12 lovely things to do in Leura

With its mountainside charm and rich community feel, Leura is an idyllic location for an easy mini break.

An all-seasons escape in the Blue Mountains, Leura is the cottage town of your dreams, with heritage abodes, high-country beauty and views of the dramatic landscape.

A skip and hop from Sydney, Leura is great for a weekend getaway, whether it’s cosying up in a cottage, hiking a Blue Mountains bush trail or sipping a cuppa or cocktail in the village.

1. Picnic at Leura Cascades

Spread your picnic rug with locally acquired provisions and stretch out under the lush canopy as you snack to the sounds of tinkling waterfalls and native birdsong. Festooned with ferns and offering views across the Jamison Valley, this is a popular spot to while away some lazy hours.

2. Take a hike

Particularly incredible during spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, the Grand Cliff Top Walk lays out some of the region’s most spectacular views. In its entirety, the track is a multi-day hike, but can easily be broken down into beautiful day walks from Wentworth Falls, Leura and Katoomba. There are also plenty of other great walking tracks around the region for nature lovers to explore.

Grand Cliff Top Walk, Blue Mountains, NSW

The Grand Cliff Top Walk is the newest hike to hit the Blue Mountains. (Image: RBrand/DCCEEW)

3. Sweat it out at a sauna

Soothe aching limbs after a bushwalk at the Finnish-style Blue Mountains Sauna, where you can let the heat melt away any tension. For the brave, take a dip in the cold-water plunge pool to enliven your senses.

There are silent sauna sessions for those keen to enter a more meditative state, while the clothing-optional sessions will leave you feeling liberated. Just be sure to check the session when you book so you’re not caught out.

The sauna is a great place to relax and unwind. (Image: Declan Blackall)

4. Go on a cultural crawl through Leura’s galleries

With the beauty of the mountains serving as a muse for many local artists, it’s little wonder there are loads of galleries in the region showcasing thought-provoking and interesting works. Begin a gallery trail at Lost Bear Gallery, where exhibitions centre on contemporary Australian artists.

Next, make your way to Hart Ceramics to admire Lyn Hart’s creations and take a workshop, then pick up a unique treasure at The Nook, a community space for local artisans. Finish your tour at Bygone Beautys, home to an eclectic collection of teapots.

artisan items at the Lost Bear Gallery in Katoomba, Blue Mountains

Admire several artworks inside the Lost Bear Gallery. (Image: Time Out)

5. Get a sugar rush at The Candy Store

Live out your Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fantasies at The Candy Store. With a range of popular international sweets on offer, including lollies from the UK, the US, Africa and, of course, Australia – sugar fiends are sure to find their favourite. From the curious to the questionable, there’s something to please every sweet tooth.

6. Cosy up in a Leura cottage stay

When the weather is brisk, there are few nicer things than cosying up in mountain cottage with a cuppa or glass of red. Orchard Cottage is your Pinterest board come to life with soothing white-washed tones, exquisite textural details and all the amenities you could ever need. The luxury holiday home is right in the heart of town and considered one of the best places to stay in Leura.

Bed down for a luxurious stay at Orchard Cottage.

7. Indulge at Ubika Day Spa

As you inhale the fresh mountain air, a sense of rejuvenation fills your being. Lean into that feeling of restoration at Ubika Day Spa, the thoroughly luxurious retreat at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains.

Now a salon as well as a spa, treat yourself to a pampering session from head to toe, with everything from foils to facials. You can also book a social spa session with friends that, naturally, ends with a high tea.

a woman enjoying a spa treatment at Ubika Day Spa inside the Fairmont Resort & Spa, Leura in the Blue Mountains

Get a well-deserved massage at Ubika Day Spa. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Cheers to happy hour

End the day with an evening tipple in a warmly lit bar where the drinks are well-stirred and the ambience is on point. Some of the best Blue Mountains’ drinking dens are located here. From cocktails at Polar Bear of Leura and The Bunker‘s unrivalled views to an all-Australian menu at Tempus – a great place to dine in nearby Katoomba – you’ll be spoilt for choice.

A dining table set in Tempus in the Blue Mountains

Expect a warm and inviting dining space at Tempus. (Image: Maja Baska)

9. Wander the Everglades

With Leura’s expanse of grand estates and heritage houses, a visit to Everglades House and Gardens is a must for home horticulturalists and architecture appreciators alike.

The stunning Art-Deco house and manicured gardens conjure glimpses of the past and feel at once European and Australian. Wander the grounds and take in sweeping views across the Jamison Valley.

a couple enjoying a visit to the scenic Everglades Historic House and Gardens, Leura in the Blue Mountains

Take in the sweeping views across Jamison Valley. (Image: Destination NSW)

10. Hightail it to high tea

There is a proliferation of high teas to enjoy in the Blue Mountains – and Leura is no exception. However, for a high tea experience with a healthy helping of incredible views and bottomless bubbles, Fairmont’s offering is the pick of the bunch. There are a range of options to choose from, including traditional, sparkling, champagne and even one for kids.

11. Go big for breaky

With a hit list of local cafes to explore, Leura is the perfect place to breakfast aficionados. Take the Red Door Cafe for example; its a main street institution that can’t be missed (on account of its literal namesake). You’d be silly not to swing by Leura Gourmet Cafe and Deli, too. It’s the best spot in town for smoothies, juices and a range of tempting deli treats.

Stop by for brunch at Red Door Cafe. (Image: James Horan Destination NSW)

12. Splash some cash on a shopping spree

The main street of Leura is littered with a range of boutiques and shops, with everything from vintage clothes and second-hand stores to homeware specialists and craft co-ops. Wander past local street art to favourites like Moontree – where you can find candles, art and unique decor – and Megalong Books, the peaceful local bookstore that’s part of the charming Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail.

Wander past the Leura art murals. (Image: Destination NSW)

Memories of a childhood in Japan were the inspiration behind Aqua Ignis, a new Blue Mountains bathhouse.

A new revolutionary bathhouse in the Blue Mountains is redefining wellness by drawing on ancient bathing traditions from around the world. Aqua Ignis co-founder Taku Hjelgaard says it was the experience of visiting an onsen near his grandparents’ home in Osaka that first inspired this contemporary take on a bathhouse.

“I remember riding on a bike around the narrow winding streets of Osaka, immersing myself in these giant baths and then lying on my back in the tatami room feeling relaxed and rejuvenated,” says Taku, who was born in Japan, but raised in the UK and Australia.

“I would ride home with the wind in my hair at night through these beautiful Japanese streets. These memories are etched in my mind and ultimately inspired the creation of Aqua Ignis,” says Taku.

the front of Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

Aqua Ignis is the newest bathhouse to open in the Blue Mountains.

The name Aqua Ignis draws from the Latin: Aqua (water), which represents the bath and steam room elements; and Ignis (fire), which represents the sauna. Taku says the two words capture the core experience of visiting the Blackheath bathhouse.

“It’s that interplay between hot and cold, water and heat. One of the things I really love about Japanese bathhouses is that it’s therapy for both the mind and the body. It’s engaging in a hot and cold treatment, soaking up the magnesium, and then having a really restorative rest in our beautiful spaces,” says Taku, who also works part-time as a counsellor.

Taku’s brother-in-law, Korean-German architect Siki Im was behind the transformation of the old Art Deco property that houses Aqua Ignis. Taku’s business partner, carpenter Lee Nias, was also involved in the transformation of the heritage structure. The building was reimagined as a ‘room within a room’ concept that allows for fluid transitions between spaces.

inside Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

Not only does the bathhouse feature onsen-like baths, but it also has steam rooms and saunas.

Taku says Aqua Ignis also nods to Turkish hammams with its herbal-infused steam rooms.

“My business partner Lee’s heritage is a real mix. He’s part Chinese, part Indian, part Irish, part English. Our architect is Korean but lives in Germany. And my heritage is Japanese so it makes sense that we blend a lot of different global traditions together,” he says.

Both Lee and Taku grew up in the Blue Mountains and say Aqua Ignis is a way of giving back to the community. Taku says the ultimate goal is for visitors to experience a uniquely Australian form of wellness. “It’s wellness that respects diverse cultural practices while creating something entirely new,” Taku says.

“We are eternally grateful to the Blue Mountains, the people, the landscape, the trees, the water that has shaped us. Our way of giving back to community is by creating this bathhouse, which reflects the country’s rich, complex cultural landscape,” he says.

Taku says he and Lee have been consulting with a local Gundungurra woman to incorporate Indigenous Australian elements through a eucalyptus cleansing ceremony.

the sauna at Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

The hot rock sauna is a nod to the European tradition.

Aqua Ignis has a hot rock sauna, herbal steam room, magnesium mineral bath, cold plunge and rest areas. Together, Taku says the treatments provide visitors with a space to reset.

You can find Aqua Ignis at 239 Great Western Highway, Blackheath, NSW

Stretch your legs on one of these hikes in the Blue Mountains. Next, enjoy a restorative session at Aqua Ignis, followed by a stay at one of these cosy Blue Mountains cabins?