Technically you probably don’t need a guide to Sydney’s best healthy spots, because you can’t walk down a street without passing a gym, café or juice bar. However, if you’re only there for a short amount of time and you want to make sure you go to the best of the best, here are my top 5 of 5. Sydney is possibly one of my favourite places to visit. There’s just so much to do here. With this being said, Australia in general is lovely. I know a few people who have taken a look at these suburbs in Australia, as they are seriously considering moving down here. I don’t blame them!
Walks and Pools
- Botanic Gardens – even if you’re not a ‘garden’ kind of person, Sydney’s Botanic Gardens are beautiful. Located on the harbour, you get a great view of the bridge, city and opera house and can do a nice long walk along the water.
- Centennial Park – Centennial park is a huge park located slap bang in the middle of the city. There are several walking, cycling and even horse riding trails around it, with the main circular route a nice flat 3.6km.
- Bondi to Coogee walk – this is one of Sydney’s ‘must do’ activities. With so much stunning coastline, you’ll barely notice you’ve just walked 6k.
- Spit to Manly walk – another incredible coastal walk, this 10k route is a little more challenging (up and down), but if you start at Spit in the morning, you’ll get to Manly just in time for lunch on the beach.
- Outdoor swimming pools –Despite living in Sydney for three years, the novelty of outdoor swimming pools in the city never wore off. My favourites were Icebergs (Bondi), Alfred park pool, Sir Bobby Charlton pool (in the Botanic gardens) and the North Sydney Olympic pool (which is practically under the harbour bridge!)
Restaurants
- Jimmy Liks – a lovely little Asian restaurant in Potts Point
- Café Sydney – this is a little fancier, but still really well priced for the quality of food. Try and book a balcony table at sunset and you’ll dine while watching the sun set behind the harbour bridge
- China Doll – Another Asian restaurant, located in Woolloomooloo wharf. The wharf is a beautiful spot overlooking the harbour and gardens and if you don’t fancy Asian, Mantra is a great fish restaurant just a few doors down.
- Bills – This iconic Sydney institution is the same ‘Bill’ behind Granger & Co in the UK. You can expect the same great seasonal, whole and tasty food and it’s great for breakfast, lunch or Dinner.
- Ochello – part of The Ivy complex, Ochello does modern Italian food, fresh cocktails and has a great view of The Ivy’s pool.
Snacks and juices
- The Health Emporium – this little café and shop in Bondi does the best coconut milk cappuccino in Sydney, as well as amazing smoothies and healthy sweet and savoury treats.
- Cali Press Juice – If you’re in Bondi or Bronte, grab a juice, smoothie (the bowls are incredibile) or one of Cali’s famous bullet proof coffees.
- Pressed Juices – a healthy saviour, these little gems are dotted all over the city. They have a nutritionist in every store, and healthy snacks as well as juices.
- Orchard Street –Every Orchard St. in Sydney has a range of organic juices and smoothies, alongside Hot herbal elixirs, organic coffee, kombucha on tap and a delicious range of raw treats.
- About life – this shop and café is one of the things I miss most about Sydney. With a huge menu to order from, as well as large self-serve buffet bars, you can get pretty much any healthy food item you could ever want! From vegan pizza to dairy free ice cream, with everything in between, you’ll end up going every day!
Brunching
- Sadhana Kitchen – with locations in the east and west, this café does the prettiest raw, vegan food around. You can feel yourself getting healthier with every bite
- The Grounds of Alexandria – try and go on a week day, because this café is super popular. Surrounded by plants and gorgeous little stalls, this is one of Sydney’s favourite brunch locations for a reason.
- Porch and Parlour (Bondi) – with a focus on fresh, seasonal produce, Porch’s breaky bowls, and brunch selection have become iconic Sydney staples. Alongside great coffee, a view of Bondi and the nicest staff you’ll ever meet.
- Trios – this also overlooks Bondi and has a huge range of healthy (and not so healthy) options. The portions are giant whichever you choose!
- Bar Indigo – another café with a huge range of options to suit any taste. Great coffee and surrounded by the fancy shops of Double Bay to browse before or afterwards.
Exercise
- Power living – With several locations across the Sydney, Power Living is home to some of my favourite yoga teachers. They offer everything from challenging Vinyasa, to relaxing yin and two weeks of regular classes here will leave you feeling like a new person.
- Body Mind Life – As with Power Living, Body Mind Life has a great range of yoga classes with amazing teachers, as well as Pilates and reformer classes.
- F45 – if you want something a little more intense, then look no further than F45. They are all over Sydney and the 45 minute workouts will leave you with plenty of time spare for the beach.
- Barre body – it’s worth a trip to their Sydney CBD studio, purely for the incredible building! However, you’ll also get a great workout that fuses ballet barre, conditioning, yoga and Pilates.
- KX Pilates – the ultimate in reformer Pilates. I am yet to find a reformer class quite like this one! Now handily located all over Sydney too.
