Your ultimate ten-day Australia itinerary

Australia is enormous and it's impossible to see the whole country in one trip, but traveling along the continent's east coast gives you a good taste of Australia's highlights. From the vibrant cities of Sydney and Melbourne—including day trips to some nearby attractions—this itinerary then takes you through Brisbane to Cairns so you can swim on the Great Barrier Reef and explore ancient rainforest. If it looks a bit too rushed for you, skip Brisbane and fly direct from Sydney to Cairns.

Morning

Arrive at Melbourne Airport, about 14 miles from the city center, and transfer to your accommodation to relax after the flight. Areas like the Melbourne Central Business District or Southbank may be the most convenient for this itinerary.

Afternoon

From your central accommodation, you can walk to some of the city's main attractions. Federation Square is a modern cultural precinct with a taste of Australian art at the National Gallery of Victoria's Ian Potter Centre, while the ACMI museum has fascinating exhibitions about movies and television.

From the bustling entertainment area at Southbank waterfront, you can take a scenic cruise of the Yarra River to see sights like the Royal Botanic Gardens, including commentary covering history like the Victorian Gold Rush.

Evening

For dinner, stay around Southbank for upmarket restaurants by the river or head into the Central Business District for top spots like Farmer's Daughters for local produce or Gimlet for a sophisticated meal and cocktails. Carlton's Lygon Street is more casual and showcases part of the city's immigration story with its rows of Italian trattorias.

Morning

The narrow laneways in central Melbourne, with their street art and trendy cafés, are one of the city's main attractions. Spend some time wandering through yourself—don't miss AC/DC Lane (named for the famous Australian band) for its murals—or join a laneways tour to get all the local insights.

Afternoon

Use the afternoon to visit more of Melbourne's sights. You could consider a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a sporting icon with heritage dating back to 1853. There's also the city's only World Heritage site, the Royal Exhibition Building, which was constructed in 1880 for an international expo. It's next to the family-friendly Melbourne Museum. Or wander around the historic Queen Victoria Market with its food and crafts stalls.

Evening

Jump on one of Melbourne's renowned trams for a ride to the coastal suburb of St Kilda. At sunset, you can watch from the breakwater as the local colony of penguins return to their burrows. The historic Luna Park theme park has a mix of rides for everyone and the neighborhood is full of restaurants and live music venues like the famous Hotel Esplanade.

Morning

There are a number of great relaxing day trips from Melbourne to consider, including the natural wonders of Phillip Island or the wine tastings in the Yarra Valley. But the most iconic trip is along the Great Ocean Road, a coastal drive with sweeping vistas.

You can rent a car in Melbourne to explore independently or join a guided tour. Either way, there's about 300 miles of driving in total, so start early. First, stop at Torquay to see the crashing waves of the famous Bells Beach, then the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch marks the official start of the scenic drive.

Afternoon

There are lots of places to stop along the road to take in the views and explore the landscape. The small town of Apollo Bay offers a small museum, beaches, and hiking in the Great Otway National Park. Further along, pull over to see the Twelve Apostles – huge rock formations rising out of the sea. You may also have time to see the large stone arch called London Bridge.

Evening

You'll then spend the evening driving back to Melbourne. Get an early dinner at Port Campbell before leaving or stop in Geelong on the way.

Morning

Take the hour-long flight to Sydney Airport, transfer to your accommodation and settle in. Staying in Sydney's Central Business District (CBD) will be the most convenient for this itinerary.

Afternoon

Start your exploration of Sydney at The Rocks, the first area settled by the British when they arrived in 1788 and now full of colonial heritage. Above the neighborhood is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which has a free pedestrian walkway at road level or BridgeClimb tours to the top of the structure.

It's then a short walk to the architectural marvel of the Sydney Opera House, which offers public tours. If there's time, take a sightseeing cruise on the harbor or join local commuters on the public ferry to Manly.

Evening

You could catch a performance at the Opera House this evening, or Opera Bar has some of the city's best views for a sunset drink. For dinner, head to the trendy inner-city suburb of Surry Hills for some of Sydney's top restaurants, including Middle-Eastern favorite NOMAD or the pan-Asian Chin Chin.

Morning

Forming the western border of Sydney, the Blue Mountains are an easy day trip by public transportation, rental car, or guided tour. The landscapes of the mountains are covered in eucalyptus forest, with sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and lush fern gullies – with lots of ways to explore them.

Start at Echo Point, which has views of the region, including the sandstone peaks of the Three Sisters. From here, you can stroll along an easy stretch of the main Grand Cliff Top Walk. The nearby towns of Katoomba and Leura have boutique stores and good options for lunch.

Afternoon

For hikers, the trail to Wentworth Falls has views as you pass through a variety of ecosystems, or trails around Blackheath offer a different vista towards the northern mountains. Alternatively, Scenic World gives you panoramic views without the effort, along its series of cable cars and railway across the escarpment and down into ancient rainforest.

Evening

Before heading back to Sydney, the Blue Mountains has good choices for an early dinner. The Mountain Culture microbrewery does pub-style meals, Tempus in Katoomba has a modern Australian menu, and Elysian in Leura offers elevated dining in a historic homestead.

Morning

When the weather is nice, the city's most famous strip of sand, Bondi Beach, attracts locals from sunrise, so head down when you wake up for a swim and a coffee. You can learn to ride a board with a surfing lesson or walk along the clifftops of the famous Bondi to Coogee trail for views of the coast.

Afternoon

Before this evening's flight, there's time to visit a few more of the city's attractions. The Hyde Park Barracks is an excellent free museum focusing on the story of the convict era. It's not far away is the family-friendly Australian Museum with exhibitions about Australian animals and First Nations cultures. It's also a short walk to the Art Gallery of NSW and its impressive collection of important Australian artists, including a large Indigenous exhibition.

Evening

Catch an hour-long flight north to Brisbane Airport and transfer to your accommodation – the city center or Fortitude Valley will probably be the most convenient areas to stay.

Morning

Spend the morning at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, a large animal park that's home to over 100 koalas. Although the sanctuary has a no-holding policy, there's a range of experiences where you can get close to the furry marsupials and learn about their lives. The sanctuary also has more than 70 other species of Australian animals, including kangaroos you can hand-feed.

Afternoon

This afternoon, explore the sights along the Brisbane River, including the QAGOMA art galleries, the Wheel of Brisbane Ferris wheel, and the City Botanic Gardens. The legendary Story Bridge offers a tour to climb to the top for panoramic views, or there are the South Bank Parklands that include Australia's only artificial inner-city beach.

Evening

Catch an evening flight for the three-hour trip to Cairns in the far north of Queensland. You'll arrive late, so transfer to your accommodation for a good night's sleep.

Morning

Today you'll be discovering one of Australia's biggest icons – the Great Barrier Reef! There are a number of boat tours from Cairns that head out to different parts of the reef, so choose one that suits your interests. You could reduce the time on a boat with a visit to Green Island or Fitzroy Island, or join one of the longer trips to the outer reef, about 30 miles offshore from Cairns.

Afternoon

Each tour offers slightly different activities. If the boat pulls in at an island, there may be facilities like a restaurant and pool, as well as walking trails and beaches to swim and snorkel on the reef. The trips to the outer reef will either dock at a pontoon or use the boat as the base for the day, allowing you to jump in and snorkel over some of the most impressive collections of coral.

Evening

Back in Cairns, there are a number of nice restaurants for dinner along the main esplanade. If you continue walking around the marina, there are even more dining options in a slightly quieter waterfront setting.

Morning

Tropical North Queensland is where two World Heritage sites meet – the reef and the rainforest. Today, travel by rental car or join a guided tour up the coast to the lush Daintree Rainforest. 

Start with a walk through the green landscapes of Mossman Gorge, with the option for an Indigenous guide to explain the cultural heritage of the site. Then continue to the Daintree River for a cruise along the water to spot birdlife in the trees and crocodiles on the banks.

Afternoon

Further north, Cape Tribulation is one of the most scenic spots along the coast of the Daintree Rainforest, with the dense canopy rolling down to remote beaches. There are restaurants and walking trails but follow any signs warning of crocodiles or cassowaries (large flightless birds).

There are numerous viewpoints along the drive and a popular stop is the Daintree Ice Cream Company for snacks made with local tropical fruits.

Evening

To break up the trip back to Cairns, stop in the town of Port Douglas for dinner, where there's a good selection of casual or elevated restaurants along Macrossan Street.

Morning

The small community of Kuranda in the hinterland of Cairns is known as "the village in the rainforest." As well as its scenic setting amongst the lush tropical landscapes, it is famous for its artistic atmosphere, with murals, street musicians, and markets selling crafts. You can drive from Cairns in about 40 minutes, but the journey on the two-hour Kuranda Scenic Railway is an attraction in itself.

Afternoon

Spend your final afternoon relaxing. The Cairns Esplanade Lagoon is a large saltwater pool with free entry that is a great option for a swim. A few of the city's resorts offer a day pass to use the pool and other amenities. 

Evening

Cairns Airport is only ten minute's drive from the city center. It has domestic connections to other Australian airports and some international flights across Asia and the Pacific.

Your stay in Australia will be even more enjoyable if you know what to expect. Here are a few tips for your visiting Australia:

• The weather can vary across the country, so you may need to pack quite different clothes if, for example, you're visiting Melbourne and Cairns on the same trip.
• It's possible to rent a car with a full international license but most companies require the driver to be at least 21 years old. Australia drives on the left-hand side of the road and has strict laws about seatbelts, speeding, and drink-driving.
• In many parts of Australia, people start their day early so don't be surprised to see cafes open at 6:00 am. You can embrace the early days and make the most of the daylight.
• Cash is rarely used in Australia, so be prepared to mostly pay by tapping a card, including on public transportation in many cities.
• To stay safe in Australia, swim between the red and yellow flags at beaches, wear sunscreen during the day and obey any signs related to wildlife.

Because Australia is such a large country, it's often better to focus on one area for shorter trips and use longer trips to see multiple destinations.

• For a five-day itinerary in Australia, limit your time to just two destinations with a direct flight, such as Melbourne and Sydney or Sydney and Cairns.
• With seven days in Australia, you'll be able to adapt this suggested ten-day itinerary by skipping Brisbane and cutting a day from Melbourne and Cairns.
• A 14-day Australia itinerary gives you a bit more flexibility to add in extra destinations like Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, or Uluru.

With a ten-day itinerary in Australia, it's possible to see some of the country's natural diversity, from the dramatic cliffs and harbor in the country's southeast to the vast reef and rainforest in the north. Trendy inner-city neighborhoods and regional villages introduce you to the textures of Australian life, while everywhere you go, you'll meet wildlife found only on this incredible continent.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and don't necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our company.