As you leave the outer reaches of Sydney’s sprawl and head up a short, steep climb into the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, you’ll find yourself almost instantly shifting into a slower more relaxed gear. Wind through a string of villages on the Great Western Highway and take the turnoff to Leura, a charming, compact shopping town brimming with boutique shopping. Just off the main centre is the National Trust’s Everglades House and Gardens, where you can have a Devonshire tea set in exquisite surrounds.
