Darlinghurst is one of Sydney’s hippest, most interesting neighborhoods. What was once a slum has become a fascinating cultural center, home to a thriving café culture and numerous iconic art and nightlife establishments. Visit Darlinghurst to encounter art and history by day and party on boisterous Oxford Street by night.

Take a leisurely stroll down Stanley Street, once Sydney’s “Little Italy,” but now more diverse in its culinary offerings. Look for street art and spot celebrities among the neighborhood’s charming terrace houses. Join in Sydney’s famous passion for coffee, finding some of the city’s best beans in establishments throughout the area.

At the Australian Design Center see interesting collections of furniture, glass and textiles and pick up an original, locally made gift or souvenir. Peruse exhibitions of new work and retrospectives of major photographers at the Australian Centre for Photography, an influential not-for-profit gallery founded in 1973.

Check out group and solo art exhibitions at the National Art School Gallery, located within a former colonial jail. Reflect on Australia’s deep Jewish heritage and the lessons of the Holocaust at the Sydney Jewish Museum.

Darlinghurst has long been a theatrical hub. Watch a show by the Darlinghurst Theatre Company at the Eternity Playhouse. This unique performance space is housed in a heritage-listed building more than a century old. Watch new, Australian-written plays at the intimate SBW Stables Theatre.

Pay tribute to Darlinghurst’s long-standing LGBTQI heritage at the photogenic Rainbow Crossing. This multicolored street crossing was permanently installed after a 6-year-long grassroots campaign. Walk down Oxford Street, home to Sydney’s Mardi Gras pride parade, and think of the heroism of Australian LGBTQI rights campaigners over decades.

Darlinghurst is just east of downtown Sydney. Walk from the Museum or Kings Cross train stations or take a bus down Oxford Street. Some street parking is available, but the area’s beautiful streets are best navigated on foot. Take your time to stroll around this creative neighborhood, which never fails to surprise or delight.