Australia’s cities offer hidden treats galore. So next time you’re heading interstate, make like a local. Our insider tips show you how.

Where to eat

Lunch: A gourmand's favourite, Balthazar has one of the best wine lists in the city. Be sure to leave room for dessert. 6 The Esplanade, Perth.

Dinner: Bouchard (42 Mount St, West Perth, enter via Cliff St) offers fine dining at its best. After dinner, walk up steep Mount St and into Kings Park to watch the city shimmer.

Guaranteed great coffee

Fifteen minutes' walk from the nightclub zone of Northbridge you will find the trendy Milkd (32 Angove St, North Perth), a cafe that serves beans that have a shelf life of no more than 12 hours. Or head to Rochelle Adonis Cakes+Confections for plunger coffee and mouthwatering sweet treats (193 Brisbane St, Northbridge).

Best spot for pre-dinner drinks

Hidden in a laneway off 101 St Georges Tce in the city, Helvetica Bar is a designer bar with a whisky-loving clientele. If cocktails are more your thing, walk a few blocks to 1907 Restaurant & Bar at 26 Queen St.

Where to stay

Special occasion: The Richardson Hotel & Spa, 32 Richardson St, West Perth. The five-star hotel's 170 sq m Kings Park penthouse suite offers views over Kings Park for $2500 per night, while smaller penthouses start at $850 per night.

Affordable: City Stay Apartment Hotel, 875 Wellington St, West Perth. Basic but central, its one-bedroom apartments are available for $145 per night. Also in West Perth, try The Outram for Paris-style chic with rooms from $295 a night.

Must-visit gardens

Opened in 1845 as a botanical garden and the oldest green oasis in Perth, Stirling Gardens is tucked away behind the main business strip, at the corner of Barracks St and St Georges Tce.

For a more modern garden, head to Victoria Gardens in the stylish Claisebrook Village development. Open since 1996, it features Aboriginal art and a gazebo with views across the river.

Spend Sunday like a local

Having sampled the delights of the city, it's time to see the sea. Jump on a train at Perth Station and travel 25 minutes to Fremantle. Stroll down Market St, aka The Cappuccino Strip, and enjoy a coffee or bite to eat. Fremantle Markets, with everything from fresh produce to fashion, is open Friday to Sunday, while history buffs will enjoy the Western Australian Museum - Maritime and sea views from the Roundhouse. On the way back to Perth, alight at Cottesloe and wander down to the beach. Sit on the grassy slope to people-watch, stroll along the promenade or just chilll out in one of the cafes peppered along the seafront. Watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean before enjoying Italian cuisine with a twist at Il Lido Italian Canteen on Marine Pde.

For gorgeous homewares

Beaufort St, Mount Lawley: Ware (Shop 3, Astor Arcade) and Empire Homewares (no. 525) have many and varied treasures, while Store (Alexander Building, cnr Walcott St), stocks beaut kitchenware.

Napoleon St, Cottesloe: Address (no. 26) for furniture, Barker & Hale (Shop 24A) for gourmet treats, and Esola Home (no. 28) and Savannah Gifts & Homewares (no. 36) for accessories.

For more information on what to do in and around Perth, go to www.perthtouristcentre.com.au.