Loading map...
location.beaches.districts
location.beaches.districts_subtitle
Parliamentary Triangle
hotelsHeart of national capital - Parliament House, Old Parliament House, National Gallery, National Library, War Memorial. Where Australia's political life happens. All major institutions here. Must-see for understanding Australia.
Civic (City Centre)
hotelsCanberra's downtown - shopping, restaurants, nightlife. Canberra Centre mall. Bars and restaurants on Lonsdale Street. Where locals go out. More urban feel than rest of planned city. Hotels, cinemas, cafes.
Lake Burley Griffin
hotelsArtificial lake at city center - cycling, walking, water sports. Captain Cook Memorial Jet (147m fountain). Bridges connect north and south Canberra. Beautiful at sunset. National Carillon on island. Defines Canberra's landscape.
faq.title
faq.subtitle Canberra
For national institutions - yes! Australian War Memorial world-class. Parliament House impressive. National Gallery excellent. Not as exciting as Sydney/Melbourne but educational. 2 days enough. Good stop between Sydney and Melbourne road trip.
Highly recommended! City designed for cars, spread out. Public transport limited and infrequent. Main attractions far apart. Parking easy and often free. Rental car makes sightseeing much easier. Or use Uber/taxi but costs add up.
Yes! Kangaroos live in nature reserves around city. Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve best spot. Also in suburbs at dawn/dusk. Be careful driving at night - kangaroo collisions common. Uniquely Australian experience right in the capital.
Four distinct seasons, continental climate. Summer (Dec-Feb) hot, 25-35°C. Winter (Jun-Aug) cold, frost common, 0-12°C. Spring has Floriade flower festival. Autumn beautiful colors. Drier than coastal cities. Can be cold even in summer evenings.
Travel Tips
Useful tips for visiting Canberra
Australian War Memorial is must-visit - one of world's best military museums. Free entry. Very moving experience. Allow 3-4 hours minimum. Last Post ceremony daily at 4:55pm. Book free guided tours. Even non-military-history people find it powerful.
Parliament House tour free and fascinating - understand Australian democracy. Question Time when Parliament sitting (check schedule). Old Parliament House also worth visiting - Museum of Australian Democracy. Both walking distance.
Rent a car or use rideshare apps - city too spread out for walking between attractions. Parking usually easy and free at attractions. Full day of sightseeing nearly impossible without wheels. Bus exists but frequency low.
Visit Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for wildlife - kangaroos, koalas, platypus in natural habitat. 40 min from city. Also Namadgi National Park for bushwalking. Canberra surrounded by nature. Pack picnic, spend half day.
Weather
Average temperature by month
Now
25°
25°45%6 м/с
Today
32°13°
32°13°Tomorrow
31°18°
31°18°Thu31°19°
31°19°Fri22°16°
22°16°Sat18°14°
18°14°Sun19°14°
19°14°Mon20°16°
20°16°28°
13°Jan
27°
13°Feb
24°
10°Mar
20°
6°Apr
15°
3°May
12°
1°Jun
11°
0°Jul
13°
1°Aug
16°
3°Sep
19°
6°Oct
23°
9°Nov
26°
11°Dec
location.transport.title
location.transport.subtitle
location.transport.bus
—location.transport.taxi
—| location.transport.title | location.transport.price | location.transport.app | location.transport.note |
|---|---|---|---|
location.transport.bus | — | — | — |
location.transport.taxi | — | — | — |
Prices
Cost of food, accommodation and services
Cafes & Restaurants
Budget meal
15 - 25 A$
~20.0 $
Mid-range
35 - 70 A$
~52.5 $
Fine dining
100 - 250 A$
~175 $
Street Food
Local dish
10 - 20 A$
~15.0 $
Drinks
Coffee
4 - 7 A$
~5.5 $
Local beer
8 - 14 A$
~11.0 $
Groceries
Water 1.5L
2 - 5 A$
~3.5 $
Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.
Accommodation
Hotels and rental prices
Hostel dorm
35 - 60 A$ / night
~47.5 $
Guesthouse
100 - 180 A$ / night
~140 $
Hotel 3★
180 - 300 A$ / night
~240 $
Hotel 5★
350 - 700 A$ / night
~525 $
Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.
location.payment.title
location.payment.subtitle
location.payment.accepted_cards
VisaMastercardAmerican ExpressEFTPOS
location.payment.contactless_available
location.payment.atms
common
location.payment.mobile_payments
Apple PayGoogle Pay
location.payment.cash
Australia highly cashless - only 13% of payments were cash in 2022 (down from 70% in 2007). CASH MANDATE from January 2026: fuel stations and grocery retailers over $10M turnover REQUIRED to accept cash up to $500. Small businesses under $10M exempt. Access Canberra service centres currently cashless - residents pushing for change. ~1.5 million Australians (7%) still use cash for 80%+ of payments. Cash important backup for disasters/outages.
location.payment.currency_exchange
Exchange at banks: Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, NAB. Currency exchange at Canberra Centre shopping mall. Airport exchange available but rates worse. ATMs widespread - use major bank ATMs to avoid fees. Travel money cards (Wise, Revolut) work well. Always decline DCC - pay in AUD.
location.payment.tipping
0%
Tipping not expected or required. Australia has no tipping culture. Round up for exceptional service only.
Safety
High safety level
Tourist area with low crime rate
Canberra is extremely safe - Australia's safest city. Low crime rates, quiet atmosphere. Government town, well-maintained. Bushfire risk in summer - check warnings. Wildlife encounters possible (kangaroos!). Normal precautions sufficient.