Day-by-day programme of this 11-day itinerary across The east coast: Sydney, Melbourne and tropical Queensland.
Day 1 â Arrival in Sydney
Landing in Sydney after the long flight: Australia's most iconic city, spread around one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world. A first look at the Opera House.
- âïļ Sydney â Aeroporto di Sydney (SYD)
- ð Sydney Opera House â The Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO site, is the symbol of Australia: its white ceramic 'sails' on the Bennelong Point promontory are a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. You stroll around it and along Circular Quay, the heart of the harbour, with the yellow ferries coming and going and the Harbour Bridge in the background. At sunset the sails turn pink. You dine at the harbour and sleep three nights in Sydney.
- ðĻ Harbour Rocks Hotel â Centro (CBD / The Rocks), Sydney
Day 2 â Sydney between harbour and beaches
A day among Sydney's symbols: the Harbour Bridge and the historic Rocks district, and in the afternoon the legendary Bondi Beach with its coastal walk.
- ð Sydney Harbour Bridge â The Harbour Bridge, nicknamed 'the Coathanger', is the great steel arch spanning the harbour: you cross it on foot for the view of the Opera House, or climb it (BridgeClimb) for the more daring. At its foot, The Rocks, Sydney's oldest district, with cobbled lanes, colonial pubs and weekend markets. In the afternoon you head to the sea, to Bondi.
- ð Bondi Beach â Bondi is Australia's most famous beach: an arc of golden sand crowded with surfers, lifeguards in red and yellow and a vibrant beach culture. From here starts the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, a spectacular stroll along the cliffs, among rock pools (the iconic Bondi Icebergs) and coves. A sunset aperitif over the ocean. You head back to the city.
Day 3 â The Blue Mountains
A trip to the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney: eucalyptus forests that exhale a blue haze, deep gorges and the famous Three Sisters rock formation.
- ð Three Sisters â An hour and a half from Sydney, the Blue Mountains (a UNESCO site) owe their name to the bluish haze released by the endless eucalyptus forests. From the Echo Point lookout you admire the Three Sisters, three sandstone pinnacles tied to an Aboriginal legend, above the Jamison Valley. Trails, waterfalls and the panoramic Scenic World cableway round off the day. You return to Sydney in the evening.
Day 4 â Melbourne, the capital of style
Flight to Melbourne, Australia's most European and cool city: cafes in the laneways, street art, markets and an exceptional food scene.
- âïļ Sydney â Melbourne â Aeroporto di Melbourne (MEL)
- ð Federation Square â Melbourne is best discovered on foot: from Federation Square and Flinders Street Station you lose yourself in the laneways, the alleys covered in street art and full of cafes (here coffee is a religion), hidden bars and boutiques. You go up the Eureka Skydeck for the view, stroll along the Yarra river and visit the Queen Victoria Market. In the evening, lively seaside St Kilda. You sleep in Melbourne.
- ðĻ Citadines on Bourke Melbourne â Centro (CBD), Melbourne
Day 5 â The Great Ocean Road
One of the most spectacular scenic roads on the planet: the Great Ocean Road, among sheer cliffs, forests and the Twelve Apostles sea stacks battered by the ocean.
- âïļ Melbourne â Great Ocean Road â Great Ocean Road (Apollo Bay)
- ð Twelve Apostles â The Twelve Apostles are the symbolic image of the Great Ocean Road: imposing limestone pillars rising alone from the ocean, sculpted by erosion (today eight remain). From the boardwalks of Port Campbell National Park the sight, especially at sunset, is breathtaking. Just beyond, Loch Ard Gorge tells a story of shipwrecks. You spend the night along the coast.
- ðĻ Port Campbell Motor Inn â Port Campbell / Apollo Bay
Day 6 â Flight to Cairns, gateway to the Reef
You return to Melbourne and fly to tropical Queensland, to Cairns: the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the oldest rainforests in the world.
- âïļ Melbourne â Cairns â Aeroporto di Cairns (CNS)
- ðĻ Cairns Plaza Hotel â Centro, Cairns
Day 7 â The Great Barrier Reef
The dream excursion: a day by boat on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living organism on the planet, among tropical fish, corals and turtles.
- ðŊ Great Barrier Reef â The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO site, stretches for 2,300 km and is the only living structure visible from space. From Cairns or Port Douglas you set off by boat to the outer platforms and atolls: mask, fins (and tanks for divers) are all you need to swim in a boundless aquarium of colourful corals, parrotfish, rays, sea turtles and the famous Nemo fish. A breathtaking experience. You return to Cairns in the evening.
Day 8 â Daintree and Cape Tribulation
The Daintree rainforest, 180 million years old, where the jungle meets the coral reef at Cape Tribulation, and elegant Port Douglas.
- ð Daintree Rainforest â The Daintree forest is the oldest tropical rainforest in the world, 180 million years old: a jungle dense with giant ferns, lianas and unique fauna (the mysterious cassowary, saltwater crocodiles in the rivers). At Cape Tribulation something unique happens: the rainforest meets the coral reef, beach against jungle. You explore with boardwalks, river cruises and guides. On the way back, elegant Port Douglas.
- ð Port Douglas â Port Douglas is the refined seaside town north of Cairns: the long Four Mile Beach, a main street of restaurants and boutiques, and a relaxed tropical-resort atmosphere. It is also an alternative departure point for the reef. An afternoon of relaxation and a swim (beware of box jellyfish in summer, swim in the protected zones). You return to Cairns for the last night.
Day 9 â The Whitsundays
Flight to the Whitsunday Islands, in the heart of the reef: 74 tropical islands and the legendary Whitehaven Beach, with the whitest silica sand in the world.
- âïļ Cairns â Whitsundays â Aeroporto di Hamilton Island (HTI)
- ðĻ Heart Hotel and Gallery Whitsundays â Hamilton Island / Airlie Beach
Day 10 â Whitehaven Beach
Boat trip to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet lookouts, where the tide draws swirls of dazzling white sand on the turquoise water.
- ðŊ Whitehaven Beach â A catamaran cruise (or a scenic flight) takes you to Whitehaven Beach, seven kilometres of pure silica sand, dazzlingly white and very fine, lapped by a sea of a thousand shades of turquoise. From the Hill Inlet lookout you admire the famous interweaving of sand and water that changes with the tide, one of the most photographed views in Australia. Snorkelling and relaxation on the uninhabited island. You return to the Whitsundays.
Day 11 â Return and departure
Return flight to Sydney and then to Europe. End of the great journey along Australia's east coast.
- âïļ Whitsundays â Sydney â Aeroporto di Sydney (SYD)
