A buzzing arts and culture scene, small boutique stores and busy eateries, bars, breweries and distilleries set Orange apart from other wine regions – here’s how to experience it all in one trip.

I just returned from a trip to Orange and while it is well-known as a popular foodie getaway, a lot of visitors don’t realise that it’s also a vibrant arts and culture hub. Artists are drawn to the cheaper rents in regional towns and their creativity, in turn, attracts visitors. Making Orange the ideal regional escape; come for the country charm and enjoy the sophistication of urban amenities. Here’s how to spend four days exploring in Orange.

Day 1: Arrive in Orange for seasonal festival feasting

Foodie travellers are always guaranteed good eating in Orange, but those in the know book their visit to coincide with one of the region’s many culinary festivals. Orange FOOD Week is the longest-running regional food and wine festival, held around Easter. There are roughly 50 events run over 10 days, showcasing the region’s winemakers, chefs and growers.

Orange Region Fire Festival is a 10-day extravaganza held every year in August, with a focus on local artists and musicians turning dining venues into performance spaces, plus fire-inspired dining and wine events including winery bonfires and fire-cooking masterclasses. While here, it would be rude not to go on a truffle hunt at Borrodell Estate, which runs in July and August, then enjoy a truffle lunch. If you can time it, its annual black-tie and gumboot truffle hunt and dinner is a winter feast of fine dining and truffles.

Orange Wine Festival happens over 10 days annually in October. Expect around 40 events that celebrate the region’s award-winning cool climate wines, including unique food and wine collaborations, vertical wine tastings, behind-the-scenes cellar door experiences and more.

Visit in late spring or summer for stone fruit and cherry picking. Hillside Harvest is a fourth-generation family orchard that has fruit available from November to June.

Day 2: Coffee, hobbies, wineries

But first, coffee. Good Eddy is the place to go in downtown Orange if you want something reminiscent of a cult Melbourne cafe (sadly, it isn’t open on weekends).

Earth and Fire pottery studio in nearby Molong runs one-off classes on Saturdays for those who want to get their hands dirty and bring home a unique souvenir. Owner Jude Keogh also runs private classes for two or more people.

On the way back to Orange, explore the wineries near Canobolas: Printhie Wines, De Salis Wines and Rowlee Wines are all in the same vicinity.  If you fancy a long, lazy, fine dining lunch, Printhie Dining offers a degustation menu while Rowlee has a restaurant with a la carte menu or garden bar slinging woodfired pizzas and good vibes.

Head back to town and settle in at The Union Bank’s courtyard for the evening before heading to its award-winning Schoolhouse Restaurant for dinner. The all-day menu features local producers such as Tilda Chianina beef. Hot tip: Don’t miss the potato scallops.

Day 3: Countryside town hopping

It would be a pity not to explore the region’s surrounding countryside and cute little towns. It’s only 40 minutes to Carcoar, an exquisitely preserved 19th-century historic village of less than 300 people, which bills itself as “a town that time forgot."

Grab a coffee at A Thousand Words Gallery and Espresso Bar as you browse the works of Australian artists, many of whom live locally. Gallery founder Felicity Wells says it’s not hard to find new works to exhibit, because many artists are inspired by the natural beauty of the Central West.

Spend the rest of the morning exploring the town’s five (yes, five!) museums: get nostalgic at the 20^th Century Toy Museum, browse vintage treasures at The Rustic Flamingo or homewares at Tomolly. Lunch options include pub classics at the Carcoar Royal Hotel or cafe fare at The Village Grocer, owned by television personality Edwina Bartholomew.

It’s only 20 minutes to Millthorpe, a heritage-listed village. The bluestone-lined streets are home to boutique antiques, homewares and lifestyle stores such as The White Place, The Salon des Refuses and The Bower Millthorpe. Stop for lunch at Millthorpe Providore, then while away the afternoon at one of the many cellar doors, including Slow Wine Co and Angullong, before dinner at the award-winning Tonic.

Day 4: Explore Summer Street on foot

Leave the car at the hotel, forget about designating a driver and spend the day strolling, sipping and eating. Most of Orange’s food and wine venues are conveniently located around Summer Street, making it easy to explore on foot.

Orange Regional Gallery has been going strong for 40 years, showcasing the works of local, regional and national artists. If you fancy purchasing rather than just browsing, it’s a 20-minute walk to the top of Summer Street to find The Corner Store Gallery, which gets in new work from local and national artists every week. Owner Madeline Young also has a space at Dirty Jane’s Antique Emporium in the middle of Summer Street, which showcases her artists. And just off Summer Street is Jumbled, a sprawling fashion and homewares store that includes an exhibition space that rotates monthly.

Stop for lunch at Parrot Pizzeria, part of Parrot Gin Distillery’s cellar door and match your slice with a handcrafted gin or rum. Find Badlands Brewery on a laneway just off Summer Street and discover why their craft beer has won awards at the Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show.

Wine bars in wine country are a wonderful way to sample the best local drops without having to visit multiple wineries. Start the night at Summer St Wine Room and end it at Hey Rosey, a 20-seat wine bar that’s open until 11pm. Both venues will do enough snacky bites to satisfy you, but it’s worth breaking them up with a visit to Lucetta Dining, an intimate Italian restaurant from Sydney hospitality veterans who moved to Orange for a tree change.

Where to stay

Orange’s accommodation options are brimming with personality. Bon Bon is a set of four boutique, self-contained apartments in town. Jumbled’s owner, Pip Brett, is behind it, which explains the fun, maximalist vibe. Rosemary Lane is a charming, thoughtfully restored three-bedroom cottage, Yallungah Boutique Hotel is a former heritage homestead with a contemporary design and The Oriana is a retro-style hotel complete with a poolside sauna.

If you fancy a farmstay over the perks of being within walking distance to the CBD, Basalt Luxury Accommodation has three architecturally designed villas set on a cherry orchard. Loco at Ross Hill Wines is a first-class converted train carriage that makes a cute couples retreat and Nashdale Lane Wines has two luxury glamping tents on the vineyard.