Few of the world’s major metropolitan cities can lay claim to having over 1,000,000 hectares of World Heritage wilderness in their backyard, but the Blue Mountains are so near  Sydney that many residents actually travel to Australia’s largest city every day. If you take the train from Katoomba, the biggest town in the Blue Mountains, to Sydney’s Central Business District, you are able to be at work before you’ve finished reading the morning newspaper.

Traveling in the other direction is like being teleported into another dimension. One minute you’re in the busy financial centre of Sydney and suddenly you’re in the middle of an awe inspiring wilderness, staring across endless ranges of blue-green forests, down the dizzying face of the sheer 300 foot cliff face or up at the cascading waterfall. The Blue Mountains are an out of doors and adventure lover’s paradise. There are so many trails crisscrossing the hills and canyons of those ranges that enthusiastic hikers (or bush walkers, as we say in Australia) can easily spend weeks exploring just the ones around Katoomba or adjoining Leura and never take the same trail twice. The cliffs of the Blue Mountains enjoy legendary status among rock climbers the world over and mountain bike lovers flock there to enjoy the many winding trails that have been created just for his or her enjoyment.

Most first time visitors to the Blue Mountains go to the quaint town of Katoomba and come first straight down the main street of town to Echo Point and the Three Sisters Lookout. The three sandstone peaks that are the Three Sisters together comprise one of the most photographed landmarks in Australia, but no photograph can do them and their surroundings justice. Standing against the guardrail and looking down may give even seasoned rock climbers vertigo, but that doesn’t stop them from taking the Giant Staircase down the side of the Sisters towards the valley below and testing their skills on among the many dozens of established climbing routes scattered for miles deep within the canyons at the foot of the Sisters.

The Giant Staircase is also where thousands of hikers begin their discovery of the Blue Mountains. If you have limited time but would like to feel like you’ve escaped society, by the time you’ve reached the foot of the stairs, you will have forgotten everything. Surrounded by unspoiled nature, the only real reminders of civilization you will see will be the signs that will assist you to find your way and the occasional welcome bench where you can rest your weary feet and look out at the horizon. If weariness overcomes you and you don’t want to have to face the steep climb back up to the top, just hop on the world’s steepest railway line and you’ll be back up in minutes.

Incredibly, you can come to the Blue Mountains, do all of this stuff and still be back home in Sydney in time for dinner. However, you probably will not be in a hurry to leave. That will not be an issue, since finding comfortable Blue Mountains accommodation is stress-free. Apart from the many camping grounds in the area, you will find B&Bs, backpackers accommodations, hotels and motels to pick from. Once you’ve checked in, step outside and take a look at the many great restaurants and cafes along Katoomba Street. Being Blue Mountains locals, they know you’ll be hungry and looking for a hearty meal. They won’t disappoint you, either!