Attraction
Kings Park and Botanic Garden
A 400-hectare park of bushland, lawns and a botanic garden of Western Australian plants on the city's western edge, free to enter every day.
There are plenty of things to do in Perth, the sunny capital of Western Australia, which sits on the broad Swan River a short drive from the Indian Ocean. The compact city centre runs down to the waterfront at Elizabeth Quay, Kings Park and Botanic Garden spreads across a hill above it, and the Perth Cultural Centre in Northbridge holds the state museum and art gallery. West of the city lie long ocean beaches such as Cottesloe, while the port city of Fremantle, with its convict-built prison, markets and maritime museum, is half an hour away by train.
The food scene ranges from fish and chips on Fremantle's harbour to fine dining built on native Australian ingredients, with good coffee, small bars and breweries across the inner suburbs. Rottnest Island and its quokkas are a short ferry ride away, and the Swan Valley wine region lies on the city's north-eastern edge. Allow at least three or four days to cover the city, Fremantle and a day on Rottnest Island, and longer if you want to add the Swan Valley or the coast north of Perth.
Attraction
A 400-hectare park of bushland, lawns and a botanic garden of Western Australian plants on the city's western edge, free to enter every day.
Attraction
Western Australia's state museum, reopened in 2020 inside a mix of heritage and new buildings, home to Otto the blue whale skeleton.
Attraction
The state art gallery, founded in 1895, with free entry to collections spanning Western Australian and First Nations art from the 1800s to today.
Attraction
A convict-built prison in Fremantle that held inmates until 1991 and is now a World Heritage site explored on themed guided tours.
Attraction
A mint opened in 1899 to refine Western Australian gold-rush gold, offering self-guided tours with a gold pouring demonstration in its historic Melting House.
Attraction
A car-free island 18 kilometres off Fremantle, reached by ferry, known for its quokkas, sheltered bays, cycling and snorkelling.
Café
A family-run Italian cafe on Fremantle's Cappuccino Strip, opened in 1983 by a former local tailor and still serving coffee and home-style Italian food.
Café
The original Mary Street Bakery, opened in 2013 on Beaufort Street in Highgate, known for its doughnuts, house-baked breads and all-day breakfast menu.
Café
A family-run artisan bakery on Lake Street that stone-mills Western Australian wheat and rye each day for its sourdough, pastries and buns.
Café
An all-day Italian canteen opposite Cottesloe Beach in a former 1930s cabaret hall, serving coffee and pastries from 7am through to pasta and wine at night.
Café
Western Australia's oldest chocolate company, on the Swan Valley trail, pairing a chocolate showroom and free tastings with a family cafe and garden.
Café
A small Highgate bakery opposite Hyde Park, run by self-taught bakers Seren and Ryan Chu since 2015, known for French-style pastries, tarts and queues.
Hotel
A 48-room five-star hotel inside Perth's restored 19th-century State Buildings, with a spa, indoor pool and the rooftop restaurant Wildflower.
Hotel
Perth's largest hotel, a 500-room luxury tower on the Burswood riverside within the Crown entertainment complex, with pools, a spa and fine dining.
Hotel
A 184-room design hotel on Murray Street in the city centre, with an industrial-luxe style, the Santini Grill and a popular rooftop bar.
Hotel
A 74-room boutique hotel on James Street in Northbridge with architect-designed communal spaces, a rooftop terrace and the Shadow Bar and Kitchen downstairs.
Hotel
A compact boutique hotel in central Fremantle built with sea container construction, steps from the Market Street cafe strip and the markets.
Hotel
An 80-room beachfront hotel on Thomson Bay, a short walk from Rottnest Island's main jetty, with a lagoon-style pool, cabanas and a South East Asian restaurant.
Bar
The harbourside home of Little Creatures beer in Fremantle, with a big beer hall, brewery tours and decks overlooking the Fishing Boat Harbour.
Bar
A restored 1920 temperance hall on William Street in Northbridge, now four floors of bars, food, a rooftop and one of Perth's live performance spaces.
Bar
A restored 1900s pub on Fremantle's South Terrace, opposite the markets, that became Australia's first boutique pub brewery in the 1980s.
Bar
A huge riverside pub at the foot of Optus Stadium in Burswood, with six bars, a courtyard with a big screen and views back to the…
Bar
Perth's best-known jazz club, open seven nights a week on Beaufort Street since 2009, with live jazz, blues and soul, cocktails and pizza.
Bar
A heritage-listed Art Deco pub on Marine Parade facing Cottesloe Beach, known for its open-air Beach Club and long afternoons by the Indian Ocean.
Restaurant
A fine dining restaurant on top of COMO The Treasury whose contemporary menu follows the six seasons of the Noongar calendar, with views over the city…
Restaurant
A family-run fish and chips institution on Fremantle's Fishing Boat Harbour, serving fried and grilled seafood daily alongside large free aquariums.
Restaurant
A communal-style restaurant in a restored 1898 Fremantle warehouse, built around house-baked bread and seasonal shared plates with a broad wine list.
Restaurant
A Northern Italian restaurant in Subiaco built around handmade pasta, with a shared signature banquet and a neighbouring cantina for walk-in drinks.
Restaurant
A dimly lit 25-seat Northbridge restaurant behind the Astral Weeks listening bar, serving a short Japanese-inspired menu with natural wine and sake.
Restaurant
A grand beachfront brasserie on Cottesloe's Marine Parade, opened in 2024, known for seafood, a deep wine cellar and sunset views over the Indian Ocean.
Thing to do
A heritage market hall in central Fremantle, open Friday to Sunday, with around 150 stalls of crafts, fashion, street food and fresh produce.
Thing to do
A riverside precinct in the centre of Perth with public art, a footbridge, a water park, restaurants and ferries across the Swan River to South Perth.
Thing to do
A 90-minute guided walk around the roof of Optus Stadium, Perth's 61,000-capacity sports venue in Burswood, climbing 42 metres above the ground.
Thing to do
Western Australia's oldest wine region, about 30 minutes from Perth, where a 32-kilometre loop drive links wineries, breweries, distilleries and food producers.
Thing to do
A large aquarium at Hillarys Boat Harbour that recreates Western Australia's coastline, with a long underwater tunnel and guided snorkelling with sharks.
Tour operator
A long-established Swan River cruise operator linking Perth city, Fremantle and the Swan Valley wine region, with dining and wine-tasting cruises.
Tour operator
A Perth-based, Aboriginal-owned company led by Walter and Meg McGuire, offering cultural walking tours, smoking ceremonies and Welcome to Country experiences.
Tour operator
A long-running Rottnest Island ferry operator sailing from Fremantle and central Perth, with packages that add bus tours, boat trips and bike hire on the island.
Tour operator
Perth's first walking tour company, running escorted tours of Fremantle's convict history, street art, crime stories and food scene.
Tour operator
Guided Segway tours from Perth's riverfront, covering the Swan River bridges, East Perth and Optus Stadium, or Elizabeth Quay, the Blue Boatshed and Kings Park.
Three to four days covers the city centre, Kings Park, Fremantle and a day trip to Rottnest Island; add a day or two for the Swan Valley or the beaches.
The city centre is the most convenient base for transport, Elizabeth Quay and the Cultural Centre, while Fremantle suits those who want a walkable port town and Rottnest ferries on the doorstep.
Transperth trains on the Airport line run from the airport to the city, and taxis, rideshare and hotel shuttles are also available.
It is one of Australia's pricier cities for accommodation and dining, but many highlights, including Kings Park, the beaches and the Art Gallery of Western Australia, are free.
Perth is generally safe for visitors; take normal city precautions at night, and at the beach swim between the flags and protect yourself from strong sun.