Leichhardt

The very tip of the peninsula, where ferries dock and Illoura Reserve hands you front-row harbour views. Tiny, historic and built for a slow waterfront wander.

Little Portugal of the inner west — custard tarts, charcoal chicken and quiet terrace-lined streets. Low-key, leafy and made for a tart-fuelled afternoon walk.

King Street is tattooed, big-hearted and endlessly dog-friendly. Beer gardens, bookshops and pubs where the water bowl lands before the menu.

Grand terraces, the famous Witches' Houses and quiet streets between Glebe and Leichhardt. A calmer slice of the inner west, made for an unhurried lap.

Inner-west diversity at full tilt — dumplings, grocers and Ashfield Park's green at the centre. Busy, well-fed and easy for an after-dinner lap.

Quiet and leafy with local parks and an easy suburban pace. Down-to-earth and good for a no-fuss daily walk.

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

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

The Inner West at its scruffy best: craft breweries, multicultural eats and Cooks River trails where dogs rule. Come for the dumplings, stay for the off-leash runs.

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.