09.00
Pass through customs at Sydney Airport and take a 30-minute taxi ride (or a limousine transfer for a decidedly more glamorous trip) through the heart of the city to Park Hyatt Sydney (7 Hickson Road; +61 2 9256 1234), located in the historical district known as The Rocks. In a harbour city, a room with a view is mandatory — no matter which room you’ve booked at the Park Hyatt, all afford superb vistas of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House or city skyline. 

10.00
Start your day with a tour around The Rocks. Although Sydney is still a relatively young city, it’s worth wandering the cobblestone streets of what was a former slum area, now a haven of chic boutiques, galleries and cafés. Pay a visit to The Tea Cosy (33 George Street) for a morning tea of fresh scones and loose-leaf tea in a room that makes you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time to the days of colonial Sydney.

11.30
Back in the present day, head across George Street for a dose of modern culture at the Museum of Contemporary Art (140 George Street; +61 2 9245 2400). The permanent collection, which has been growing since the museum was established in 1989, is an impressive creative record of the evolution of contemporary art in Australia. Temporary exhibitions are also a regular feature; this month, see a series from acclaimed Canadian photographer Jeff Wall. 

13.00
Creative side sated, it’s time to take in Australia’s most famous stretch of sand, Bondi Beach, with a side of lunch. Eat with the who’s who of Sydney’s social set at Bondi Icebergs (1 Notts Ave). As it’s winter, enjoy a meal inside and watch swimmers brave the icy waters of the natural swimming pool outside.

14.00
While Melbourne often takes the crown for Australia’s shopping capital, Sydney is hot competition. Eschew the crowds of Pitt St Mall for an afternoon at Oxford Street in Paddington. On this prime strip of retail real estate you’ll find the stores of internationally acclaimed designers including Alice McCall, Collette Dinnigan and Sass & Bide. The Intersection, the group of shops at the corner of Glenmore Road and Oxford Street (+61 2 4888 2359) is the place to invest in pieces from up-and-coming names in Australian fashion. When you’re done there, catch a taxi over to Queen Victoria Building (455 George Street), a stunning example of Romanesque architecture and the place to go for luxury accessories.

16.00
Naturally, the best way to see the harbour is by boat, so head back up George Street, via one of the free green shuttle buses, to Circular Quay. Weather permitting, you’ll be able to hire a private water taxi to take you across the harbour and north to the seaside neighbourhood of Manly, where you can stop by Hugo’s Manly (East Esplanade; +61 2 8116 8555) for a sundowner. Hugo’s is actually famous for its pizzas, but you’ll need to save your appetite for some seriously gourmet fare back in town. 

19.30
It’s dinner hour, and you’re spoilt for choice as two of the country’s most famous restaurants serve up top-notch meals on opposite sides of the quay. Aria (1 Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay; +61 2 9240 2255), headed by famed Australian chef Matt Moran, offers a seven-course degustation (AUD $260 or US $250.50, including matching wines), which is the best way to sample a variety of the best of local produce, from the Hamachi yellowtail and Carid prawn sashimi to the succulent pork belly with chestnut puree. Directly across the water is Quay (Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal; +61 2 9251 5600), the only Australian restaurant on San Pellegrino’s esteemed ‘50 Best Restaurants’ list. It’s as famous for it’s Snow Egg dessert – that’s guava shaved ice topped with a sweet custard egg covered in a sugary shell – as it is for its harbour views.

21.30
Sydney’s small-bar scene is enjoying growing popularity, and, like all chic small bars, it’s a matter of knowing where to go. Work off your meal with a short stroll down to Bulletin Place. Follow the staircase upstairs from Cabrito Coffee Traders and you’ll find a bar also named Bulletin Place (Level 1, 10-14 Bulletin Place). The décor might be plain, but the bar is manned by some of the best mixologists in the city, so the cocktails do all the talking.

23.00
If you can afford a late check out the next morning, visit O Bar and Dining (Level 47, Australia Square/264 George Street; +61 2 9247 9777) on the 47 floor of the Australia Square tower. The revolving bar with floor-to-ceiling windows means you can sit back with a nightcap and take in the night lights of a city that never loses its sparkle.

Park Hyatt Sydney
Tel: +61 2 9256 1234
www.sydney.park.hyatt.com