Few of the world’s major metropolitan cities can boast of having over 1,000,000 hectares of World Heritage wilderness in their backyard, however the Blue Mountains are so close to Sydney that many residents actually commute to Australia’s major city every day. If you take the train from Katoomba, the largest town in the Blue Mountains, to Sydney’s Central Business District, you are able to be in the office before you’ve finished reading the morning newspaper. As soon as you travel from Sydney towards the Blue Mountains, you feel as is you have been teleported to a different world, one where there is no sign of the hustle and bustle of the city you left behind. In its place, you find yourself gazing across an infinite panorama of rising and falling hills covered in blue-green eucalypts. As you step into this stunning landscape, you peer over sheer rock faces, lookup at amazing waterfalls and into the eyes of Australia’s exceptional animal life. If you are an outside lover, you will surely fall head over heels in love with the Blue Mountains. If you prefer putting on your hiking boots and exploring, you can spend weeks in Katoomba or Leura, two of the main cities, hiking a different trail every day. If the thrill of rock climbing or mountain biking is to your liking, then you will be in paradise. If you have not been to the Blue Mountains before, you’ll be able to see the best of them from Katoomba. Simply walk or drive down the main street of town until you come to Echo Point and the famed Three Sisters. You could have probably seen these Sisters in pictures, since they’ve been photographed a huge number of times before and been featured in countless ad campaigns. You will not be disappointed, though, when you “meet” the Sisters face to face for the very first time. Only then will you actually appreciate the sheer depth of the cliff faces and extent of the scenery. If you’re a climber, you will head straight for the Giant Staircase that takes you to the valley floor and head to the cliff faces, where it is possible to tackle a number of the hundreds of classic climbing routes that dot the area. Hikers, too, love to take this staircase and “go bush.” If you are looking to get away from it all but have only a day to undertake it in, by the time you’ve reached the bottom of the stairs you really have gotten away from it all. Surrounded by nature at its finest, from the valley floor the only signs of civilization you see are the helpful signs that are posted inconspicuously along Federal Pass, which skirts the edge of the cliffs between Katoomba and close by Leura. After a day of hiking or climbing, the lazy or the exhausted can take the world’s steepest railway line up to the top of the cliffs and back to civilization. Incredibly, you can come to the Blue Mountains, do all of this stuff and still be back home in Sydney in time for dinner. But, you most likely won’t be in a rush to leave. That will not be a problem, since finding comfortable Katoomba accommodation is stress-free. Aside from the numerous camping grounds in the area, there are B&Bs, backpackers accommodations, hotels and motels to pick from. After you’ve checked in, step outside and take a look at the countless great restaurants and cafes along Katoomba Street. Being Blue Mountains locals, they know you’ll be hungry and looking for a hearty meal. They will not disappoint you, either!