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From the Darlinghurst Court House (see Darlinghurst Court House & Old Darlinghurst Gaol) follow Oxford Street as far as the imposing sandstone walls of Victoria Barracks. Turn left into Glenmore Road, which has a cluster of small but classy boutiques. Gipps Street leads to Liverpool Street, which is a winding road of elegant double-storey terraces reminiscent of some of London’s wealthier Victorian districts. Hogarth Galleries , is down Walker Lane. Rejoin Glenmore Road and follow this winding and busy thoroughfare to Five Ways, a quaint little intersection with several good cafés, including Gusto.

After coffee and a snack, head up Broughton Street to the narrow laneway and steps on your left. At the bottom of the lane turn right and walk down to steep Cascade Street. Turn right and walk uphill past Windsor Street’s incredibly narrow terraces to Paddington Street. Follow this elegant fig tree-lined avenue up to Jersey Road, passing Tim Olsen Gallery and several of Sydney’s premier addresses en route. Turn right into Jersey Road, then into narrow Caledonia Street, which leads back to McGarvie Street where several eccentric balconies overhang the narrow pavement. Turn into Underwood Street and you’ll find the Grand National Hotel and the London Tavern, both happy to serve you a well-earned drink. The latter is on William Street, which also has several boutiques.

Nothing compares to Akira’s one-of-a-kind designs; his delicate and ephemeral garments are virtually art pieces and coveted by all. Check out his new menswear line.

On a street of designer names, this little shop and studio may not stand out. But it hand-crafts gorgeous shoes for men and women.

Local foodies lamenting the loss of Bécause were delighted when Assiette arrived with its fine modern European cusine.

Designed by Phillip Cox, this stadium (see Tankstream & Aussie Stadium) was completed in 1988 to coincide with Australia’s Bicentenary. Although the ground was ostensibly designed for Sydney’s preferred football code, Rugby League, it has occasionally permitted upstarts from the southern code, Australian Rules, to take to the field. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics it even allowed its turf to be trampled by soccer players. Aussie Stadium has also held several concert performances, which have included shows by U2, Robbie Williams and Barbara Streisand.

Fashion addicts beware: all the hottest names in Aussie design are crammed into this tiny shop.

This place surges into life after work with locals revelling in happy hour throughout its four bars.

This much-lauded designer duo specializes in unusual textiles and embellishments. Favoured by a slightly older clientele who can afford the hefty price tags.

An eclectic store brings some interesting Melbourne style to Sydney, with men’s and women’s labels from the cool city and an emphasis on the rare and quirky.

Since opening in 1998 these studios have created Moulin Rouge , The Matrix series, Mission Impossible II and Star Wars: Episode II . The massive entertainment complex houses 15 restaurants, bars and cafés serving everything from Asian to Mediterranean fare. For the kids there’s mini golf, cinemas, bungy trampolines, seasonal ice skating, an interactive TV studio, an indoor playgound, bowling and electronic games. There are also four live performance venues and numerous shopping options. The Farmers Market offers gourmet delights from the country, and the Weekend Market has gifts, clothes, movie memorabilia and crafts.