While annual events such as Enlighten and Floriade are popular drawcards, the city is also on the map as a top spot for a weekend away. MiNDFOOD takes a look at a few of the things to do in Canberra over the weekend.
Top things to do in Canberra
Here’s how to spend 48 hours in Canberra:
1 pm There are a lot of boxes to check on a visit to Canberra. Start with lunch at one of the city’s many excellent restaurants. Newcomer Lunetta is of Canberra’s most sophisticated eateries. Perched on Red Hill, here you can expect fine-dining fare paired with views across Lake Burley Griffin and beyond. lunetta.au
3 pm Make your way to the National Gallery of Australia, where you can admire works by the most renowned artists from Australia and around the world. First-time visitors should also check the National Portrait Gallery, Parliament House and the Museum of Australian Democracy off their must-do list. nga.gov.au
5 pm The legacy of American architect Walter Burley Griffin is everywhere thanks to his innovative urban planning, use of reinforced concrete, wide tree-lined avenues that radiate from the city’s symbolic centre and cycleways that necklace around the lake. Take a walk around the NGA to admire the many varied sculptures dotted around the gardens.
6 pm Amble down to Margot for a wine – mulled if it’s cold enough – on the edge of the lake and watch the sun set over Lake Burley Griffin as rowers glide past and city lights begin to twinkle. margot.bar
7 pm Head back to your accommodation, East Hotel, where you can freshen up before popping downstairs for a meal at newly opened Azuma Den. Here Korean and Japanese cuisine collide in the most satisfying way. Menu highlights include house-made pork and ginger dumplings, ssam pork belly wraps and sweet potato noodles. Gather a group if you can, so that you can sample more moreish dishes. azumaden.com.au
10 pm It’s the butt end of the evening. You can either pop across the road to the Kingston Hotel for a cosy tipple, or bunker down in your luxurious suite, upstairs at the East Hotel. easthotel.com.au
Saturday morning
8 am Start your morning right by walking over to the Manuka shops and treat yourself to seasonal dishes and a perfectly brewed flat white at Urban Pantry. urbanpantrymanuka.com.au
10 am Canberra, blessed as it so often is with blue skies, is also boastful about its proximity to nature. Fired up on espresso, you can bike or hike to the top of Mt Ainslie, take a kayak tour around Lake Burley Griffin, or join the flora explorers at the National Arboretum and National Botanic Gardens on the lower slopes of Black Mountain. anbg.gov.au/gardens
Noon Braddon is another key ‘burb that has helped change Canberra’s fortunes. Walk about the boutiques before settling in for a modern Australian meal at Corella, where inventive dishes hero native ingredients. corellabar.com.au
3pm Carry on the Braddon fun into the afternoon, with a drink at one of the popular watering holes like Assembly, or The Peacemaker Saloon.
6 pm Enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at Volstead Repeal, before walking down to Bar Rochford in the heart of Civic, one of Canberra’s most atmospheric spots for a lingering evening. barrochford.com
Sunday morning
7 am Having an esky in the car is a good policy on the drive down to Canberra. Just down from the East Hotel, in Kingston, is where you will find the Old Bus Depot Markets. Rise early and head straight to the food stalls, which sprawl throughout the industrial building. obdm.com.au
11 am The immense collection of books in the National Library of Australia is as impressive as the building itself. The tiered layout gives visitors the feeling they are on a journey. Don’t miss the Nan Kivell Room, which is panelled with red cedar, and the room dedicated to Asian Collections, clad in grass paper. The library is open on weekends. nla.gov.au
Noon The Old Canberra Inn is one of the earliest licensed pubs in the Canberra region, with the 1857 building predating the city itself. Head to the inn for pub classics with a twist before hitting the highway. oldcanberrainn.com.au
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