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More than 40,000 runners from 162 countries. Four lead-up days of live music, fan experiences and big-screen race coverage. Shakeout runs and after-parties right on one of the world’s most famous harbours. If there was ever a time to visit Sydney as a runner, this is it – the Sydney Marathon is now in its second year as a World Major and drew a record-breaking 123,000 entries from around the world. In other words: if you’re one of the fortunate few to get a place in next weekend’s 26.2, make the most of it (and good luck).
Even if you don’t have a place, you’ll still feel the buzz if you’re in or around Sydney over the next week. From sunrise bridge climbs over the harbour to the city’s hottest new superyacht restaurant, here’s what to add to your bucket list while you’re in town.
If you’ve heard the buzz about Rick Stein’s new Australian flagship restaurant from friends’ down under, you’re in luck. The celebrity chef opened his beachfront restaurant in Sydney’s Coogee in December and it’s part of a brand new shiny hotel opening, the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach (£228, ihg.com), which opened its doors at the same time. It features an ocean-facing infinity pool and private pickleball courts and is Sydney’s only luxury beachfront hotel located within 20 minutes of the city (and just a 15-minute drive from the SCG) so book fast if you want to nab one of the 198 rooms and suites.
Manly Pacific (£240, all.accor.com) is another beachfront favourite if you’re happy to stay a little further from the centre of the city, with order-to-room Peloton bikes, health shots and Goji berries at breakfast and a rooftop pool spiced with magnesium instead of chlorine (it boosts your skin and muscle health, apparently). The five-star beach chic coastal hangout reopened in 2023 following a near £15m facelift and is just a 20 minute ferry from Sydney’s CBD and worth it for the ferry-ride alone – you’ll sail right past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. No expensive tourist boat needed.
Other popular Sydney hotels include the Park Hyatt Sydney (£568, hyatt.com) with its uninterrupted views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge; Ace Hotel Sydney (£147, acehotel.com) if you fancy more of a cool creative vibe; and The EVE (£257, theevehotel.com.au), a chic new hotel in the city’s stylish Surry Hills district which opened in February and was singer-songwriter Olivia Dean’s hotel of choice when she jetted into town for the 2025 ARIA Awards earlier this year.
We checked into The EVE over the weekend of the Lions rugby final this time last year and enjoyed a luxe sports-filled weekend including a private, behind-the-scenes tour of Sydney’s iconic Cricket Ground and the SCG Museum – a highlight of our 48 hours leading up to the Lions game, alongside the food. The chic Wunderlich Lane lifestyle quarter surrounding the hotel is bursting with dining options, and Bar Julius’ signature dippy eggs on the ground floor of the hotel were by far the fanciest I’ve seen in a decade of hotel reviewing. Picture a stack of pork-hock dippers and perfectly boiled eggs on little silver thrones.
Wunderlich Lane is your spot for the biggest cluster of brand new dining options, with offerings ranging from cool sandwich joint S’Wich (eatswich.com.au) to laid-back Southeast Asian restaurant Island Radio (islandradio.sydney) – the prawn roti is a guest favourite). You can eat some of the best dishes from around the world in the space of 100 metres and there’s a cool, Melbourne-esque vibe about the place that can be hard to find in other parts of Sydney.
Elsewhere in Surry Hills, Bessie’s and Alma’s (bessiesrestaurant.com) is a fan favourite if you’re into your wine (order the whipped cod’s roe and the tuna, which comes served on a hash brown) and Lottie (theevehotel.com.au) at the EVE is one of the best spots in town for Mexican and a marg. Swing by Kepos Street Kitchen (keposstreetkitchen.com.au)for breakfast and order the spanakopita. You’ll see what I mean.
Other foodie favourites to add to your Sydney bucket list: the Skiff Sailing Club (manlyskiff.com)in Manly if you’re after buzzy waterfront dining (the steak is half-price on Mondays); Cafe Sydney (cafesydney.com) for the best food and view combo in town (book early – tables are like gold-dust); and Ela Ela (thebristol.com.au), a new Greek restaurant inside historic pub The Bristol.
Smoke, Joji and Lady Banks are go-tos for cocktails, and Letra House, Herbs Taverne and Bar Freda’s are some of Sydney’s top late-night haunts.
Solaré (luxecruisinggroup.com.au), Sydney’s first floating restaurant set aboard a luxury 150-foot superyacht, also opened its doors earlier this year – just in time for nights feasting on oysters and champagne against one of the best sunsets in the world. Think bold yellow day-beds and beach club vibes, and an ever-changing view while you dine. The bonus is you’re coming over in Aussie winter, so it should be easier to bag a table.
The key to nailing a trip to Sydney? Make sure you’re never too far from the water – which isn’t hard, given most of the best bits of the city are right on one of the most famous and scenic natural harbours in the world.
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