It’s a mild winter midweek evening and South Bank is rocking. Al fresco bars and restaurants are packed with suits, students, families and tourists. Young lovers, impervious to the chill, drape themselves languidly along the river bank. Joggers negotiate the parklands, bright with jewel-like strings of coloured lights. There’s a vibe, an energy, in Brisbane that no one would have associated with the once staid provincial capital a decade ago. This is a city with confidence. It’s also a top town for visitors – compact and easy to navigate.

The Brisbane River runs through the city and there’s no better way to explore it all than by foot and ferry. There are plenty of river cruise options and even kayak tours, but the CityCat and KittyCat ferry services are efficient, frequent and a great way to get your bearings.

Start at the cultural precinct, a South Bank highlight. QAGOMA might be an unwieldy and ugly acronym but the art spaces are top-notch, often delivering more innovative exhibitions and programs than its interstate counterparts. The Gallery of Modern Art has been on my radar since its American Impressionism and Realism show in 2009 and the city’s cultural offerings bring me here often.

From GOMA a ferry will zip you across to one of the waterfront restaurants at Howard Smith Wharves for lunch. This former industrial wasteland has been transformed into a classier version of Sydney’s Darling Harbour thanks to its eateries, event venues and busy boardwalk. It’s a great nighttime venue, too.

Jump aboard a ferry again to alight at New Farm, Kangaroo Point or Teneriffe for an afternoon stroll through one of the city’s many riverside walks. Take the return ferry to QUT Gardens Point wharf and continue your walk via the university campus and the Brisbane Botanic Gardens past a clutch of colonial-era buildings to dine in one of the city’s laneway eateries.

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From New Farm it’s also just a 25-minute walk (or 10-minute bus ride) to Fortitude Valley. The Valley is just as lively as South Bank but the vibe is very different. Here, upmarket boutiques and high-end car showrooms jostle for space alongside remaining pockets of street art and grunge, while art galleries rub shoulders with strip joints. It’s also home to some of the city’s best music venues and you’ll often see people queueing for concerts at the Music Hall or the Tivoli while pub bands blast from many a nearby bar.

Head to James Street for great outdoor dining or to one of the many rooftop bars (Iris at Hotel X is a favourite) for a fortifying cocktail and fabulous views across the city. The Valley has laneways too, decorated with street art or draped in lush greenery, where cafes and eateries abound.

Back across the river, The Terrace bar atop the Emporium Hotel South Bank has wonderful city and river views. From there, stroll to West End, its narrow streets lined with little wooden Queenslanders and dotted with cafes and interesting shops. For a quieter experience, the West Village complex offers eateries and shopping, though you’re still likely to hear jazz or R&B drifting from the bars along Boundary Street. On Saturdays, wander along to Davies Park for fresh produce and yummy food at West End Markets.

Further afield, you’ll find lively areas like Eat Street Northshore, Bayside and Mount Coot-tha. And, thanks to Brisbane’s unbeatable geographic position, the city is just a short hop from mountains, sea and sand. To get the full flavour, give Brisbane and surrounds at least a week – three days in the city and a few more exploring the islands and the nearby Scenic Rim region.

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