Known for its iconic Bondi Beach, mild climate and outdoor lifestyle, Sydney is home to a rich health and wellness community.

You may be drawn to the cosmopolitan city for its flashy tourist attractions and lavish dining scene, but for your next trip consider taking a healthier and more relaxing holiday.

The city is renowned for its many health and wellness experiences including massage, saunas, bathhouses and yoga studios.

It also offers easy trips from the city, accessible by ferry or train, to destinations like Byron Bay, the Blue Mountains and Manly. Here, you can restore in nature with hikes, nourish yourself with locally sourced produce, and indulge in some pampering.

Here’s how you could spend a weekend in Sydney giving back to yourself and nurturing your body, while exploring all the healthy experiences the city has to offer.

Friday

Morning

Check into the Manly Pacific Hotel, which opened in late 2022, where you can wake up to the soothing sounds of waves of the ocean. The ocean-facing suites include a spa bathroom, a customisable wellness menu including a Peloton bike upon request, Peloton classes, yoga equipment, Leif skincare and LaGaia face masks.

There is a rooftop pool and bar, and a sundeck infrared sauna to sweat your cares away.

Once you have settled into your room, and if you’re feeling active, take advantage of one of Sydney’s many breath-taking and rejuvenating walks, such as the Manly to Bondi walk.

Lunch

After your walk, refuel with some healthy nourishment at Porch and Parlour in Bondi. Since 2010, this cafe has been serving good food and coffee, with art and music, that feels like a home away from home.

Walk back to Manly and head to Rimba Sweat, an infrared sauna studio with interiors reminiscent of a seaside villa in Europe, which will get you into a holiday state of mind.

The sauna sessions provide total relaxation and escape, with the opportunity to treat yourself to the healing benefits of colour light therapy. Lying under green light, for example, can provide feelings of peace and harmony.

Evening

End the evening at Manly Pacific’s lobby bar, 55 North. You could also head to the rooftop pool area which serves food and drinks such as black pearl Siberian caviar, southern rock lobster, and a range of fresh seafood nibbles.

Saturday

Morning

Rise bright and early before taking a day trip to the Blue Mountains. Head to The Darling hotel, where you can leave your luggage.

For breakfast consider Orchard St in Manly, founded by a naturopath and known to be the pioneer in the holistic wellness cafe space. They offer a range of healthy and organic food, herbal medicines, and the company’s signature juice cleanses.

From here, take an easy 2.5-hour train ride from Central Station to Katoomba, with stunning views along the way, including deep canyons of orange sandstone cliffs. Alternatively, you can hire a car to drive to the Blue Mountains in just under an hour.

Once you get to Katoomba, take advantage of the Blue Mountains’ hop-on-and-hop-off bus so you can go from attraction to attraction. Stops include Gordon Falls Lookout, with views to the back of the Three Sisters – the majestic sandstone turrets of Aboriginal significance.

Giant Stairway is a popular walking track in the Katoomba area of the Blue Mountains. It’s a descent of 998 stairs from Echo Point to Honeymoon Bridge, which connects to the first of the Three Sisters.

At Scenic World, experience the thrilling Scenic Railway, the steepest passenger train in the world. Then stroll the Scenic Walkway, the longest elevated boardwalk in Australia, and glide above the treetops on the Scenic Cableway, the steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lunch

For lunch, head to Blaq, a restaurant located in the boutique Kyah hotel, which showcases local produce. Options include market fish, Kyah rainbow chard, braised white beans, baby fennel or the potato gnocchi with Kyah greens.

Alternatively, Sparrows Leura is a local favourite, with super friendly service and delicious all-day breakfast options like avocado on toast with feta, mint peas, and poached eggs, or the black bean salad with halloumi and veggies.

After all that exploring, relax any sore muscles at the Blue Mountains Sauna, just a 5-minute drive from Katoomba station. Here you will find an authentic Finnish sauna, with an ice plunge pool to experience the invigorating benefits of the ‘sit, sweat, chill and repeat’ ritual. This experience replicates the European traditions that founder Inga Sommerfeld experienced growing up in Russia and Ukraine, rolling in the snow after sauna sessions. A bench towel and slippers come with each two-hour session but do take a bath towel and a water bottle with you.

Evening

After all your exploring, it’s time to make the trip back to Sydney and relax at the Darling hotel. This hotel has been awarded the prestigious Forbes Five-Star rating for the sixth year running and features 11 treatment rooms, a Moroccan Hammam, steam room and jacuzzi.

After indulging in a massage or other treatment, head to Sydney Place, a new precinct where you will find 20 of Australia’s highly recognised and awarded restaurants including Besuto, a Japanese-inspired, omakase restaurant and whisky bar. Here you can experience an intimate 18-course degustation. Omakase is a phrase that means “I’ll leave it to you”, where the chef will prepare a multi-course menu according to what’s seasonally available. Menu highlights include miso-marinated glacier 51 toothfish and the toro sushi topped with N25 caviar.

Another option is The Sussex Hotel, a stylish pub and rooftop bar, offering a menu of Mediterranean fare and a setting that features lush flowerbeds, olive trees and a canopy of grapevines. Surprisingly, it’s a quiet and peaceful oasis.

Sunday

Morning

Start your day right with a walk along Barangaroo Reserve, a 4km return walk that provides views of Darling Harbour, the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park and Goat Island. The walk among its lush gardens is great if you want to enjoy the scenery, with lots of quiet spots to sit and relax. Look out for Stargazer’s Lawn for great views. The main path starts at the Hickson Rd entrance.

Another walk is Wulugul Walk, a new foreshore promenade in Barangaroo, which connects the stunning 11km harbourside walk from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge. If you would like a longer 90-minute walk, start at the Woolloomooloo wharfs and follow the existing foreshore paths to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, through the Royal Botanic Gardens and around the Sydney Opera House.

Barangaroo is just minutes from Wynyard Station via Wynyard Walk.

Lunch

If you have time to catch a last meal before your flight departs Sydney, head to Alibi Bar Kitchen, located in the Ovolo hotel in Woolloomooloo, a stylish plant-based restaurant serving innovative Mediterranean veggie fare with flair and soul. Expect dishes like chamomile spaghettini with summer squash, saffron and ricotta, smoky eggplant romesco, and a tofu dish that has been said to taste like fish. Vegans and vegetarians are sure to be impressed.

After a good feed, collect your luggage from the hotel and begin the journey home. After a weekend of time spent outdoors and indulging in wellness treatments, you’re sure to be left feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Getting to Sydney

More than 35 airlines fly in and out of Sydney Airport with daily flights linking Sydney to key destinations around Australia and the world.

It’s also possible to cruise to Sydney, domestically and internationally.

NSW TrainLink Regional train and coach services provide train and coach services to and from Sydney.

 

Disclaimer: The writer travelled at their own expense.