Who knew Canberra was so cool? This compact, country-style capital punches way above its weight dishing up delicious food, funky bars, cultural highlights, great hikes, bike rides and even boutique wineries in the nearby Murrumbateman area.

There’s so much to explore we thought we’d put our top three things to tick in three categories of 1. Restaurants and bars 2. Hiking and biking and 3. Arts and culture.

Top three Canberra restaurants and bars

Is it the politicians, the capital badge or the creative young things that study in Canberra that prompts so many funky bars and restaurants to keep popping up? Canberra certainly attracts some pretty talented chefs, baristas and bartenders.

Our favourite 3 places for a cocktail or vino are:

Rochford Bar – we love the central set up that lets you watch the super talented bartenders shake up some magic cocktails. Food is great here too.

Bootleg – the fit-out is fun (love the peanut dispenser) the ambience is awesome and the tapas and cocktail menu add a nice finishing touch.

Blackbird – centrally located in Civic, this speakeasy is hidden underground via some backstairs. The music is as cool as the vibe and you could be forgiven for thinking you are back in the prohibition era.

Our top three places for some tasty nosh at dinnertime are:
Inka – this Japanese/Peruvian fusion restaurant is packed with colour, flavour and style. (See pic top left)

Rebel Rebel – Sean McConnell (from Monster fame) started this cool restaurant. The wine list is deliciously curated, the menu seasonal and the tunes a rockin’.

Lazy Su – Korean Japanese fusion, this place has pop music, poppy cocktails and a fresh vibe.

Our top three choices for coffee and brunch are:

Teddy Pickers – great brunch on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin

Intra – located in Campbell, this cafe has a modern minimalist fit-out, all concrete and black. For its small size it packs a punch with curated delicious food and coffee

Gang Gang – adjacent to the dog park, this place is a fav social gathering spot for friends (fluffy and not). Good outside area and great local Prism Coffee

Top three walking and cycling trails around Canberra

Our favourite three walks:

Canberra is covered in nature reserves, surrounded by hills and splattered with walkways so it is super pedestrian and cycle friendly. Buses even have bike carriers You can enjoy a sunset walk up Mt Ainslie, around the Arboretum or even along the shores of Lake Burley-Griffin. Or you can venture a little further afield for some longer hikes – a couple of fav hikes are:

1. The 5km Bridge to Bridge circuit around part of Lake Burley-Griffin. There’s some great stop offs along the way including he National Gallery and the Australians of the Year walk which has plaques displaying each years winner laid out in musical note position to the score of Advance Australia Fair .

2.Tidbinbilla National Park: Gilbratrar Peak (12km) – This hike is about 45 mins south of Canberra and if you’re not up for the full 12km you can opt for the short stroll down to Gibraltar Falls from the carpark and cool off in the rock pools

3. Mt Majura summit (5km) – Located 15 mins north of Civic in Watson, this 3.8 km long walking trail takes you through woodlands and open forest with tip top views from the Mount Majura ridge.

3 best cultural places to visit in Canberra

Canberra is oozing with culture, being the capital and all. They get their fare share of live music (Groove in the Moo, Summer Salt etc.) and live theatre (Must see Come from Away!) plus have the nation’s best galleries, museums and cultural centres.

Our three favs cultural places to visit are:

1. Old Parliament House (Museum of Australian Democracy) which has a spectacular exhibition during Canberra’s Luminocity Festival

2. The National Museum which has a hefty section on Indigenous culture and great all round exhibitions.

3. the National Art Gallery which always features Australian exhibitions – we saw the recent Know my Name: Australian female artists 1900 to Now.

In summary if we were to pick just three things to tick on a trip to Canberra they would be 1. Inka restaurant for incredible cuisine, 2 Ride or walk around Lake Burley Griffin and 3. A visit to the National Gallery of Australia.