Sydney
Australia's largest and most famous city is a huge sprawl surrounding the gorgeous Sydney Harbour, but fortunately for the visitor nearly all the major attractions are concentrated in or near the Central Business District. Summers tend to be hot and humid, but the climate is generally very pleasant all year round.
What to do
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most recognizable buildings and its location on the waterfront just next to the major transit hub of Circular Quay makes it very easy to reach. You can tour the buildings during the day or attend one of the many concerts or cultural events at night if you are lucky enough to score a ticket. The Sydney Harbour Bridge may not be as famous, but this iconic clothes hanger of a structure is a major symbol of the city and is available for group climbs to the top if you like an adrenaline rush.
The Sydney Tower is right in the center of the downtown area, and the observation deck predictably provides excellent views of the entire city and the stunning harbour itself. There are several famous beaches in Sydney, but Bondi is certainly the best known and definitely worth a visit. The beach itself is beautiful and usually crowded though it's smaller than you might expect. The entire village just off Bondi has several good hotels and hostels and makes for an interesting alternative to staying in the city proper.
Getting there
Unless you are already close by you'll want to book a flight to Sydney. The Sydney International Airport (code: SYD) is sometimes called Kingsford Smith International Airport and it serves most of the air traffic to the region. The airport has a train station beneath it so you can get into the city quickly and transfer to the subway line if necessary.
Where to stay
Obviously there are many hotels in Sydney to choose from, and prices are relatively high so it's not a bad idea to shop around. Many of the more affordable hotels are located in the King's Cross neighborhood, which has a bit of a wild reputation, but is really quite safe. Most of the larger hostels in Sydney are also located in the King's Cross area, so this is something of a backpacker's ghetto but also filled with good services for travelers and lots of good nightlife.
Attractions in Sydney
Address: 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Officially called the Australian National Maritime Museum, this enormous facility at the edge of Sydney’s Darling Harbour is one of the top attractions in the city. The permanent exhibits are housed in a large building and cover nearly everything that might possibly tie Australia to the sea. There are historical crafts on display as well as more lighthearted exhibits covering such things as a gallery of swimwear from the 1920s. There are also special temporary exhibitions starting several times per year, as well as an extensive children’s program.
Outside on the wharf, visitors will find all varieties of Australian watercraft, from new and old navy ships to a submarine to a luxury yacht, and even the current record-holder of fastest boat in the world (almost 318 miles per hour!), the Spirit of Australia. Two replica ships are also usually on display, the Bounty and the Endeavor.
Hours: Daily 9.30 am - 5.00 pm (until 6.00 pm in January)
Admission: Free for almost everything, although there is an extra fee of up to $AU30 for adults and $AU16 for ages 5 – 15, students and seniors for entry to a few special boats on the wharf
Address: Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
As a large and extremely scenic part of the Sydney park known as The Domain, the Royal Botanical Gardens are a major tourist attraction for botanically-inclined visitors and locals alike. With their setting along the harbourfront nearly adjacent to the Sydney Opera House, the gardens are conveniently on the tourist trail, but also a great place to escape the fast pace of the city center surrounding them.
The Royal Botanical Gardens were established in 1816 to begin highlighting native plants as well as ones from overseas. The Domain was originally a buffer zone between the Governor’s residence and the Sydney penal colony, but today they form one large and lovely park.
There are free 90-minute guided walks every day leaving at 10:30, and free 1-hour guided walks leaving at 1 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays from March to November. The walks leave from the Palm Grove Center, which has an Information Center, a restaurant, a garden center, and toilet facilities.
The park also offers scenic tours by its “trackless train” for $AU10 for adults and $AU5 for children every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. on weekends. Also inside the garden is the Sydney Tropical Centre, which has a glass pyramid and smaller houses featuring exotic plants from tropical climates.
Hours: Always open, except the Tropical Centre, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
Admission: Free, except the Tropical Centre, which is $AU4.40 for adults and $AU2.20 for children
Address: Sydney Harbour, Sydney, NWS, Australia
Ever since its opening in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been one of the most iconic images of Australia, and is probably only eclipsed by the far-newer Sydney Opera House that stands near the northern end of the bridge. The span is 503 meters over the harbour and its height of 134 meters still makes it the tallest steel arch bridge in the world.
Nicknamed “the coat hanger” by locals for its clear resemblance to one, the bridge connects the higher density main part of Sydney in the north to the city’s more suburban areas in the south. Since all of Sydney’s major attractions are on the north side, many visitors will ever have the need to cross the bridge itself, but getting a good look at it is far easier by taking any of the dozens of ferries or harbour tours from Circular Quay anyway.
Since 1998 a company has been leading guided bridge climbs, which have become very popular in spite of the high price (adults are $AU179 up to $AU295, depending on specifics). There are two different climbs available that leave at different times of the day and well into the evening. Safety equipment and climbing suits are provided, but it’s very strenuous so it’s not for everybody.
Hours: Always open, it’s a bridge.
Admission: Viewing is free, but the bridge climbs are expensive.
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Designed by a Danish architect and completed in 1973, the Sydney Opera House is easily one of the most famous building complexes in the world. Overlooking the massive Sydney Harbour from near one end of the Harbour Bridge and the Circular Key wharfs of Sydney’s Central Business District, the Sydney Opera House is as easy to visit as it is mandatory.
You don’t notice it from photos taken from the most popular locations, but the Sydney Opera House is actually three separate buildings that house a variety of performance halls, theaters, rehearsal spaces, and restaurants. The main concert hall, which seats almost 3,000, is only one of five venues within the complex that regularly host musical and theatrical performances.
The exteriors are always open to the public, and a short walk from Circular Quay. Tickets for performances are available at the box offices out front, although obviously the more popular ones sell out well in advance. Guided tours are given every half hour from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.. They last an hour and are expensive if you just show up, but good discounts are available for online and advanced online (for morning tours only) purchases on the official Sydney Opera House website.
Hours: Exteriors are always open. Guided tours given from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m.
Admission: The exteriors are free to view. Guided tours are $AU29 for adults and $AU18 for seniors, students, and 16 and unders, with further discounts available for online purchases.
Address: Westfield Centrepoint Podium Level, 100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Completed in 1981, the Sydney Tower is no longer the tallest structure in Australia, but it’s by far the tallest in Sydney, which makes this iconic structure easy to spot from almost anywhere in the city center. The peak of the spire is 305 meters high, but the main public observation deck is at the 250m level, with an open-air Skywalk area at 268m that is only available as part of specific tours. There are also two revolving restaurants near the top of the tower, which offer excellent views but not cheap food.
High-speed, double-decker elevators whisk visitors from the base of the tower to the 250m observation deck in about 40 seconds, which is a bit of a thrill on its own. In the main public area, guides offer free city tours from above by explaining the sights below as they circle around the enclosed room.
Even visitors only interested in going to the observation deck are forced to buy a combined ticket that also includes OzTrek, which is a pan-Australia themed motion simulator ride in one of the Tower’s lower floors. It’s actually very well done and quite interesting so don’t skip it unless you are really pressed for time.
Tip: Discount coupons of 10-20% are readily available in many tourist brochures and free magazines around town, and often also available on the Sydney Tower’s official website.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, except until 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
Admission: Adults - $AU24.50, students - $AU18, seniors - $AU16, ages 4-15 $AU14, and these all include both the Sydney Tower and OzTrek.
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