Live like a local: travel tips for Sydney from the Irish abroad

Saturday morning Start the day with a coffee and banana bread at the Bourke Street Bakery, 633 Bourke Street, or the Organic Bread Bar in Darlinghurst, 356 South Dowling Street. Saturday afternoon Try one of Sydney's secret harbour beaches, bays and walks. Watsons Bay is my pick of the bunch. At the south head of the harbour is an almost ludicrous array of natural beauty. Take the ferry from Circular Quay ($28/€19) and you'll get to see some of Sydney's most iconic sights. Saturday evening Darlinghurst and Surry Hills are Sydney's equivalent to Camden Street, Dublin. The pizza at Vacanza, 414 Bourke Street, is great. 4Fourteen, 72a Fitzroy Street, is owned by Dubliner and celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge. There is a bunch of great pubs – Dove & Olive, the Local Taphouse and the Beresford. Mr Crackles is the winner for late-night greasy treats.

Sunday morning Start at Hyde Park Barracks ($10/€6.50) . There is a great museum about the first settlers. The cafe does a great fry-up. It's a 10-minute walk to the Opera House, the QVB for shopping or the Botanic Gardens. John Blood is from Dublin has spent six years in Sydney and works for Google. He is married to Gemma from Sligo and they have a 10-month-old daughter.

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