What to do when it rains in Sydney

Famed for its stunning harbour and surrounding beaches, Sydney calls trumps when it comes to outdoor activities. When the weather turns inclement, take the opportunity to venture indoors with these recommended outings:

Go Shopping

Follow Sydney’s fashion set to Oxford Street, where designer stores and edgy boutiques will revitalise your wardrobe. Continue the spree at the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) on George Street (Sydney’s most prestigious shopping centre), where high end and high street retailers sit side by side. A short walk away, Westfield Sydney will fill any gaps in your retail therapy with its 350 stores covering everything, from fashion to homewares; footwear to fitness.

Discover art

Explore one of the largest galleries of Aboriginal art in the country and see European masters, Asian treasures and leading local and international contemporary art at the Art Gallery of NSW. Visit the workplace of one of Australia’s greatest expressionists at the Brett Whiteley Studio (open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), or head to the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay.

Tour the Sydney Opera House

Venture into the heart of Australia’s best-known buildings and discover the details that make the Sydney Opera House picture-perfect on the inside and out. Take a Sydney Opera House Tour, discover the inner workings on a two-hour Backstage Tour or wine and dine your way around its restaurants and bars with the once-a-month Taste of the Opera House experience.

Uncover Australia’s maritime past

Indigenous culture, European exploration, immigration, sport and leisure, defence and Australia’s maritime links with the USA are all uncovered at the Australian National Maritime Museum on the shores of Darling Harbour. The museum hosts six permanent galleries, an ever-changing program of temporary exhibitions and a fleet of historic craft at its wharves.

Image credit: Destination NSW