TRAVEL GUIDE | CABANA TRAVEL | WORLD OF CABANA


Sydney-based Australian interior designer Tamsin Johnson shares her favorite spots in the New South Wales capital, which enjoys an enviable balance of beach and buzz. Vast stretches of coastline, excellent restaurants and a well-established art and design scene make Sydney a great place to live, work and visit. Read on for Tamsin's insider guide.

 

BY TAMSIN JOHNSON | CABANA TRAVEL | 10 APRIL 2026

Sean's, photographed by Enzo Amato.

 

My Favorite Way to Spend a Weekend in Sydney

If the weather’s good, hit the harbour. Grab a boat, swing by the fish markets for fresh seafood, and hop between the coves. Neilson Park and Camp Cove are my favorites—you can swim ashore at Camp Cove for an ice cream from the kiosk. 

If that sounds like too much planning, start your day at North Bondi, walk up to Sean’s Panorama for lunch, then wander to Icebergs for a sunset drink. You’re already there—you may as well stay for dinner. 

My Favorite Restaurant

It depends entirely on the mood, season, appetite, and company—but the restaurant I keep returning to is Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point. It’s the sort of place where you start with a spritz and some fried olives, and everything else that follows is always just right.

My Favorite Place to Stay 

It’s always tricky since Sydney is home, but we once spent an anniversary at the Park Hyatt overlooking the Opera House, and it was magic. The Capella is another favorite—the service is near faultless. For a proper weekend escape, we usually drive an hour north to Palm Beach and rent a place through Contemporary Hotels. The last one we stayed in, Rock Ridge, sat high above the headland with sweeping views. We spent a few days cooking, swimming, and admiring the scenery—it felt like a world away. 

 

Images courtesy Art Gallery NSW and Karla Dickens.

 

My Favorite Coffee Shop

I don’t drink coffee, but Broth Bar in Bronte is my go-to. They make beautiful healing broths, teas, and kombuchas, and always have fresh organic meals and produce. It’s an easy, nourishing stop after a swim.

My Favorite Cozy Pub

We’re very much a “winter pub family,” since much of the year is spent outdoors. The Lord Dudley is our favorite for a Sunday afternoon with the kids, for a glass of wine, a pie or fish and chips, and its lovely old-world comfort.

My Favorite Museum or Gallery

The Art Gallery of New South Wales, always. I love the permanent collection of Australian art, but the new building and its contemporary exhibitions are spectacular, especially the galleries built in the old World War II oil bunker known as “the Tank.” It has such atmosphere.

My Favourite Shop

Well, I’d have to say [my husband's shop] P. Johnson, naturally! (Cheeky, but true.) Beyond that, I love any store with a strong sense of character and craft.

 

Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden, including Wendy Whiteley (top right), watering the garden © Jason Busch Photography

 

My Favorite Antique Store

Probably my own showroom! But otherwise, Greene & Greene in Woollahra has an incredible selection of antique jewellery—beautiful, storied pieces that feel truly special.

My Favorite Garden or Green Space

Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden is Sydney at its most romantic, lush, layered, slightly wild, and full of heart. There’s also nothing quite like walking from the Art Gallery of New South Wales through the Botanic Gardens to the Opera House. Take the long route, it’s pure Sydney. 

My Favorite ‘Hidden Gem’

Gordon’s Bay. It’s pure magic. Bring a snorkel and drift among the rocks—it feels like another world. Favourite Beach I love the Hermitage Walk. You can hop between hidden swimming spots, jumping off rocks along the way, and eventually end up at Camp Cove or Neilson Park. They’re hardly secrets, but there’s a reason they’re beloved.

 

 

Contrast, Space, Harmony

Tamsin's new book, Tamsin Johnson: Contrast, Space, Harmony, showcases her latest interior projects and is available to order now, published by Rizzoli.

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