Sydney Australia Part 3

This is the last part of a great article found at the Independent Traveler.

"Where to Eat
There are so many -- and so many kinds of -- restaurants, pubs and cafes in Sydney that it's hard to go wrong. Here's a guide to neighborhoods (or, as Australians say, "eat streets") where there is a fun variety of restaurants for the choosing:

Fashionable and trendy cafes and restaurants abound in Paddington and in Darlinghurst and Double Bay. Among the best options here are Tigerbakers, a cozy casual cafe that has the best breakfast in town; Gertrude and Alice, a bookstore with an attached coffee shop; and the Victoria Room, an upscale destination specializing in great tapas dishes and even better cocktails.

Head to the Rocks for elegant restaurants with historic atmosphere. Rockpool and Altitude both create superior meals prepared by chefs that have garnered considerable attention from international critics for their Australian cuisine. The fresh seafood is exceptional at both locations.

Head to Woolloomooloo Wharf for superb food and even better views. The row of restaurants along the wharf includes China Doll for Asian fusion and the Italian Otto Ristorante.

Manly and Bondi are known for fresh seafood and the many outdoor cafes that line their beachfronts. Try the fish and chips, especially at Fishmongers in Bondi, which serves the best battered barramundi in town.

Darling Harbour's King Street and Coco Bay wharves have such mind-boggling variety that there's something for everyone. The wharves' collection of restaurants and bars includes everything from the London's cheap noodle chain Wagamama to classy lounges like The Loft and Cargo.

In Sydney, Leichhardt (Norton Street) is considered a bit of "Little Italy." Grappa serves up great pasta with genuine Italian flair.

For ethnic cuisine, head to Glebe (Glebe Point Road) where there are numerous Mediterranean, Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants.

Where to Stay
Visitors have their pick of Sydney's neighborhoods, as hotels are spread throughout the city center and around the Eastern beaches. High-end properties are clustered along Circular Quay. Though there are some hotels and hostels in the King's Cross area, the neighborhood can be a bit seedy and isn't recommended.

Good deals can be difficult to find during the summer high season from November through January. Many locals have time off from work around Australia Day (January 26) and hotels sell out quickly -- so be sure to book early if you're planning on traveling during that time.

The luxurious Hilton Sydney recently underwent a flashy $200 million renovation. Its 577 rooms and suites are elegant and modern, with lots of natural light.

Feeling starstruck? Sheraton on the Park and the Park Hyatt cater to elite visitors and host most of the international celebrities who come to town.

BLUE Sydney (formerly the W) is one of the city's trendiest hotels, located on the wharf in Woolloomooloo. Russell Crowe lives in one of the apartments in the building.

Darling Harbour hotels are centrally located, on the water and generally affordable. Our favorites include the Ibis Hotel at Darling Harbour and the Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour.

Hotels right around the Rocks tend to be the most expensive, but if you're willing to venture up to the Holiday Inn Potts Point, which is located in the heart of Darlinghurst cafe society, prices drop considerably. The Mercure Sydney (818 - 820 George Street) are also reasonable and centrally located.

Some of Sydney's best hotels are outside of the central city. The beaches have particularly attractive options, with small places like Ravesi's in Bondi and larger chains such as the Crowne Plaza - Coogee Beach providing beachfront accommodation.

Where to Shop
Melbourne has long been considered Australia's premier shopping city, but in recent years Sydney's shopping scene has been quietly gaining ground. Major international labels Christian Dior and Burberry launched their first Australian locations in Sydney, not Melbourne, as did local designers Tsubi and Sass & Bide. In addition to cutting-edge fashions, Sydney is also home to some of the world's best opal jewelry, drawn from the nation's many opal mines. Local handicrafts and unique artwork are on display in open-air markets around the city.

Go beyond the kangaroo T-shirt. Visitors in search of unique souvenirs and mementoes should browse the Rocks Weekend Market, held on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The local art, handcrafted jewelry, photo albums and antiques here are distinctive and well made. More traditional souvenirs -- Aboriginal art, Australian cowboy boots, paintings of the Opera House, even didgeridoos -- can be found in neighboring shops in the Rocks.

The Queen Victoria Building and the Strand Arcade, just a block apart in Sydney's CBD, are must-see shopping. While both complexes are home to a wealth of good boutiques, the real attraction is the historic buildings themselves, which are ornately decorated and stately -- definitely the opposite of a typical mall.

While you'll find the usual international labels (Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada) in boutiques on Castlereagh Street, head to Oxford Street for a sample of Australia's own cutting-edge fashion scene. Some of the biggest names in Australian design have their flagship stores here, including Lisa Ho, Sass and Bide, Scanlan and Theodore, and Alex Perry. Another popular designer, Colette Dinnigan, is located on William Street, just off of Oxford.

For good deals and unusual merchandise, join the locals at the weekly open-air markets in Glebe, Paddington and Bondi. Vintage clothes, antiques, handmade jewelry, local art and fashions by up-and-coming designers are just a few of the unique offerings. Glebe's market is held each Saturday at the Glebe Primary School, while Paddington's is held the same day at the Paddington Uniting Church. Bondi's market is held Sundays at the Bondi Beach Public School.

There's a fierce rivalry between Australia's two biggest department stores, David Jones and Myer, both located in the CBD near Hyde Park. They literally war over who can sign Australia's top designers to exclusive contracts -- so if you see a certain label carried in one store, it's likely that you won't find it in the other. While David Jones is the older and more established of the two, we'll let you decide which store you find truly superior."