This was published 3 years ago
Things to do on Sundays in Sydney and Melbourne: Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster-Blake's tips
By Zöe Foster-Blake and Hamish Blake
Bondi Beach; Queen Victoria Markets.Credit: Getty Images; Steven Siewert.
Traditionally it may have been a day of rest, but now it's officially "fun-day". Zöe Foster-Blake and Hamish Blake share their top tips for the perfect Sunday in Melbourne and Sydney.
Melbourne
Without sounding too gluttonous, Sunday in Melbourne is all about the food. Start late with a big breakfast: Melbourne treats breakfast as fine dining. Then wander around the city or head to the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) before heading home for lunch and lazy-time. After that, maybe a bike ride around the MCG with the kids, then a perfect pizza in Carlton (D.O.C. and Capitano are our picks), followed by a Pidapipó gelato and a browse at Readings bookshop. Perfect.
Zöe Foster-Blake and Hamish Blake.
Walk this way The must-go place is The Tan, the running track around the Royal Botanic Gardens. (Zöe: "Took me ages to call it that. I thought it was a daggy local abbreviation and refused, but it is genuinely called The Tan.")
Best brekky Coffee and a box of croissants from Lune is a forever number one. For a sit-down breakfast, try Top Paddock, Archie's All Day, Cheeky Monkey or Higher Ground.
Fun for kids Melbourne Museum is brilliant: it has a great indoor play area, is surrounded by parkland, and is next door to IMAX. The zoo is an obvious one, and the Children's Farm in Collingwood is great for little kids. Hays Paddock is a huge playground in Kew that our kids love.
Go-to market Locals love the South Melbourne and Queen Victoria markets. We shop at organic grocers around Richmond, as well as Toscano's and La Manna Fresh for their cheese, bread, pasta and ready-made meals.
Get baked Beatrix Bakes for cakes, Lune for croissants, Tarts Anon for tarts, Miss Trixie for cookies …
Shop till you drop Zöe: "I prefer village and street shopping; my favourites are Grace and Bassike in Hawksburn, Filly's Stable in Albert Park, and pretty much all of High Street, Armadale. Whenever I'm gift shopping, I'll go to Third Drawer Down, Modern Times, Mud Australia, The Standard Store and Le Labo."
Don't miss Fitzroy's Gertrude Street and its surrounds are a favourite 'hood. It has some of the best places to eat (Marion, Poodle, Bar Liberty) and drink (The Everleigh). Plus, you're near to beautiful Carlton Gardens, particularly glorious in autumn.
Sydney
An early swim or beach walk, then grabbing a coffee and bacon and egg roll is an excellent way to start Sunday. Seafood abounds in Sydney, so we'll grab some prawns for lunch and have friends over while our kids muck about. Full-stopping the day and weekend with a swim and some fish and chips on the grass can't be topped.
Walk this way The Hermitage Foreshore Walk, between Nielsen Park and Rose Bay, or the Bondi to Bronte clifftop beach walk.
Best brekky Bills. The famous hotcakes come in kid's portions, it's worth mentioning, so you can have some earnest eggs, then hotcakes.
Fun for kids The thing about beaches is that the beach is the playground. That said, Inglis Park in Randwick is another level …
Go-to market Zöe: "Being back in Sydney after so long, I'm going hard on seafood. So it's the fish market for cooked prawns and fresh fish."
Get baked Flour and Stone, Iggy's in Bronte, Humble Bakery in Surry Hills, or that ol' classic, Bourke Street Bakery.
Shop till you drop The Intersection in Paddington for fashion, then just down the road to Jardan for homewares and Berkelouw for books.
Don't miss The spa at Crown Towers in Barangaroo will be welcomed by Sydneysiders seeking indulgence treatment. And if you're looking for a special night away, that pool and those restaurants provide all the "extra" you could dream of. Hot tip: dress up.
Zöe and Hamish are Tourism Australia ambassadors.
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale March 28. To read more from Sunday Life, visit The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
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