Choose your Australia.
Fourteen destinations. Eight states and territories. One curated collection.
Australia is enormous. From the reef-fringed top end of Queensland to the colonial heritage of Hobart, each of our cities feels genuinely distinct — different climates, different accents, different food cultures, different landscapes. Most international visitors try to see too much in too little time. Our advice: pick two or three places you actually want to understand, and give them the days they deserve.
This directory pulls together every city guide we've written. The three "Editor's Picks" below are our most comprehensive — the ones we'd hand to a friend visiting for the first time. The state-by-state sections cover everything else, from classic capitals like Melbourne and Perth through coastal favourites (Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Noosa) to once-in-a-lifetime icons like Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. Every guide is written by locals and updated quarterly.
Our most comprehensive guides
Three cities we've written deeply about — each a standalone trip, each with a distinct character.
Sydney
Australia's biggest, most iconic city — a harbour wrapped by 100+ beaches, a world-class food scene, UNESCO-listed wilderness an hour away, and the Opera House and Harbour Bridge that put the country on postcards.
Read the Sydney guideBrisbane
Australia's fastest-growing capital, wrapped around a slow brown river and blessed with year-round warmth. South Bank's lagoon, the Story Bridge Climb, and weekend trips to Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast make Brisbane the perfect Queensland base.
Read the Brisbane guideAdelaide
Australia's quiet achiever — the only capital founded by free settlers, ringed by world-class wine regions (Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley), and the launchpad for Kangaroo Island. Cheaper, calmer, and one of the country's great food cities.
Read the Adelaide guideCapital Cities
Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide featured above. Here's the rest — Melbourne's laneways, Perth's Indian Ocean sunsets, Hobart's convict heritage, Darwin's tropical edge, and Canberra's surprisingly good cultural scene.
Coastal Escapes
Where Australians go on holiday. Seven coastal destinations — from Queensland's theme-park belt to Byron's surf-town calm to Port Douglas's reef-fringed luxury.
Iconic Regions
The destinations that define Australia. Bucket-list country — Uluru's red centre, the Reef, Tasmania's wilderness, Kangaroo Island's wildlife.
Choose by Travel Style
Not sure where to start? Here's Australia sorted by the kind of trip you're looking for.
Planning Australia
The eight questions we answer most often for travellers planning their first Australia trip.
Which Australian city should I visit first?
How many Australian cities can you visit in two weeks?
What is the best time of year to visit Australia?
Are Australian cities safe for tourists?
Do I need a visa to visit Australia?
How expensive is Australia compared to other destinations?
Which Australian city is best for families?
Can you see the Great Barrier Reef from a city?
Let us plan your Australia
Read the guides, pick the cities that spark something, and let us do the rest. We've planned Australia trips for 12,000+ travellers — we'll build yours the way we'd plan it for a friend.