Best inner-city urban oasis: The Royal Botanic Gardens

Escape the Sydney rat race during your lunchbreak and stroll from an urban jungle into a real one – well, as close as it is possible to get within a global city. The Sydney Botanic Gardens are adjacent to Macquarie Street and cover a very large area that runs along the Sydney Harbour foreshore to Mrs Macquaries Chair and beyond. Bizarre pineapple-shaped flowers will delight self-proclaimed photography experts and the lawns are a great place to have a sunny picnic (or covertly watch attractive people soaking up the sun). For a real kick, point out to foreign tourists the canopies above them and watch their reactions when they realise those birds are actually enormous fruit bats. (Simon Anderson) Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney  9231 8111