Brisbane

Make a journey to downtown Brisbane and you'll suddenly realise how beautiful a city can be. Here you will find a unique combination of the old and the new - where sandstone cathedrals blend seamlessly with steel and glass skyscrapers, where modern architectural design is teamed with a healthy respect for tradition. And down at street level a network of grassy parks, drooping palm trees and a river that snakes through the heart of town reflects the sub-tropical environment in which we live. Pristine, colourful, adventurous, inviting and open; these are all accurate descriptions of the heart of the city. And another thing you'll notice about Brisbane – the pace is just right.

If you are looking to experience the best and the newest of Brisbane, The City is the place of endless discovery and delightful surprises. An intimate, communal urban landscape framed by lush parklands, The City is home to over 4,000 businesses, five vibrant shopping precincts, 700 local and international retailers, over 200 thriving restaurants and bars, and plays host to more than 1,000 events per year. The riverside precinct is home to some of Brisbane's finest alfresco restaurants and provides the most enchanting views of the river and the iconic Story Bridge.

There is also the constant spectacle of an array of outdoor festivals, events and attractions created for Brisbane's famous sub-tropical weather. Yet, for a real Brisbane experience, you must see what's on at our buzzing urban villages. From Australia's premier live music precinct, the 'Valley' to the cool and the left-of-centre community of West End, our urban villages each have their own personality, yet they're all filled with unique shopping precincts, cafes, restaurants, galleries and smiling locals enjoying the Brisbane sun.

Shopping

There's simply no better place in Queensland to indulge in retail therapy with over 650 stores trading seven days a week. Start in the Queen Street Mall – almost a kilometre of shoppers' paradise. Then stroll along to the City's chic shopping strips and arcades before heading to boho precinct known as The Valley, where you'll find the edgiest young designs, jewellery and fashions imaginable. South Bank's Little Stanley Street should be next on your shopping list, for a little urban sophistication right by the river. And last but not least, why not dig your way through downtown's weekend outdoor markets, where you never know what you might find. Original, eclectic, or just downright fashionable - if you can't find what you're shopping for in downtown Brisbane, it simply doesn't exist.

Just before sunrise, hundreds of markets set up on Brunswick Street Mall, as Saturday and Sunday mornings become a hunting ground for fashion lovers, retro chasers and vinyl junkies.

Dining Out, Night Life and More…

For those who love to party, Brisbane's superb selection of nightlife venues will keep you more than entertained. Cool, sophisticated bars boasting the very latest in design and decor are sprinkled right throughout downtown Brisbane, as are energetic pubs, pumping nightclubs and intimate live music venues. Or, for something a little more cultural, there are musicals, live theatre, galleries, museums, and even guided walking tours of downtown's historical sites.

Brisbane has a fine reputation for dining out, having developed its own unique cuisine that matches the climate perfectly. Inventive and imaginative, the gastronomic creations starring at some of the finer establishments simply won't be found on any other tables. Reflecting this is the fact that some of Australia's most awarded chefs can be found in the kitchens downtown, having been attracted by the inquisitive attitude of its proprietors and patrons alike. And don't worry if your tastes or budget are a little more modest - there are restaurants catering for every kind of cuisine, budget, view, pace, style and flavour.

Fortitude Valley

Just north of the CBD, Fortitude Valley includes Chinatown and the city’s vibrant clubs district – one of Australia’s best live music precincts; plus market, alternative fashions, and wealth of Asian cuisine, cafes and bars. James Street and the Emporium precinct are part of this vibrant precinct with stylish cafes, bars designer shops and fresh food markets.

It's gritty, raw and cosmopolitan. To walk its streets is to experience an aesthetic that changes from moment to moment. This is Australia's first dedicated entertainment precinct; its grungy pubs, swanky bars and huge super clubs play host to internationals DJ, cool indie rockers and live jazz.

South Bank

The city’s major recreational precinct where tropical lagoons create an inviting beach with the city as a backdrop.

South Bank is also home to the Queensland Cultural Centre including the Queensland Museum with its natural and folk history displays and the Sciencentre; the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), the largest modern art gallery in the southern hemishare; the State Library with its exhibition spaces and the Performing Arts Complex. Still on the South Bank explore the Maritime Museum’s nautical collection. Trace the riverwalks below Kangaroo Point’s dramatic cliffs. The science riverside walk affords views of the Brisbane River and skyline and terminates at one of the city’s iconic structures – Story Bridge.