Watch the buskers, join the shopping crowd or have a leisurely lunch in the always bustling Pitt Street Mall of inner Sydney. This pedestrian mall is home to modern shopping complexes such as the big Westfield mall, but also little historic arcades with rows of charming boutiques and cafés.
Being right in the middle of the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney, the Pitt Street Mall always gets extra busy around lunch time. From Monday to Friday, office workers flock here for coffee with a sandwich, a freshly made smoothie, or a meal from the mall’s foodcourt.
You can find a dazzling range of international and Australian fashion brands, fast-food chain restaurants, and one-of-a-kind boutique stores and restaurants in the Pitt Street Mall. There are souvenir shops here too.
As its name suggest, the Pitt Street Mall is part of Pitt Street. It runs from the corner of Market Street, where the Westfield Sydney complex stands, to King Street.
The mall runs parallel to the pedestrianized section of George Street, so check that out too if you can’t get enough of shopping. After the old George Street shopping strip was revitalized in 2019, it was rebranded as the George Street Boulevard. It is now a serious contender to take over Pitt Street’s title as “Sydney’s premier shopping hub.”
Venture between the two shopping streets to find the The Strand Arcade, a charming heritage-listed Victorian-style retail hub. The Strand is partly protected from the elements by an atrium-style roof and it has shops over two levels.
If you are staying in the Sydney Central Business District (CBD), you can walk to the Pitt Street Mall or hop on the light rail that runs through nearby George Street. You can also take a commuter train to the adjacent underground St. James Railway station, which is heritage-listed. From there it is easy to reach the Sydney Airport international and domestic railway stations.
While in the area, also visit St Mary’s Cathedral, which is just short a stroll through Hyde Park from the main entrance of the St. James Railway station on Elizabeth Street.
