Plotting how to spend a free day in Walsh Bay doesn’t have to be overwhelming. To help you figure out the most perfect Sydney day possible we’ve curated an itinerary of where to visit and when to go during your stay, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, in the beautiful surrounds of Pier One Sydney Harbour.
Without further ado…
7:00 am: Wake up, say hello to your beautiful view from your Pier One hotel room and set off to breakfast downstairs. Our selection of delicious options including made-to-order omelettes, granola mixes and fresh local fruit are bound to get you motivated. Alternatively, stroll down to Devon Cafe in Barangaroo. Grab a sandwich to take away for lunch, we’ll enjoy it while relaxing under a tree in Hickson Road Reserve later.
8:00 am: After breakfast a dose of physical activity may be in order. Take yourself on a 15-minute jog to 52 Martin Place and you’ll find yourself at Barry’s. Barry’s classes, named the best workouts in the world, can have participants burning 1,000 calories in one class! – they’re fast-paced HIIT workouts – bound to get the blood pumping and a great way to start your adventurous day!
9:30 am: After your class jog back to Pier One and have a quick shower, then it’s time to check out the latest exhibition at Art Transfield. Here you’ll find one of the largest collections of privately owned contemporary art in Australia. Alternatively, perch yourself on a grassy knoll in Barangaroo Reserve, perfectly positioned with views of Walsh Bay and the Harbour Bridge. We think 10:30am is the perfect time for a coffee break, don’t you agree?
12:00 pm: To recover from your post-Barry’s-and-art-perusing buzz check out the timetable at Roslyn Packer Theatre and catch a matinee performance if you can – what a relaxing way to ease into the arvo! If nothing’s showing, make a note and catch a performance in the evening perhaps, then shimmy on down to the Argyle Gallery to peruse Australian and Aboriginal art and fine crafts, sourced directly from artists and indigenous communities. Don’t forget the sandwich you packed earlier, you clever thing!
2:00 pm: As dusk nears it’s high time for another snack. Stop in at Lotus Dumpling Bar for a mouth-watering snack of dumplings and a cocktail or two before high-tailing it to Sydney’s ground-zero for boundary-pushing art, the MCA. Make note if it’s a day when late-night opening hours are on offer, and come by later in the evening if you can, it’s so delightful visiting the museum at night time!
3:30 pm: Journey over the hill and duck into one of the many art galleries in The Rocks area. Spirit Gallery is an excellent first option. This space is a beautiful store and gallery specialising in a very special Indigenous instrument, the didgeridoo. While you’re here, pop into the nearby branch of cult skincare brand, Aesop and pick up a lovely, botanically-infused hand cream for your journey home, then quickly step into the beautiful MCA store for a stunning coffee table book or some MCA merch.
6:00 pm: It’s time for dinner! Take a look at our article on the best places to eat in Sydney, depending on your mood, or drop into the Orient Hotel for a great pub meal. The best part? You can enjoy a leisurely walk back to the hotel from here! There’s no need to grab a cab when you can get there on foot in 10 minutes. If your night doesn’t feel quite ready to be over yet, it doesn’t have to be! Settle in for the end of the sunset and a pre-show drink on the pier at Pier One. After your relaxing waterside drink, head to the Roslyn Packer Theatre for that show you missed earlier. Alternatively, a nightcap at The Doss House may be a good option for you. This whisky bar in a former opium den and 170-year-old building is an excellent spot to sign off your evening!
While this itinerary is certainly a fool-proof starting point, some other options you could sub in or out of your day include: The Museum of Contemporary Art, Seductive Art Gallery, ATTY Gallery, Gannon House Gallery, Billich Art Gallery or a walking tour of the Sydney Opera House – all just a short distance from Pier One!
