Surprise Aussie city that can leave you feeling like royalty

Until recently, the last time I had travelled from Sydney to Canberra was in 2018, drawn to the capital by a landmark exhibition of Cartier's most spectacular jewels, including the tiara worn by the Princess of Wales at her royal wedding.

This time, it was another royal-related event that saw me make a last-minute mad dash to Canberra: covering the state visit of Denmark's King Frederik and Queen Mary, last month.

And it won't be the last. Canberra, it seems, is the place to visit if you're a royal.

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For them, a stop in Canberra is part of royal protocol. The done thing when visiting Australia as part of an official visit, whether it be long or short.

Even the non-working royal variety.

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There are rumours Prince Harry and Meghan will make a fleeting visit to Canberra when they return to Australia next week. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have engagements in Sydney and Melbourne but their full itinerary remains under wraps, for now.

For ordinary visitors wanting to explore the Australian Capital Territory, past royal visits can be used as a guide of sorts to some of Canberra's most popular attractions.

Visiting Canberra like a royal

There is no secret as to why Canberra is a must-do for royals when they come to Australia.

As our capital, and the home of the Governor-General, Canberra is typically where visiting VIPs are formally welcomed to Australia.

There is usually a formal dinner and signing of the guest book at Government House, the Governor-General's official residence, which the public can visit on designated Open Days held usually twice a year.

Parliament House is another must-do on a royal itinerary, where guests can see a collection of Australian art including one of the world's largest tapestries depicting a eucalyptus forest which took more than two years to weave. Entry is free.

The iconic building, on Capital Hill, was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on May 9, 1988. The late Queen visited Canberra 14 times during her 16 tours of Australia.

In some cases, a royal visit to the ACT will include a meet and greet with the public known as a walkabout.

The location of choice for such an event is usually the Australian War Memorial which allows the royal party to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. A wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is almost always included.

The Australian War Memorial is free to explore and is one of the territory's most popular and fascinating, yet solemn, attractions. It is suitable for children, too, and last year re-opened after extensive renovations.

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One of the new highlights includes the oculus, a spectacular skylight in the main entrance forms an inverted reflection of the dome of the Hall of Memory above.

In 2024, King Charles and Queen Camilla met the public there during their royal tour after beginning and ending their historic visit in Sydney.

Prince Harry laid a wreath at the memorial at the start of his four-day placement with the Australian Defence Force in 2015 before he left the British Army after 10 years of service.

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Prince William and Catherine attended the national Anzac Day service at the War Memorial, and the Dawn Service earlier that day, during their 2014 tour.

It was at the War Memorial where I saw Tasmanian-born Queen Mary when she and King Frederik visited Canberra in March during their first and only state visit, accomplishing what I had travelled to the territory for.

Canberra was the second stop on their six-day tour where the agenda was focused on soft diplomacy, formality and paying tribute to the shared history between Denmark and Australia.

More things to do in Canberra

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands included Canberra as part of their state visit to Australia in 2016, as did Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia twice before.

His daughter and heir, Crown Princess Victoria, was in Canberra in 2023 where she and her husband Prince Daniel toured various attractions connected to the natural world and culture, including the National Museum of Australia.

The royal couple went to the National Arboretum, a botanical garden just outside of Canberra's CBD which features one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered of trees. The arboretum also offers some of Canberra's best panoramic views.

The Swedish royals ticked off every tourist's bucket list item when they patted a koala at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, located about 45 minutes outside of Canberra.

The reserve is home to wallabies, emus and platypus and there are 24 marked trails, ranging from short to all-day hikes. There is also a children's playground and plenty of picnic facilities.

A little further south is the Namadgi National Park, which the Swedish royals also visited, which is now thriving after it was extensively damaged during the Black Summer bushfires.

A Canberra-themed royal getaway is not complete without stopping at the National Gallery, where visitors can see portraits of King Charles and Queen Mary and other famous faces.

While Canberra can be a day trip from Sydney – the drive is just over three hours – it is a much more pleasant experience to stay the night.

Domestic day visitors are growing, up by eight per cent in 2024, while 2.2 million of us chose the more relaxing option of making the visit an overnight one.

Where to stay in Canberra

While royals tend to stay at Government House while in the capital, I spent the night at the East Hotel, a boutique property located in Kingston – just a five-minute drive from Parliament House and 10-minutes from the War Memorial.

Parking in the underground on-site carpark was secure and the hotel is easily accessibly from the Federal Highway, making its location a no-brainer for those not familiar with Canberra even when relying directions via the GPS.

The luxe one bedroom apartment I had, all to myself, had ample space with a kitchenette. It almost felt a waste to have so much room when I was there travelling alone.

It was my first night away from my two-year-old daughter since she was born and I am planning on returning to the hotel so she, and I, can explore Canberra together for more than 24 hours.

I had no need to use the kitchenette as I had a reservation at the hotel's in-house Italian restaurant, Agostinis.

The food was amazing and authentically Italian, with an extensive list of local wines. The menu had so many options and choosing was hard, but it was the parmigiana di Melanzane (baked eggplant) that won. I also tried the antipasto special which was big enough for two.

Dessert was pistachio gelato and lemon sorbet – the perfect end to an Italian feast. The breakfast options were Italian-inspired too and I found myself back for lunch before the drive home to Sydney.

There is also a modern Asian restaurant offering Korean and Japanese food and a cocktail bar on site.

East Hotel opened in 2012 and has quickly become one of Canberra's most popular places to stay. There are various types of rooms available, including those with wheelchair access and others with bunkbeds for the children.

My only regret is not being able to stay longer than one night but such is the nature of covering a royal visit where the itinerary quickly moves on to another city.

This writer stayed as a guest of East Hotel in Kingston, Canberra.