Every Friday evening, Dixon Street is awash with tourists and locals browsing the popular night markets. Explore stalls with designer wares, kooky knickknacks and delectable street food including battered takoyaki (octopus balls), skewers from BBQ King and the peanuty, sugary Dragon Beard Candy. If you still have room, make the all-important stop at Emperor's Puffs to end your night — the famed puffs are only 30 cents each, so they certainly won't break the bank.

Once you've shopped and eaten till your heart's content, it's time to check out the area's great street art. And, since many of the works are constructed from globes and LEDs, after dark is the best time to see them. One to look out for is Jason Wing's In Between Two Worlds, spanning across Factory Street, Hay Street and Kimber Lane in Haymarket. The beguiling work references both Indigenous and Chinese motifs for wind, water, fire and earth, which are believed to each have their own spirits.

Image: Destination NSW / Daniel Boud.