Blue Mountains day trip

Magestic wilderness retreat and hiker's paradise
Noteworthy for: If you have time, drive an hour west of Katoomba to explore the exquisite limestone formations within the 340-million-year-old Jenolan Caves.

Word to the wise: Near Katoomba, Leura is a cute little village with a smattering of cafes, homewares boutiques and some very decent restaurants.
Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the Blue Mountains National Park has provided stressed city folk with the perfect weekend escape for decades. Make for the picturesque country town of Katoomba to enjoy stunning views of the iconic Three Sisters from Echo Point (the eerie blue haze hovering above the trees is eucalypt mist) before whiling away an afternoon in one of the town's cosy Art Deco cafes or antique stores.

Ranging from exposed, windswept plateaus and ridges to cool, damp canyons and gorges, weather changes throughout this vast natural landscape can be dramatic and swift. If you've come here to tackle the 250kms of magnificent hiking trails, take precautions recommended by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: each year, around 130 bushwalkers get lost and require rescuing in Australia.

The best way to visit the Blue Mountains is by car, though tours can also be organised from Sydney.