Embrace the best of both worlds in Perth, where soft-sand beaches and scenic parks meet a thriving metropolis of small bars, creative restaurants and curated street art.

Nature and urban life exist in harmony in Perth, on Australia's west coast. Here, where the locals soak up more sunny days than in any other Australian capital city, you can visit nearby Rottnest Island, walk in leafy Kings Park and experience Swan Valley's vineyards, Aboriginal art, food and history.

For local culture, wander the nearby city of Fremantle's winding portside streets, Perth city centre's museum and gallery precinct or peel back the layers of this urban landscape with an Aboriginal guide.

Expect to have your breath taken away at any of the beaches lining Perth's long coast, where pale sand meets turquoise water so transparent you can see your feet, no matter how deep you swim.

Visit Cottesloe Beach, with its cafés and Norfolk pines, Mettams Pool for its snorkelling reef, Leighton Beach for its blindingly white sand and rip-free waters, Trigg Beach for its family-friendly grass area and huge playground, and North Beach for its charming rock pools. Each March Sculpture by the Sea transforms Cottesloe's foreshore into an incredible outdoor gallery.

Why not explore the Australian bush while still in the city at Kings Park, one of the biggest city parks in the world – bigger than Central Park in New York City – yet it's right in the heart of Perth. It grants epic views of the Swan and Canning rivers and the skyscrapers perched on their banks. Astonishingly tall, white-trunked trees line the entrance road to this inspiring patch of green, which has a treetop bridge, bushland trails, manicured gardens and cafés.