Called Golden Gai (Golden Town), this scruffy low-rise block of six narrow laneways is a world away from the glitz of Tokyo.

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Pale, sand-coloured, flat-roofed buildings and laneways lead to the wide, beachfront promenade.

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The august colleges, hushed quadrangles, manicured lawns and cobbled laneways give way to "The Backs, " a stretch of picturesque gardens bordering the meandering River Cam.

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Chic retailers, bars and restaurants fill resurrected warehouses and laneways, and on Saturday mornings the City Farmers Market is an excellent option for foodies staying in the city centre.

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Piccolo Bar Cafe, which opened in the 1940s and swiftly developed a reputation as a hangout for local jazz musicians, still attracts a loyal crowd and has provided a blueprint for the growing number of new cafes, bars and restaurants opening in the streets and laneways off Darlinghurst Road.

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