Croydon

Sydney's Little Italy of the inner west — bakeries, delis and Federation homes on quiet, leafy streets. Heritage-calm and made for an unhurried, pastry-fuelled lap.

A leafy inner-west village of cafes, quiet lanes and a friendly local pace. Walkable, low-key and reliably dog-welcoming.

Grand homes, leafy streets and busy eats around the station. Green-edged, well-fed and good for an easy walk.

Cooks River-close and leafy, with foreshore paths and a quiet village pace. Walkable and made for a riverside lap.

Busy inner-west hub with Asian eats and Burwood Park's green at its heart. Diverse, well-served and handy for a walk between the bites.

Inner-west edge with Sydney Park's off-leash acres on one side and a craft-brewery strip on the other. Industrial bones, Newtown energy and plenty of green to burn off.

A quiet inner-west pocket of terraces and leafy lanes, between Summer Hill and Petersham. Low-key, walkable and easy with a dog.

A harbour peninsula built for wandering: village pubs, waterfront parks and ferry views at every turn. Half of Balmain owns a dog, the other half wants to pat yours.

A quiet, leafy inner-west pocket of village calm and easy streets. Walkable, low-key and easy with a dog.

A leafy harbour peninsula of sandstone heritage and waterfront reserves. Quiet, scenic and made for a slow foreshore stroll.