find Sixty Foot Falls and (seasonal) carpets of wildflowers.

Don’t miss: Northbridge

Northbridge is a Perth suburb that pulses with energy. You can start the day with morning yoga on a rooftop, followed by coffee at Flora & Fauna Laneway Cafe and lunch at Japanese pancake joint, Kumokumo . After carb-loading at Francoforte Spaghetti Bar enjoy a nightcap at No Mafia.

A Delish Ice pop-up in Northbridge. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Conscious Traveller tip

The World Indigenous Tourism Summit is being held in Perth in 2021.

That’s huge news for the Noongar people, who have lived in the south-west of Western Australia for the last 45,000 years. Learn about Perth’s precincts from an Indigenous perspective with Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours & Experiences.

Blend the addictive energy of dance, creative cinematic movies, captivating theatre, and energising music during Perth Festival.

Perth Festival has extraordinary roots. Born as a summer community experiment back in 1953, the brainchild of Professor Fred Alexander, it’s now Australia’s longest-running international art-based festival. From its first event at University of Western Australia, it now spans across Noongar Boodjar country (Perth City) bringing worldclass performances into the hearts of ardent festivalgoers. Hundreds of curtain calls, including numerous free events, are set to linger and leave a lasting impression on those who seek thrills that fill life’s in-between spaces. Featuring unmissable highlights from 6^th February to 1^st March, we’ve done the legwork for you – here’s what’s on, and where:

1. East Perth Power Station

East Perth Power Station during Perth Festival — See East Perth Power Station come alive. (Image: Jessica Wyld Photography)

Abandoned, run-down and shutdown in 1981, East Perth Power Station , located on the banks of the stunning Swan River, was reinvented in 2025 as an entertainment venue for the Perth Festival. Pack a picnic, bring the family and kick back under paperbark trees at Casa Musica – a free event featuring a melting pot of world-class musicians from Australian shores and around the globe. The diversity will have you bopping until the final encore.

A decade after David Bowie’s passing, his powerful music lives on in the electrifying show, Rebel Rebel . Powerhouse vocalists join Perth Symphony Orchestra for one incredible night showcasing the singer-songwriter’s iconic hits. Illuminate your world through the eyes of First Nation Noongar artist, Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo in a free event. His distinctive paintings and Dreamtime stories decorate the Power Station’s walls depicting spiritual beliefs. Or settle in to watch British indie pop singer-songwriter, Nilüfer Yanya .

2. St Mary’s Cathedral

Take in Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth. (Image: Anja Schutz)

Step into the lofty ceilings of Perth’s grandest cathedral, St Mary’s, and soak up choral harmonies. Dating back to 1865, the stained-glass reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are a talking point, add talented maestros, and the stage is set to enthral.

The international line-up is impressive. Master Irish fiddler, Martin Hayes takes to the stage with exquisite lyrical compositions from his native land. Åkervinda , an award winning Swedish quartet, weave stories of love, loss, and resilience into harmonious Nordic folk songs. The USA Grammy Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth , break all the rules. Hear their voices echo through the arched vaulted ceilings.

3. Lotterywest Films

guests at Lotterywest Films as part of Perth Festival — Discover the Lotterywest Films program. (Credit: Jessia Wyld Photograpghy)

One of the festivals longest-running favourites, Lotterywest Films run a rich tapestry of cinematic features showing until 29th of March. Pack a picnic, cushions, popcorn and pop a cork under a Somerville Pine Tree as the sun sets and screenings begin. Cinema lovers, choose your poison from thrillers, deep-dive documentaries, tearjerkers, raunchy rom-coms and side-splitting comedies. The program is fantastically full, the filmmakers the best in the business, and the outdoor setting, unequalled.

4. The Embassy

guests at The EMbassy as part of Perth Festival — Step into the old world glitz of The Embassy. (Image: Franz Bato)

Modelled on Perth’s historic Embassy Ballroom, a devilish dance venue that operated in the 1900s, The Embassy in Perth Town Hall , serves sophistication in its A-list shows. Set your sequins a’sparkle at the, What’s TINA Got to Do With It extravaganza where guest artists play tribute as they belt out the glitzy star’s hits. The returning act, Ali Bodycoat & The Embassy Big Band, will have you jiving as you take to the dance floor reimagining a bygone era. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Black-bearded drag sensation, La Gateau Chocolat puts the raw in cacao. World-renowned for his feisty range of storied songs, he reveals the inner-man come artist through his deliciously sweet and intimate act.

5. Unusual locations

We’ve all heard of the hit show, The Office, but a spinetingling operatic thriller acted out in disused office space? Philip Glass’ nail-biter, The Trial , has a star-studded line-up. Together they deliver a dramatic ordeal showcasing Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton’s libretto; the suspense lingers after the final bow.

Sit back under starry skies and soak up dynamic dance at Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence . Four exclusive classical and contemporary acts illuminate the amphitheatre’s stage as Perth City twinkles at nightfall. Mystery excites the mind. West Australian Opera returns again with another ‘secret opera’. Be led from an undisclosed meeting point and let the music lead to the secret.

6. A View From A Bridge

A View From A Bridge special event at Perth Festival — Share your innermost thoughts at A View From A Bridge.

Free, connecting strangers, and inclusive to everyone, artist, Joe Bloom’s collaborative project, A View From A Bridge has one prop – an old red telephone. Talk into the receiver , share thoughts, innermost feelings, memories, hopes and dreams as Bloom captures you from afar. The freedom to speak through the telephone movement has a worldwide following. A range of clips will be shown online.

What else to do in Perth

Wattleseed crisp, parsnip, walnut and caramel — Taste the best of Perth’s cuylinary scene.

Endless blue skies crown Perth during February, making it the perfect time to explore Australia’s most western capital city. The city might be compact, but it packs a punch when it comes to what’s on. Perth Cultural Centre houses the city’s art-scene venues: Western Australian Art Gallery, WA Museum Boola Bardip and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).

After exploring the city’s alleyways, hidden corners, and main hub, savour worldclass food in Perth’s vibrant eateries. Award-winning restaurants, rooftop bars, and cafes can be found throughout; the leisurely eat-and-drink scene is literally mouthwatering, so book extra nights.

Start planing your 2026 trip to Perth Festival at perthfestival.com.au .

City guide: 72 hours in Perth