The last time I visited Canberra was back in 2009 and let’s just say a lot has changed since then.
When I told my friends I was heading to the Australian capital for the first time in 14 years their immediate response was, “Why? It’s so boring there – there’s nothing to do.”
And yes, back when I last visited I don’t remember there being much of a scene at all – but how that’s all changed.
A few weeks ago I went on a road trip with my sister for a little weekend away. We just wanted to escape the madness of Sydney and were told Canberra has really upped its game.
Considering it’s just a three-hour drive, we decided to give it a go – and I was pleasantly surprised by how much the night-life and food scene has evolved.
And not just that – 72 hours in the city can be packed with world-class exhibitions, artworks and even, wait for it, a morning hot air balloon flight over Parliament House. We didn’t do the latter because we didn’t have time, but I hear it’s pretty spectacular and perfect for tourists.
The city has really changed and more Aussies are keen to explore it with the ACT recording 3.03 million domestic overnight visitors in 2022, according to Visit Canberra.
In total for 2022, the ACT welcomed 5.33 million domestic and international visitors, up 71 per cent on the previous year.
Total visitor numbers have recovered to 87 per cent of pre-Covid levels, and expenditure has also surpassed pre-Covid levels at 107 per cent (compared to year ending December 2019).
And out of all the states keen to head to Canberra, it’s NSW, mainly Sydney-siders, accounting for 37 per cent of overnight visitors.
It might not be that surprising, given Canberra’s proximity to Sydney, but what may surprise is the biggest increase in visitors coming from Queensland.
This is largely down to Jetstar launching routes between Canberra and Brisbane in December 2021 and the Gold Coast in September 2022.
Meanwhile, Fiji Airways has also just announced the launch of a new direct flight route between Canberra and Nadi, Fiji, commencing July 2023.
The ACT is now on track to exceed its target of $3.1 billion in visitor expenditure by year ending 2025.
So, what’s the sudden appeal?
Jonathan Kobus, executive branch manager for VisitCanberra told me the city has seen great investment by locals in “new and exciting” product offerings that’s helped boost its profile.
“The range of precincts that have come to life in the last decade – like New Acton, Dairy Road in Fyshwick, Kingston Foreshore, Lonsdale Street in Braddon – are largely driven by creative investment of young people, who have changed the vibe of the city,” he said.
He explained Canberra stands out as a destination because of all the attractions that are within close proximity to each other – and yes, there’s more to it than Parliament House.
“There is a huge array of activities for family travellers, from Questacon to exploring the National Arboretum to getting out on the lake on a GoBoat, plus world-class cultural attractions,” he said.
How good is the food? (Answer: Really good)
I didn’t know this but Canberra actually has the highest number of hatted restaurants per capita of any city in Australia.
“The food offering here is constantly changing and evolving while still maintaining restaurants like two-hatted The Boat House, which originally opened in Canberra in the early 1990s,” Mr Kobus said.
I was lucky enough to stay at the East Hotel owned by brother and sister duo Dan and Dion Bisa, which is a 140-room boutique property in the heart of Canberra.
It is home to three of the most popular establishments – Agostinis, Muse and Joe’s Bar.
As Dion puts it, it’s not your average beige hotel.
“It has vibrancy and personality and people love that they can go to breakfast in Muse and pick up a book from their bookstore, go to dinner at Agostinis and end their night with a negroni at Joe’s Bar … they don’t have to leave.”
And she’s right. After our three-our journey from Sydney, we couldn’t wait to tuck into some quality Italian food, and boy was it quality.
I went straight in for the ricotta gnocchi with cavolo nero, Italian pork and fennel sausage, vino rosato and parsley.
You could definitely taste the fact it’s made fresh daily. It was also refreshing to see their pizzas made in a pizza oven – a Marinara Forni to be precise.
Why? Because you can always tell the difference. I tucked into their Melanzana — grilled eggplant, chilli, stracciatella cheese and basil. Highly recommended.
The place was absolutely buzzing with people of all ages. It had a really nice vibe to it and above all, reignited my desire to head back to Italy.
We also checked out Joe’s Bar. I heard from several people they make great cocktails, and considering it was a mere 2m walk from Agostinis, we couldn’t say no.
As it says on their website, “a curious and nocturnal meeting place to enjoy a curated wine list, classic cocktails and contemporary Italian fare”.
The waiter insisted I try their “famous” French muscat margarita. It was definitely tasty and I soon understood why the place was buzzing. When I asked him if the bar was always packed like this, he gave me an honest answer.
He said that while it is, Canberra didn’t always have a buzzing bar scene.
He said over the past few years it has gone from being “pretty boring” to “upping its game”, noting all the funky cafes and restaurants along Lonsdale St in Braddon.
The strip has a variety of food choices and it’s almost like they’ve hired the same architect for their fit-outs with the decor of each giving off a funky, modern vibe.
Night life
The city has a pretty decent array of clubs and bars, from Hippo Co which has a collection of more than 200 choices of Whiskey, to The Basement Canberra, for those looking to dance.
It caters to various types of music and hosts various local and international performances.
Shorty’s is a pub known for serving great food and drinks, such as burgers, cocktails and milkshakes, while Mooseheads Pub is known for pumping some solid R&B tunes.
Breakfast
Given we were at East Hotel, we decided to stay in-house to try brekky at Muse. Again, we had heard great things but it wasn’t until we rocked up to our table and tried the food that I really understood what people were going on about.
The place was absolutely heaving.
“Oh we are only a small group, isn’t there any room?” I overheard one person asking a staffer.
“No, sorry we are booked out for the morning.”
Hot tip – make sure you book.
The menu is European and Middle Eastern-inspired with my favourite being the Cilbir (chil-ber) – poached eggs with chilli butter, herb yoghurt, roast capsicum, sesame seeds and toasted Turkish bread.
Also, give the smashed avocado toast a go – it’s not your average smashed avo.
This one tastes like no other, with its ricotta, chilli jam, pepitas, puffed rice and spice mix.
The best thing is you can also just dine alone and grab a book from their bookstore to read while you eat.
Lunch
Canberra has indeed become a foodie paradise with so many cafes and restaurants to choose from in areas like Braddon and Kingston.
But it’s also got more than 30 wineries within 35 minutes’ drive of the city, so we headed to Lark Hill Winery near Bungendore for something outside of the main hubs for lunch.
Agostinis is also located there, overlooking the stunning vineyards that immediately transport you to the heart of Tuscany. Big call, but it was close enough. The menu is slightly different to that of East Hotel but rest assured it’s just as amazing with authentic Italian dishes.
The owners of Lark Hill, Sue and Dave Carpenter, create some of Canberra Region’s best organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines including riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and gruner veltliner, so there’s plenty to choose from.
Unwind
To top off your getaway, I highly recommend Adytum.
It’s a wellness hub – the only one its kind in Canberra – that focuses on healing and rejuvenation. It’s a perfect way to end your weekend.
I did their Bathhouse for an hour. You have the entire space to yourself.
I alternated between the hot rock sauna, Turkish bath and cold pail shower.
They also have massage options, facials and holistic therapy.
This writer was a guest of East Hotel and Adytum