Food, fashion, fads … whatever takes your fancy you’ll find it right here in Sydney. From elegant boutiques to enormous department stores, sparkling galleries to bustling markets, Sydney is a shopper’s paradise. There are classic architectural masterpieces like the Queen Victoria Building and sculptured modern complexes like Harbourside at Darling Harbour. You can explore tiny cobblestoned streets and laneways in The Rocks filled with fascinating specialty shops or spend half a day bedazzled by the bargains at Paddy’s Markets. If variety is the spice of life, then shopping in Sydney is as lively an experience as you’ll ever want.
 One of the best places to start your Sydney shopping adventure is the completely refurbished Harbourside at Darling Harbour. This beautifully positioned waterfront development has recently been totally revamped and now ranks as one of Sydney's most elegant and innovative retail centres. Harbourside's exciting new "Eat Street" combines a dozen or more alfresco eateries with some very stylish restaurants - all with superb views of Cockle Bay, the city skyline and the rest of Darling Harbour. There's plenty of top-quality fashion boutiques, some of Sydney's most interesting galleries, and an array of specialty shops and gift stores. And as a special service for busy travellers all stores in Harbourside stay open till 9pm every night so you can shop at your leisure after the day's touring or conferencing is done. Harbourside may be reached by Monorail, Light Rail, Explorer Bus or ferry from Circular Quay, or is an easy walk from the city.
 Voted Sydney’s favourite building in a recent survey, the Queen Victoria Building is a beautiful structure where history, culture, architecture and style converge in a retail environment that is unique by international standards. Amidst a backdrop of startling Romanesque design, the QVB houses the best of Australia’s contemporary fashion, health and beauty, food, art, gifts, jewellery, homewares and antiques. The top floor is a destination for fine art galleries, antiques and Australiana collectables. Level One is an opulent gallery showcasing the finest Australian and international fashion, plus a dazzling selection of jewellery. The ground floor carries on the emphasis on fashion, and includes some of Australia’s most popular men’s and women’s clothing retailers. The lower ground level features eateries and homewares, health and beauty, and yet more fashion. All told, more than 90 fashion boutiques are complemented by the rare and unusual at the QVB, including fine jewels, exquisite antiques, Aboriginal artifacts, Italian leathers, Australian opals and many souvenirs. Guided tours of this magnificent historic building depart from the Information Desk on Ground Level. The Queen Victoria Building occupies a whole block on George Street, between the Sydney Town Hall and Market Street. For more information phone 9264 9209.
 There’s also great shopping to be had at the Sydney Opera House. As well as being an architectural phenomenon, the Opera House is the perfect place to pick up an official Opera House souvenir or a unique gift reflecting the very essence of Australia. There are four stores which stock an excellent range of Australian gemstones, including opals, indigenous arts and crafts, CDs and books, and 100% Australian-made clothing including classic Akubra hats and genuine Drizabone coats. The Sydney Opera House Store is where you can also purchase tickets for a guided tour of the House. And every Sunday from 9am there’s an outdoor market on the Opera House forecourt where you will fi nd an eclectic collection of handmade Australian arts and crafts, jewellery, photography and so on. Apart from the Sunday market, all the stores at the Sydney Opera House are open seven days a week. You can call 9250 7920 for more information.
|
Centres,
Arcades & Malls
