Located on the majestic Murray River, Albury is one of those hidden treasures where a mix of breathtaking scenery, fine food, fun-filled activities and culture make it a perfect romantic getaway.
Everyone is warm and welcoming from this tranquil city nestled in New South Wales’ Riverina region situated 460 kilometres to the south–west of Sydney and 260 kilometres to the north–east of Melbourne.
It’s always been the case that cabbies reflect something about the place they’re in. In London, they always seem bleak and sombre. In New York, they always seem in a hurry. In Albury, they tell you they have six children who work as biomolecular scientists, military officers, teachers and nurses. One proud taxi driver even showed us a photo of his two adorable twin girls who together know all the words to all the Frozen songs.
Staying at the beautifully appointed Atura hotel was an experience in itself. The interior design is filled with bright artwork and our room made us feel like we were inside a painting. The heated pool, bar and friendly staff made this hotel a wonderful place to stay. They even provide fluorescent retro-bikes to explore the area and its surrounding natural landscape.
After freshening up, we set out to the Murray Art Museum, MAMA. Featuring a mix of international and local artwork, it covers a range of issues from the impact of industrialisation to cultural identity. The cafe Canvas is right next door to MAMA and is full of characterful charm and houses some of the best food in town.
To finish off the day, we dined at the The Border Wine Room. The restaurant offers a range of gastronomic delights and a meal there is an experience to behold. With a six course degustation dinner perfectly matched with six different wines, this restaurant indulges your desire for exquisite food that is unique and bursting with different and unexpected flavours.
Keen to explore the town on our first day, we took an unplanned detour through Albury’s award-winning Botanic Gardens. The gardens are conveniently located just metres from the hotel and we enjoyed the breathtaking vibrant autumn colours and serene atmosphere. Well worth checking this place out.
We continued our walk through Albury, slowly making our way to The River Deck. This is a wonderful little restaurant, tucked away off the main road, situated on the edge of the Murray river. The trendy restaurant is styled with fresh flowers and serves delicious food made from local produce in the region and superb service to match. After devouring every last bite, we made our way to Murray River Canoe Hire. There, one of the friendly members of the team gave us a fascinating insight into the history of Albury and the Murray river before we set off on our water adventure. Going on a tour like this guarantees countless photo opportunities and plenty of idyllic country sights to take in at your leisure.
After an enjoyable two hour paddle down the mighty Murray, we headed to our final destination – a cafe called The Proprietor. Located in one of the oldest buildings in town, the interior of the cafe has a funky retro vibe and we strongly recommend the signature souffle as a dessert. The quality of the service here is incredible, each staff member truly went out of their way to be as warm and welcoming as possible.
Albury has a big personality with plenty to see and do and those who make the trip are won over by its charm and beauty. If you plan a romantic getaway, Albury is hard to go past for quality time and relaxation.
James Townsend was a guest of Destination NSW.
