Yule Love A Festive Shopping Trip To Sydney This Christmas

Shoppers are descending on Sydney with gusto this Christmas with more than 1.2 million domestic visitors expected to hit the city, famous for its high end fashion stores, artisan markets and quirky giftoriums[1].

Each year Sydney experiences an annual surge in shopping visitors from September to December, with 32 percent of visitors travelling from regional NSW to Sydney to take advantage of the wider gift selection available in Australia's retail capital[2].

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase says Christmas is one of the most exciting times to be in Sydney.

“At Christmas Sydney is festooned with festive decorations from Customs House to Martin Place and Darling Harbour. Visitors can enjoy the city's great weather, beaches, shopping malls, restaurants and cafes while ticking off their purchase lists,” Ms Chipchase said.

Sydney offers everything from high-end fashion stores to community-run markets, quirky giftoriums and big-name department stores, many of which are open for extended hours in the lead up to Christmas.

Destination NSW urges shoppers to pack their one-horse open sleigh and jingle all the way to Sydney for a pre-Christmas shopping break at one these festive retail precincts:

City CBD

Pitt Street Mall is the heart of Sydney's centre district shopping with Westfield Sydney, Myer and David Jones all within walking distance. Enjoy the dazzling Christmas-themed window displays and expect to find international brands like Zara, Swarovski, Swatch, Pandora and H&M.

Head to George Street where you'll find everything from homewares to handbags, technology to toys and food to fashion. With buses and cars gone from a section of the street, George St has taken on a new pedestrian-friendly, holiday vibe. From now until 27 December, discover pop-up retail stores, free gift-wrapping, light displays and events as part of the Sydney Christmas program. A spectacular 21 metre high, interactive Christmas tree is also a must-see attraction in Martin Place.

For those who plan to shop until you drop, nourishment can be found at some of the city's best restaurants located in the Sydney's city centre. Try Neil Perry's Burger Project for classic American-style burgers, or head to Chinatown's Dixon Street for Hong Kong-style pork buns at Old Town. For sweeping views of Sydney Harbour, head to Circular Quay to Opera Bar for a casual meal, or to Quay for a fine dining.

After a day spent pounding the city pavement, recharge the batteries at the five-star Swissotel Sydney or the quirky QT Sydney, both located in the heart of Sydney's retail district. Overnight guests will have time to check out the nightly Christmas projections in Martin Place.

Paddington

Head to Paddington's designer strip, The Intersection on Glenmore Rd, for luxury, bespoke shopping with designer labels such as Rachel Gilbert, Charlie Brown, Sass & Bide and Zimmerman. For antique shops, wander through Paddington's backstreets where lovely antique pieces can be found at boutique stores such as Juniper Hall.

Those buying for book lovers should make a beeline for Berkelouw Books Paddington. Located in the heart of Oxford Street, the Berkelouw has become an institution amongst Sydney's literary community with an extensive range of new, rare and second-hand books and a vibrant café in which to refuel and enjoy a spot of people watching. The Arts Hotel next door is a charming option to stay overnight in an unbeatable Paddington location.

If you are shopping for artisan gifts, visit Sydney's longest-running community market, the Paddington Markets. Held each Saturday, this bustling, open-air market is a great place to snap up a cool outfit, piece of jewellery or handmade bag.

Bondi Beach

Santa's helpers will want to swap their tights for Speedos when Christmas shopping at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach. There's a plethora of swimwear shops and boutique clothing stores, and the Aquabumps gallery showcases and sells beautiful photographic prints of the iconic beach. For foodie friends, Bondi offers a range of organic food stores and some 'not-so-healthy' options like the delicious House of Chocolates.

For that big-name shopping centre experience, Westfield Bondi Junction is only a 10 minute drive from the beach and offers more than 400 specialty stores catering for the discerning fashion crowd.

After shopping all day sample the amazing local restaurant and bar scene with The Bucket List's casual, beachside lunch or at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar for a delicious seafood meal with iconic views of the beach.

Stay in one of the beachside apartments at Adina Apartment Hotel Bondi Beach and wake up to a freshly brewed coffee downstairs at Sensory Lab before strolling to the beach for a morning ocean dip.

Newtown

Quirky Kris Kringles looking for unusual and distinctive gifts will find the trendy inner-west suburb of Newtown to be the perfect Christmas shopping destination.

Designer boutiques, eccentric gift emporiums, vintage fashion stores and multiple book retailers are dotted along Newtown's main drag on King Street. At the southern end of the street you'll find ethnic homewares, funky furniture shops, vintage vogue and specialty items.

King Street is also one of Sydney's great eat streets, so be sure to sample the diverse range of food and drink options while you're here. Try Brewtown Newtown for a cronut and specialty coffee, Gigi's Pizzeria for a knockout vegan pizza or enjoy a schooner at Newtowner ale at microbrewery Young Henry's.

Stay in the heart of Newtown's pulsing art and culture scene at The Urban Newtown, or for a unique, boutique venue head to the neighbouring suburb of Chippendale to stay at The Old Clare Hotel, the first Unlisted Collection property in Australia.

Visit sydney.com for more information on shopping in Sydney