Wednesday through Sunday — it’s a short walk from Mercure Sydney in Haymarket.
Discover Authentic Sydney: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
Most city guides are written by people who've never lived there. This one isn't. Recommended by the team at Mercure Sydney. The Sydney picks below are theirs — the spots they'd send a friend to, updated as the city changes. Use the interactive map to find your way, and check the FAQs for what guests ask us most.
Our map pins local favourites such as North Head Sanctuary, Spice Alley and the breweries of Brookvale, alongside our Mercure hotels.
Top 5 Things to Do in Sydney
Chinatown & Paddy’s Markets
Dumplings, barbecue pork and market stalls a few minutes from the hotel. Paddy's Markets runs Wednesday to Sunday and is as much about browsing as buying.
Surry Hills
A short walk or ride south, this is where locals go for coffee and a mixed food scene that punches above its size. Bourke Street Bakery, on Bourke Street since 2004, is a fixture for a reason.
Newtown
King Street is the spine of it — vintage shops, street art, and a genuinely eclectic strip of restaurants and cafés. A short train ride from the centre, and worth the trip.
Darling Harbour
An easy waterfront walk from Haymarket, with restaurants, harbour views and space to just sit for a while.
Surry Hills Market
Held on the first Saturday of every month at Shannon Reserve on Crown Street, 8am to 4pm — around 60 stalls of second-hand, recycled and handmade goods.
Explore Sydney's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Sydney
We've mapped local spots in Sydney, from harbour headlands to hidden cocktail bars.
Walks & views
North Head Sanctuary
High on the sandstone cliffs at Manly, with bush trails and views over the ocean, the harbour and the skyline. Look out for echidnas and bandicoots, old gun batteries and Q Station, a former 1800s quarantine station.
Manly · Headland walks · Perfect for harbour views
The Goods Line
A former freight railway turned leafy path, linking Central Station and Darling Harbour in about 10 minutes. Old rail tracks, benches, even ping-pong tables – take it slow.
Ultimo · Urban walkway · Ideal for a calm city walk
Food & drink
Brookvale brewery trail
They call it 'Brewvale'. Once industrial, Brookvale now packs at least seven brewpubs into a few blocks, including 4 Pines, Nomad, Bucketty's and 7th Day. Many open Thursday to Sunday only, so plan your crawl.
Brookvale, Northern Beaches · Breweries · Made for craft beer fans
Spice Alley
Red lanterns, open-air tables and Singaporean, Malaysian, Thai and Chinese street food, five minutes' walk from Central Station. Dive in and share.
Chippendale · Asian street food · Great for a casual meal
The Butler
Mexican-inspired seafood sharing plates and well-known cocktails on a Potts Point terrace with skyline views. Popping in for a quick one? Juanita's Bar at the front has a shorter menu.
Potts Point · Restaurant · Perfect for dinner with a view
Palmer & Co.
Down a CBD laneway and a flight of stairs, a Prohibition-style basement bar. Creative cocktails, bar bites and, often, live jazz.
Sydney CBD · Speakeasy bar · Made for cocktails
The Blue Door
A tiny Surry Hills restaurant with seasonal tasting menus built on sustainable NSW produce and local wines.
Surry Hills · Restaurant · Ideal for a special dinner
FAQ
It's a short train ride from the central city — not walkable, but an easy trip.
Mercure Sydney is on George Street in Haymarket, directly bordering Chinatown, so you’re a few minutes’ walk from it.
North Head Sanctuary at Manly, with clifftop trails overlooking the ocean, the harbour and the city skyline.
Brookvale on the Northern Beaches has at least seven breweries within a few blocks; many open Thursday to Sunday.
Spice Alley in Chippendale, five minutes' walk from Central Station.
Where to Sleep in Sydney
These Mercure hotels appear on our map:
- Mercure Sydney Rouse Hill
- Mercure Sydney Blacktown
- Mercure Sydney Liverpool
- Mercure Sydney Parramatta
- Mercure Sydney Bankstown
- Mercure Sydney Macquarie Park
- Mercure Sydney
- Mercure Sydney Manly Warringah