7 days in Australia: itinerary

The 7-day route that works is a line, not a loop: land in Sydney, go west to the Blue Mountains by train, come back through Sydney airport and fly to a second base. Melbourne gives you food, sport and laneways; Cairns gives you the Great Barrier Reef and rainforest, but only in the dry season.

Two bases plus one mountain night is the maximum for a week. Every extra flight or long drive costs half a day, and Australia's distances are the reason most short trips feel rushed.

Day 1: land, clear the airport, take the train or a rideshare to your Sydney base. Stay near Circular Quay or the CBD if you have three nights; walk the harbour at dusk and eat close to the hotel. Jet lag from Europe or the US east coast usually hits on day 2, so keep the first evening short.

Day 2: ferries are the cheapest sightseeing in Sydney. Circular Quay to Manly is a 30-minute ride past the Heads; the Opera House and Royal Botanic Garden are a walk from the same wharf. Day 3: pick one beach, Bondi or Manly, and one inland stop such as the Rocks market if it is a weekend.

Day 4: train to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, drop bags and walk to Echo Point for the Three Sisters, then a cliff-top track. One night is enough for the classic views; two lets you add a longer valley walk. Day 5: train back to Sydney and fly to your second base, roughly 1h 35m to Melbourne or 3h to Cairns (check).

Days 6–7: in Melbourne, use the free tram zone for the CBD, laneways and Queen Victoria Market, and keep one day for a Great Ocean Road tour if you accept a long day in a coach. In Cairns, book the reef on day 6 and the Daintree or Kuranda on day 7, or reverse if weather turns. Leave the last afternoon free for the flight home.

Fly between regions. Sydney to Melbourne is a short hop with frequent departures; Sydney to Cairns is longer and Cairns flights thin out outside the dry season. Fares move a lot: book 4–8 weeks out for the best chance of a low fare, and travel with cabin bags only if you want the cheapest tier (check).

In Sydney, the train from the airport to Central or Circular Quay is quick and avoids traffic; Opal or a contactless card covers trains, buses and ferries. Melbourne's CBD is walkable and has a free tram zone in the centre. In Cairns, most reef and rainforest trips include hotel pickup, so you may not need a car at all.

The Blue Mountains leg is a train, not a drive: about two hours from Sydney Central to Katoomba, with the cliff lookouts a 20–30 minute walk from the station (check). Driving is only worth it if you plan several stops in the mountains.

Sydney: the CBD and Circular Quay put ferries, the Opera House and the airport train within walking distance. Surry Hills and Darlinghurst are cheaper, walkable and full of food. Bondi suits beach-first travellers but adds 30–40 minutes to the centre by bus.

Blue Mountains: Katoomba is the practical base, with the station, lookouts and hostels and guesthouses close together. Leura is quieter and one stop away. One night is enough for the classic viewpoints.

Melbourne: the CBD grid, especially around Flinders Lane and the laneways, keeps trams, markets and sport close. St Kilda is a beach alternative with a tram into town. Cairns: the Esplanade and marina area is where reef boats leave; Port Douglas is an hour north and quieter, better if you want the reef and Daintree without the city.

A 7-day trip with one domestic flight, three bases and a mix of mid-range hotels and a couple of tours lands around A$2,200–3,600 per person (about US$1,450–2,400), excluding international flights. Hostels, self-catering and fewer tours pull it towards the bottom; harbour-view hotels and reef charters push it up.

The big variables are flights and tours, not food. Supermarket lunches and market food keep daily costs down; a reef day or a Great Ocean Road coach day is the single largest line item after accommodation.

Swap the second city for Cairns between June and October if the reef matters more than laneways; outside that window the tropical north is wet and hot, and Melbourne or the Great Ocean Road is the better call.

If you would rather not fly, stay in New South Wales: Sydney, the Blue Mountains and a coastal stop such as the Illawarra or Hunter Valley, all by train or short drive. If you have more time, 10 days lets you add Cairns or Uluru without cutting Sydney short, and 14 days covers the east coast with a driving loop.