Living in Perth means you get a lot of visitors. Venturing from far and wide, they come for the beautiful coastline, stunning weather and local produce. Having had a lot of visitors since I moved here three years ago, I have come up with my Perth Travel Guide.

In this post I will share with you the places I always take my visitors. Whether you’re a local and need some recommendations on where to take guests, or if you live elsewhere and plan to take a trip here, I hope these tips will come in handy.

The best way to see Perth is by car. The city is spread out, making cars the easiest mode of transport. The beautiful stretches of road; Mounts Bay Road, West Coast Highway and Mill Point Road in South Perth, are a few of the places I take my guests, impressing them from the get-go with the wow-views.

While my friends were in town I was lucky enough to be given the brand new Volvo V40 from Barbagallo Volvo. As part of #VolvoBloggerDrive, it was the perfect way to show my guests around in style and luxury. Comfortable and surprisingly spacious inside, my passengers fought over the front seat warmer on the chilly mornings. Not long after though, the sun would warm our faces as we cruised the coast with the windows down. The Bluetooth connection and excellent sound system meant we could pump the tunes as we drove from beach to bar.

I was surprised how fuel-efficient the V40 was, only needing to fill up after a week and a half of driving everyday. This sporty guy was super zippy and an absolute joy to drive, which is exactly what you need when playing tour guide.

So here it is: my Perth Travel Guide.

Scenic Drives:

Drive the stretch of Mounts Bay Road from the city to University of Western Australia. It’s one of the prettiest views in Perth.

Follow the ocean as you drive up (or down) the West Coast Highway.

Mill Point Road in South Perth is stunning during the day and breathtaking by night. Stop for a stroll somewhere along here or do the 10.5 kilometre Bridges Walk.

Take a tour around the big properties in Peppermint Grove. Pass the yacht clubs and drive up to Mosman Bay Point for a spectacular view (as seen in my photographs above).

Where to Eat:

Eat freshly shucked oysters at Print Hall bar (the best ever!) / Enjoy fine dining at Print Hall Dining Room / Eat your fill at The Apple Daily Bar and Eating House / Have a tipple at Bob's Bar - Print Hall has something for everyone.

Take a big group of friends to Bread in Common in Fremantle. Designed to be shared, order one of everything. The interior of this place alone is worth seeing.

Go for a wine or sherry upstairs at the Flour Factory in the city. The pizzas and charcuterie are amazing too!

If you are craving Italian, drop in at Il Lido in Cottesloe. Everything on the menu is good. I would recommend lunch or dinner over brunch.

Great bagels and coffee at La Veen on King Street.

Where to Drink:

Grab a seat on the balcony at Whisper Wine Bar, Fremantle. Order a cheese platter, sip wine and watch the world go by.

Enjoy great ambience at Little Creatures Brewery. Food is pretty decent as well.

Have a cocktail or two at Sneaky Tony’s (if you can find it…)

Cottesloe Beach Club is the seaside watering hole. Go on a Sunday and see the trendy Perth locals out in numbers. The Butterfield beef burger is to-die-for.

What to Do:

Reserve a seat or table at the Jazz Cellar and be prepared to have a night of music, dancing and laughter. BYO food and drink. Friday nights only.

If it’s Summer spend all day at the beach, with the right sun protection of course. If it is Winter, go for a nice long walk along the beach, stop for coffee and enjoy the view.

Go to Kings Park, one of the largest inner city parks in the world (it is even bigger than Central Park in New York City). Have a picnic, take a nice long walk and enjoy the views of Perth city.

Where to Shop:

Claremont Quarter and the surrounding streets have a great selection of stores, chain and local.

If you’re looking for Tiffany’s, Chanel, Miu Miu then head to King Street in Perth city.

For local retailers go to Many 6160 in Fremantle.

Shop for souvenirs, organics donuts or fresh fruit at the Fremantle Markets.

Where to Stay:

Located in Northbridge, the Alex Hotel is the new kid on the block and a very cool place to stay.

For a romantic place in the heart of Fremantle, Port Mill Bed and Breakfast is a definite winner. Plus they have their own private entrance into Whisper Wine Bar, what more could you want!

While this list is not comprehensive, these are some of my favourite things to do.

Also thank you to Barbagallo Volvo for making my two weeks with the V40 a very stylish one!

Lei xx