- Melbourne
- Cairns
- Uluru
- Sydney
- Adelaide
Our itinerary started in Melbourne and we flew from one place to another to save time instead of going on a road trip.
Let's take a look at the best 15-day Australia east coast itinerary.
Australia Itinerary: Weather in August
We were in Australia in August which means it's winter Down Under. Fortunately, this season is mild over there so you don't get harsh winter weather or temperatures. We wore our coats in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide but we wore summer clothes in Cairns. In Uluru the temperature varies a lot during the day. In the mornings and evenings it's very cold but warm during the day.WHAT TO PACK
15-day Australia Itinerary: MELBOURNE (3 nights)
Hotel: Causeway 353DAY 1
Our hotel was close to Flinders Street Railway Station so we pretty much walked everywhere. Walking city tours are our favorite! The best transport option in Melbourne is the tram which is free around the city centre. The first place we visited was St. Paul's Cathedral, then we walked into the cobbled Hosier Lane famous for its edgy graffiti. Out next stop was Fitzroy Gardens where you can find Cook's Cottage. This is actually the oldest house in Australia, it was moved brick by brick all the way from England! We ended our day seeing the Melbourne Cricket Ground and all the stadiums along Olympic Boulevard. It was getting dark so it was time to call it a day. On our way back to the hotel we got to see the city lights and the skyline along the Yarra river.
DAY 2
After getting a good night sleep we caught and early train to Brighton Beach. This beach is famous for the colorful bathing boxes lined up opposite the ocean. Half a day is enough to visit Brighton Beach. We spent the rest of the day back in Melbourne visiting city landmarks such as Parliament House, the iconic Princess Theatre, the Old Treasury Building and Carlton Gardens. We arrived at Saint Patrick's Cathedral right in time for mass.
DAY 3
It was the last day before we had to say goodbye and board a plane to Cairns so we did a little shopping. We enjoyed a wonderful morning at the impressive Queen Victoria Market. Here you can find one of the most amazing food markets in the world. We also visited the arcades which are little shopping centres from the 19th century with unique architecture. Our favorites were The Block Arcade with its mosaic tiled floor and Royal Arcade with its one-of-a-kind shops. They are a must if you are looking for special gifts or craftsmanship to take home like I do. We spent the last hours of the day in the Botanic Gardens and visiting the unforgettable Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. It's hard to describe with words how we felt after the visit, it made a great impact on us.
WHERE TO EAT IN MELBOURNE
- Pilgrim Bar
- Betty's Burgers
- Chuckle Park
- Hopetoun Tea Rooms
- Queen Victoria Market
Read more about Melbourne here
Australia Itinerary: MELBOURNE MAP
Here you can find all the stops in the itinerary including what to do, where to eat, stay and shop. To take this map with you simply click on the star next to the name to add it to your Google maps.2 week Australia Itinerary: CAIRNS (3 nights)
Hotel: Novotel Cairns Oasis ResortDAY 1
Cairns was not our favorite city, not much to do there. However, there are some amazing places to see in the area. So we rented a car and drove north of Captain Cook Highway to the gorgeous Mossman Gorge at Daintree forest. On the way back we made a couple of stops to see the beautiful coastal towns of Port Douglas and Palm Cove.
DAY 2
Cairn's main attraction is the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. So we couldn't miss the opportunity to see this wonder of nature with our own eyes. The boat trip was rough but the experience made it worth it. We put on our snorkel gear, ready to see one of the most spectacular sights in the world. The wide variety of reef -all so colorful and different- and the diversity of fish left us speechless. Everything so close that you could almost touch it!
Australia Itineray: CAIRNS MAP
Here you can find all the stops in the itinerary. To take this map with you simply click on the star next to the name to add it to your Google maps.2 week Australia Itinerary: ULURU (2 nights)
Hotel: Desert GardensDAY 1
After unpacking we had lunch at the Mangata Bristro which was the restaurant in our hotel. Desert Gardens was our favorite hotel from the whole trip. It is located in a service village called Yulara. Lying just outside the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (20km from Uluru and 53km from Kata Tjuta) this is the closest base for exploring the park so that's where most tourists stay. We checked out the other hotels, the town square and went as far as Imalung, a vantage point from which you can see Uluru. When the sun started to set we went back to the hotel.
DAY 2
It was still dark outside when the SEIT van picked us up. SEIT is the tour company that was taking us to see the national park. The tour was divided in two parts: first Kata-Tjuta and later in the day Uluru. First of all, we saw the sun rise next to Uluru from a viewpoint, at -1ºC we were freezing but the spectacular views made it worthwhile. Then, they had arranged an amazing picnic breakfast before starting to explore the Kata-Tjuta. Those warm drinks and toast with butter were a blessing!
Kata Tjuta (which means 'many heads') is a striking group of domed rocks with deep valley and steep-sided gorges in between. It may be less known than Uluru but we found it even more impressive.
After that they dropped us back at the hotel where we had lunch and a very much needed Spanish "siesta" before they picked us up again. This time to see the crown Jewel: Uluru. The guide told us amazing stories about the place and the Aboriginal people. It is hard to believe that they used to live there!
Read more about Uluru here
2 week Australia Itinerary: SYDNEY (4 nights)
Hotel: Seasons Harbour PlazaDAY 1
We started exploring Sydney by going to the Queen Victoria Building, the most amazing mall which was close to our hotel. The beautiful building has great shops so retail therapy here is a must.
After the QVB we continued our way north visiting the Town Hall, Hyde Park, St Mary's Cathedral, the State Library and the Royal Botanic Gardens before arriving to the crown Jewel: the Sydney Opera House. It's one of those places that you've seen a million times on photos or TV but still impresses you when you see it in real life. This magnificent structure has always fascinated me. I've heard different stories about its shape, some say it looks like conquistador helmets, other say they are nun habits or even orange wedges.
By evening time we were at Darling Harbour, a great place to wander around, grab a bite and see amazing street performers.
DAY 2
I had been dreaming of this day for a really long time. A few years ago I had seen on a blog an amazing place called The Grounds of Alexandria and I promised my self that if I ever went to Australia I was going there. On our second day in Sydney we woke up early and set off to find The Grounds and have what turned out to be one of the most amazing breakfasts we've ever had.
After a delicious breakfast and exploring the breathtaking Grounds, we headed back and visited the charming neighborhood of Paddington. There are beautiful Victorian houses and high fashion shops. Here you can also find the Reservoir Gardens, a water reservoir converted into a sunken garden.
DAY 3
On our last day we visited Watson's Bay and the world famous Bondi beach. At Watson's Bay you get amazing views of Sydney on one side, and breathtaking views of the ocean on the other. Stopping at the Watson's Bay hotel for drinks with a view is a must.
I'm sure you've all heard of the iconic Bondi Beach. It's one of the most famous beaches in Australia for good reason!
WHERE TO EAT IN SYDNEY
- The Grounds of Alexandria
- The Gorunds of the City
- Glenmore at the Rocks
- Jet (Queen Victoria Building)
- Hotel Ravesis at Bondi Beach
Australia Itinerary: SYDNEY MAP
Here you can find all the stops in the itinerary including what to do, where to eat, stay and shop. To take this map with you simply click on the star next to the name to add it to your Google maps.2 week Australia Itinerary: ADELAIDE & KANGAROO ISLAND (2 nights)
Hotel: Stamford PlazaDAY 1
Our last walking city tour took place in Adelaide. The main city landmarks to explore are Victoria Square, Saint Francis Xavier cathedral and Rundle Mall, Adelaide's shopping street. Another place to take a lovely stroll is around Adelaide's riverbank. The University of Adelaide is also worth a visit. The buildings are located along North Terrace, one of the main streets, and you can find beautiful buildings full of history and knowledge. Nestled in the heart of the city, you can't miss the Botanic Gardens where we found the National Wine Centre of Australia. It's a must for wine lovers.
DAY 2
We took the ferry to the magnificent Kangaroo Island. Once in the island we took a bus to Seal Bay Conservation Park where we had a guided beach walk and learnt so much about these wonderful animals. Then we went to Vivonne Bay Bistro for a buffet lunch full of yummy traditional Australian food.
We hopped on the bus once again this time to see adorable koalas at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. This was one of the most exciting moments of the Honeymoon. Koalas are one of my favorite animals and I had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
The following stop was Flinders Chase National Park where we saw the breathtaking Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch.And just like that the day had ended and it was time to board the ferry back to Adelaide. It had been an unforgettable experience.
Just like that, it was time to say goodbye to Australia. We really hope we can come back some day to relive these wonderful memories.
- Jamie's Italian
- Treasury 1860
Australia Itinerary: ADELAIDE MAP
Here you can find all the stops in the itinerary including what to do, where to eat, stay and shop. To take this map with you simply click on the star next to the name to add it to your Google maps.Liked this post? Pin it and share the love!