Surry Hills Walking Series
Immerse yourself in Crystalbrook Albion’s world and explore the Surry Hills neighbourhood
Bustling, vibrant, eclectic and never-boring, Surry Hills is an inner-city suburb rich in detail, filled with history and home to some of Sydney’s best restaurants, bars and cafes.
Live like a local, discover a vibrant village via the hidden laneways and backstreets, get lost in the details as you explore Australian art history through architecture and museums…We cover it all on our Crystalbrook Albion walking series.
Surry Hills, the local way
Meeting your Sydney local in the sunken lounge, it’s time to see, explore and discover Surry Hills side-by-side a local expert. Pop down to the local for a coffee (or locally-brewed beer) and get to know your new friend (and host) and decide what sights, secret locations and photo-op spots you’d like to explore during your time together – there’s so much to see and do. This experience allows total flexibility for you to be in control of your visit to Surry Hills.
$405 - four and a half hours. Up to eight guests.
Paddington delights
Prepare to be charmed by the Victorian suburb of Paddington, with its leafy streets, gorgeous terraced houses and chic fashion outlets. Just a short, scenic stroll from Crystalbrook Albion, you’ll venture through Oxford Street and walk past the beautiful Victoria Barracks. The suburb enjoys heritage conservation status and is named after the London suburb of the same name. Pit stop! One of our favourite cafes in the area – the coffee is amazing and the snacks are so worth the calories. Then it’s onwards to explore the boutiques and shops along William and Oxford Streets, learning about the history of this enchanting area on the way. If time permits, a sneaky tipple at one of the many pubs in the area is on the agenda before strolling back to Crystalbrook Albion*.
$315 - three and a half hours. Up to eight guests.
*You’re more than welcome to stay a little longer at the concluding venue or to continue exploring the area even further. Your professional tour guide will provide maps for further exploration.
City wonders
Strolling through the city, our first destination is the impressive Hyde Park - the park is to Sydney what Central Park is to New York (although not nearly as big!). Take a moment at the beautiful Anzac Memorial and observe the statues, memorials and fountains that make this park so historically fascinating. Across the road is the impressive St Mary’s Cathedral, the spiritual home to Catholicism in Sydney and a grand example of sandstone architecture, which is a signature of the city. Then, discover the historical wonders of Macquarie Street – one of Sydney’s most historical streets named after arguably our most important governor – the street plays host to The Rum Hospital, Hyde Park Barracks, The Mint and two of the city’s most loved characters Matthew Flinders and his cat Trim. No walk around Sydney is complete without getting some amazing shots for your photo album (aka Insta feed) of our gorgeous Opera House and Bridge. From here, it’s a casual stroll back to Little Albion.
$315 - three and a half hours. Up to eight guests.
*You’re more than welcome to stay a little longer at the concluding venue or to continue exploring the area even further. Your professional tour guide will provide maps for further exploration.
Surry Hills discovery
The backstreets of Surry Hills are best explored on foot. Discover a vibrant village known for its small bars, cafés, art galleries, stylish restaurants and unique shopping experiences. As you walk along its streets and alleyways learn about its Victorian heritage and architecture as well as the colourful stories of the 1920s and 1930s that gave Surry Hills its reputation of being the “Chicago of the South” due to its sly-grog scene, drug dealing and gang rivalry of those years. As you step into Contemporary Surry Hills, lively art spaces, vintage fashion stores, bar and pubs scene, craft beer culture on Crown and Bourke streets is unveiled. Pause for a moment. We’ll stop at one of the nicest cafés in town in order to enjoy a pastry tasting topped off with a “flat white” coffee as we call it in this part of the world.
$270 - three hours. Up to eight guests.
*You’re more than welcome to stay a little longer at the concluding venue or to continue exploring the area even further. Your professional tour guide will provide maps for further exploration.
Australian art history
The backstreets of Surry Hills are best explored on foot. Discover a vibrant village known for its small bars, cafés, art galleries, stylish restaurants and unique shopping experiences. As you walk along its streets and alleyways learn about its Victorian heritage and architecture as well as the colourful stories of the 1920s and 1930s that gave Surry Hills its reputation of being the “Chicago of the South” due to its sly-grog scene, drug dealing and gang rivalry of those years. As you step into Contemporary Surry Hills, lively art spaces, vintage fashion stores, bar and pubs scene, craft beer culture on Crown and Bourke streets is unveiled. Then we will stroll along heading towards the colonial and modern historical area of the city passing by the War Memorial, Hyde Park, Grammar School, St Mary’s Cathedral, ending at the Art Gallery of NSW where the guide will introduce you to Australia’s history through some of the most respected Aboriginal, Colonial, Modern and Contemporary Australian Art. The tour concludes at the AGNW with a coffee and pastry at the Art Gallery’s Contemporary Café.
$405 - four and a half hours. Up to eight guests.
*You’re more than welcome to stay a little longer at the concluding venue or to continue exploring the area even further. Your professional tour guide will provide maps for further exploration.
Street art in Newtown
Stepping out of the CBD, take a short 15-minute train ride to Newtown with your Sydney local tour guide. From a working-class residential and farming area in the 19th century, Newtown has become a colourful multicultural community known to have Sydney’s best street art. As you walk along Newtown your guide will introduce you to its history yet focusing on the diverse artistic proposals of the Street Artists who have decorated the walls and alleyways in town with their great work. There’ll be plenty of photo opps for your graffiti art style social media posts. Sprinkled with bookshops, small cafés, antique and funky shops, Newtown will offer you a different cultural experience rather than just visiting downtown. Known for its Thai, Japanese, Turkish, Pakistani, Indian, Egyptian, vegetarian and, of course, Australian cuisine, this walking tour might entice you to come back and try one of these out. Before heading back to the city, enjoy a delightful Turkish ice-cream – an absolute must!
$405 - four and a half hours. Up to eight guests.
*You’re more than welcome to stay a little longer at the concluding venue or to continue exploring the area even further. Your professional tour guide will provide maps for further exploration.