richardab

If you have been reading my posts you will see that I have been asking a lot of questions about Australia. The more research I do, the more I learn about how little I know about the country.

Originally I was going to Bangkok and Sydney but scrapped that due to weather (April is the hot month in Bangkok), then I decided to do Sydney and the Hunter Valley (still an option), then I changed my mind and decided to do Sydney and Singapore due the the convenience of flights (United Airlines helped to scrap that because I cannot use frequent flyer miles on a "round the Pacific" trip).

My new thoughts are to do 5 days in Sydney and one other city in Australia. So what would be a good city for about a 2 or 3 day visit?

FYI, my interests are shopping, eating, walking and just taking in the city. I am really not a big fan of museums, but I do like to sightsee. Oh, I also like to see wineries if possible.

I have been reading a lot of posts and my head is throbbing!

Judy_in_Calgary

>>>So what would be a good city for about a 2 or 3 day visit?<<<

>>>FYI, my interests are shopping, eating, walking and just taking in the city. I am really not a big fan of museums, but I do like to sightsee. Oh, I also like to see wineries if possible.<<<

Melbourne would fill your needs beautifully, as described in earlier posts.

fakemark

I am also planning an Australia trip for the first time, so take my post with a grain of salt.

Consider Adelaide if you're looking for a second city to pair with Sydney. Melbourne is the easy answer, but I think they are both big cosmopolitan cities. Adelaide, on the other hand, is a small, sleepy city with the country's best wine region close by, the Barossa Valley. I'm sure the Hunter Valley is fine, but everything I've read generally says the Barossa Valley is much better for wine. And this would free you up to see the Blue Mountains near Sydney.

Neil_Oz

I wouldn't say the Barossa is superior to the Hunter region in terms of wine quality - both make lots of medal-winners. The Barossa is, however, more picturesque and an easy drive from Adelaide city, with minimal traffic/navigational problems, and the nearby Adelaide Hills is a nice area to explore too. Adelaide (a pleasant city with good dining) also boasts two other good wine regions nearby, the McLaren Vale area to the south and the Clare Valley to the north.

Having said that, I do think that there's more to see and do in Melbourne, which also has excellent (albeit less well-known) wine regions not far away. Having re-read Richard's post I think on balance I'd back Melbourne.

simpsonc510

Adelaide is my choice. I've been there three times (Melbourne only once) as I find it very charming. In fact, I wrote my first of a number of newspaper travel articles after having visited Adelaide as I was so taken by the place. It's like a country town of 1.2 million people (?) give or take a few.

I enjoyed strolling along the river and around the parks. The zoo was small but interesting. And the old Glenelg tram to the beach, it was worth doing a second time.

Clifton

Bias admitted right up front, I do really enjoy Melbourne. It has quite a lot to do in the CBD and the walks along the Yarra are very nice. A bit European feeling, really. Melbourne is a very artsy town and the Yarra Valley north of the city is home to a good number of wineries and has some pretty views as well. My sister in law and brother in law have a home out that way and it's always a pleasure to spend time out there when we get back to Australia as it is in the city.

richardab

Sounds nice. I think I may do Melbourne

Alan

I agree with one of the above comments that the Barossa Valley, near Adelaide, is a very picturesque area for the vineyard buffs, so I think I'd take Adelaide over Melbourne. How's this for a suggestion: take the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Adelaide via Broken Hill (this will give you a chance to look at a real outback town mid-way), and, when you reach Adelaide, hire a car and sepnd a couple of days driving around the Barossa Valley. Then fly back to Sydney to connect with your flight home. The Indian Pacific, by the way, goes all the way across the continent to Perth, and there are some who think this is a wonderful, romantic train journey. However, I think after the Sydney-Adelaide leg you would be content that you'd seen enough of inland Australia!(It's awfully big and awfully flat and there's not a great variety of scenery to look at, although you will see plenty of kangaroos and emus running across the plains).