Perth

Perth faces the Indian Ocean along a nearly unbroken line of pale sand, and the metropolitan beaches are a short bus or train ride from the centre. Cottesloe, with its Norfolk pines and grassy terraces, is the classic swim; City Beach, Scarborough and Trigg stretch north, and the Swan River has its own calm, shallow bathing spots. The water is very clear, and from December to April it reaches about 21-23°C. Surf clubs patrol the main beaches, and an early swim before work is part of local life.

On summer afternoons the strong sea breeze, known locally as the Fremantle Doctor, stirs up the water, so mornings are the time to swim. Rottnest Island, a ferry ride offshore, has sheltered turquoise bays for snorkelling. Winter water drops to about 18°C and few people swim.

Eating well in Perth comes down to local produce: rock lobster, Shark Bay prawns, dhufish and marron from the state's rivers, and wine from the regions south and east of the city. Northbridge has the densest spread of cheap Asian food, from Vietnamese and Malaysian to Chinese and Korean, and Fremantle has fish and chips on the harbour and a long-standing craft brewing culture. The Swan Valley, half an hour out, mixes cellar doors with chocolate, cheese and ice-cream makers.

The modern restaurant scene is good but small, and it is spread across the inner suburbs instead of collected in one dining district. Prices are high and kitchens often close early, so plan dinner before late evening.

Perth is a young city, and much of its centre is glass towers. Its sights sit in a small cultural precinct beside Northbridge, where the WA Museum Boola Bardip covers the state's natural history and Aboriginal culture, and the Art Gallery of Western Australia holds a strong collection of Indigenous art. Around them are a few colonial buildings: the Town Hall built by convicts, the Old Court House and the Perth Mint, which still sells gold.

The best heritage is in Fremantle, a train ride away. Its limestone port town from the nineteenth century is largely intact, and the UNESCO-listed Fremantle Prison, the Roundhouse and the Shipwreck Galleries give a real sense of colonial history. Two or three days cover it all.

Going out in Perth is concentrated in a few places. Northbridge, just north of the railway line, has the clubs, late bars and late-night food. The small bars and rooftops in the laneways of the CBD fill up after work, and on Fridays especially. Fremantle's South Terrace and harbour have pubs, breweries and a more relaxed crowd, while Leederville and Mount Lawley have neighbourhood bars along their main streets.

It is a pleasant scene in summer, with beer gardens and outdoor drinking in long evenings, but it is not a late city. Outside Northbridge most places are quiet by midnight, and drinks are expensive.

Kings Park is the city's great green space, a large expanse of native bushland and botanic garden on a ridge above the Swan River, with walkways through the treetops and wildflowers in spring. The river itself is wide and calm, good for kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and long cycle paths along both banks. On the coast, kitesurfers and windsurfers come for the reliable afternoon sea breeze.

Rottnest Island is car-free and best explored by bike, with quokkas, salt lakes and limestone headlands. Dolphins can be seen in the river and off Rockingham, and humpback whales pass the coast in spring. Inland, the Perth Hills have the start of the long-distance Bibbulmun Track, jarrah forest and waterfalls in winter. There are no mountains, and summer heat makes midday hikes hard work.

Fremantle is the obvious outing, though it is really part of the metropolitan area. Beyond it, Rottnest Island is a ferry ride away, with a small settlement and old colonial buildings as well as its bays. The Swan Valley, Western Australia's oldest wine region, is a short drive up the river, and Mandurah, a canal town on an estuary, is about an hour south by train.

Inland, York is a well-preserved nineteenth-century wheatbelt town about an hour and a half away, and New Norcia, a Spanish Benedictine monastery town in the bush, is about two hours north. The state's best-known wine and coast region, Margaret River, is about three hours away and works better as an overnight trip. The distances are wide and much of the land between towns is empty.

Perth works well with children. Perth Zoo is a short ferry ride across the river in South Perth, the Aquarium of Western Australia sits on the northern beaches, and Scitech is a hands-on science centre. A water and theme park lies in the southern suburbs. The large playgrounds in Kings Park and along the foreshore are free, and so are the barbecues in most parks.

The patrolled beaches suit families, and the sheltered river beaches and the calm water of Rottnest's bays are easier still for small children. A day cycling on the island to look for quokkas is a favourite with all ages. The city is safe and relaxed, and families are welcome everywhere. The main drawbacks are the strong summer sun and the distances between attractions, which often make a car the easiest choice.

The centre is compact, flat and easy to walk, and free buses loop around the CBD. Suburban trains run to Fremantle, the northern suburbs and Mandurah, and a ferry crosses the river to South Perth. One smartcard covers trains, buses and ferries. For the centre, Fremantle and Cottesloe, a visitor can manage without a car.

Perth is a very spread-out, low-density city, though. Several beaches need a bus from a station, services are infrequent in the evenings and at weekends, and the Swan Valley, the Perth Hills and most areas beyond the city are much easier to reach by car. Cycling along the river and the coast is a pleasant alternative.

Shopping in the centre runs along the pedestrian Hay Street and Murray Street malls, with department stores and chains, and through the old arcades between them. King Street has a short stretch of luxury labels, and Claremont, an upmarket western suburb, has polished boutiques. Fremantle Markets, in a Victorian market hall, are the most characterful stop, with crafts and food stalls.

The best things to take home are Western Australian: South Sea pearls, Argyle-region jewellery and Aboriginal art from the galleries. Beyond these, the range is limited, much of the retail is in suburban malls, and nobody comes to Perth to shop.

Perth is an expensive place to visit. Hotel rooms in the centre and on the coast are expensive, restaurant meals and drinks in bars cost well above European norms, and trips such as the Rottnest ferry and wine tours add up. Alcohol bought in shops is also heavily taxed.

Some things are free: the CBD buses, Kings Park, the beaches, and the WA Museum and Art Gallery. Public barbecues and food courts with Asian cooking in Northbridge help to keep food costs down.

Perth has a full set of state companies. The West Australian Opera and the West Australian Ballet perform at His Majesty's Theatre, an Edwardian playhouse in the centre. The West Australian Symphony Orchestra gives a full season of classical concerts through the year. The State Theatre Centre in Northbridge stages drama, and touring musicals and big-name concerts come through often.

The city is at its liveliest in late summer. The long-running Perth Festival brings international theatre, music and outdoor cinema, and a large fringe festival fills the parks with tents and temporary stages. Fremantle and Northbridge have pubs with live bands, and there is a steady local rock and indie scene. Outside festival season the programme is solid but modest, and few visitors plan a trip around it.

Perth has no bathing or spa tradition of its own. Wellness means hotel spas, day spas and massage studios in the city and the western suburbs, plus yoga studios and a few retreats in the Perth Hills and the Swan Valley.

The city itself is slow and uncrowded. Mornings start early, evenings end quietly, and long walks along the river and in Kings Park come easily. It is a restful place to stay, even though it has little to offer someone looking for a dedicated spa vacation.