Weekend Guide to Canberra

Cassi
Jan 10, 2019
4 min read

I’ve had very busy but wonderful months, travelling through beautiful places. If you follow me on Instagram (@heycassitravel) you could see all the places I’ve been visiting in real time and Canberra was one of them (check my Highlight Stories Saved). Wow! The trip was much better than I expected, Canberra is an amazing city, very modern and organized and, believe me, there are so many things to do that one weekend wasn’t enough for us. We’re definitely planning to come back this year again.

Canberra has been ranked third in Lonely Planet’s Best Cities to Visit in 2018 – that’s higher than any Australian city has ever been ranked before in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel guide (click here).

Canberra is the capital and also where is located the Parliament of Australia. Some people think that it is the only thing to see or do in the city, but it’s totally wrong. The city is a young and vibrant multicultural place that tells the story of Australia. The food and art scene is amazing and there are an abundance of outdoor activities. Top tip: plan your trip before you go. Have a look and choose places or activities according to your taste and book restaurants, things to do before you arrive in the city.

There are many art exhibitions, music, events, sports, wineries, restaurants and outdoor activities that can be checked through Visit Canberra website (click here). You can also check TripAdvisor to see the best reviews about the best places to enjoy the most of the city.

My weekend itinerary

It was my first time in the city. I really recommend for anyone: couples, families, friends, there are plenty of activities in a weekend for everyone and it’s an opportunity to know incredible places in Australia not only the beaches.

As Canberra is the capital of Australia we can see how beautiful and organized is this city. Looks like they invest and care of every single place. The city is an open garden, with lots of threes and flowers everywhere.

Friday

We departed from Sydney around 3:30pm and got into the relaxed adventure road-trip. The road is nice and the way is beautiful. Close to Canberra it’s possible to see wineries and many Kangaroos. It’s about 3 hours driving from Sydney.

We checked into our Canberra home about 7:00 pm. We choose the Burbury Hotel and

our staying couldn’t be better. The room is spacious, very beautiful and modern. The hotel is well located and very comfortable.

At 8:00 pm we had a next level dinner at the Italian restaurant Molto. Top tip: take an Uber from your hotel to enjoy a few drinks or a bottle of wine and ask for a Limoncello after your meal. Just Perfect! Also take a romantic walk 15 minutes each way towards the

waterfront.

After dinner we just returned to our hotel, watched a movie and enjoyed a peaceful

Canberra sleep. It was just our first few hours in the city and was absolutely amazing!

Saturday

We woke up with no rush around 9:00 am and we had a long relaxed breakfast at the Burbury Hotel, it’s placed at the rooftop with awesome views. Then we went around to the Lake Burley Griffin to get ready for our picnic fun aboard the self driven electric boats at 12:00 pm at the Go Boat. Top tip: grab with you a picnic basket with a bottle of wine, glasses and some food to do it on the boat. It’s such an amazing experience!

It’s a 60 minute adventure and it’s a great way to see the city from the water.

After that we finish our picnic in the grass and we went to see the 2020 Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. It’s a fantastic place and really worth the visit!

As my husband is an artist (@brunomota) and we love art and cultural activities, we also could check the exhibition “Heath” at the Heath Ledger Exhibition at NFSA.

We ended our Saturday enjoying wine and foodie vibes at Bar Rochford. We took an Uber to enjoy few drinks :).

Sunday

In the morning we ride a bike from our hotel to see the Parliament of Australia. The way is beautiful and the streets are easy to go. We checked out at 11:00 am and started our way back to Sydney but before that we planned a stop for lunch at the gorgeous Poachers Pantry Smokehouse. It’s a hidden place about 30 minutes of Canberra with incredible views and delicious food. It’s a must.

We arrived in Sydney around 5:30 pm and we had the most of Canberra.

As I really want to come back to Canberra, I wish to see some places that I missed. Maybe you can include in your list some of my future plans: