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There’s no place in the world like Sydney. A global city bursting with character, an urban beach lifestyle and the world’s most stunning harbour. Jump on a ferry and travel past the Opera House and beneath the Harbour Bridge; go kayaking to discover the foreshore and enjoy a picnic at a sandy beach. This is a working harbour and a party destination.
The oldest, largest and, some say the most beautiful city in Australia is renowned for much more than its famous landmarks. The city has first-class restaurants, fresh seafood, myriad harbour experiences, sparkling beaches, pulsing nightlife and fantastic shopping. Make Sydney your base to explore the rest of the state and Australia.
Attractions
The Rocks
Head to The Rocks at the northern end of George Street to get a real sense of Australia’s colonial history. The cobblestone side streets, stone heritage buildings and charming pubs are full of life. Have a beer at the Lord Nelson, Sydney’s oldest pub, with its own boutique brewery, and go on a Rocks Walking Tour.
Sydney Tower Skywalk
Harnessed onto a moving, glass-floored viewing platform that extends out over the edge of Sydney Tower, see Sydney from a breathtaking 260 metres above the street while you are harnessed. Admire famous landmarks including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour and all the way to the Blue Mountains on a clear day.
BridgeClimb
Climbing the bridge while the sun is setting over the horizon is awe-inspiring. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the city’s much-loved icons so book your climb well in advance.
Darling Harbour
Alive with activity day and night, Darling Harbour is always popular especially with kids. Visit the National Maritime Museum and Chinese Gardens, take in a movie at the IMAX cinema, or recharge at Cockle Bay or King Street wharves. Close by is the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Wildlife World and Sydney’s bustling Chinatown.
Taronga Zoo
It’s not just kids who love Taronga Zoo – even getting there on a short ferry ride from Circular Quay is fun. There are koalas and kangaroos, a chimpanzee enclosure, regular wild bird displays, a nocturnal animal house, and sensational harbour views.
Centennial Park
Centennial Park, in the eastern suburbs, is the perfect place for a stroll and a picnic beneath giant Moreton Bay fig trees. Sydneysiders come out to play on roller-blades, go horseback riding or enjoy a picnic in this green space.
Sydney Opera House
Perched on the eastern headland of Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, and offers a variety of cultural performances, tours and dining options.
Hyde Park Barracks Museum
Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Sydney during convict times at The Hyde Park Barracks, one of the finest works of the accomplished colonial architect, Francis Greenway. Built with convict labour between 1817 and 1819, it is a popular landmark in the historic precinct of Macquarie Street and Queens Square.
The Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum has a collection of 385,000 objects spanning social history, music, science, technology, design, industry, decorative arts, transport and space exploration.
The Museum of Sydney
Journey through the past to discover Sydney from 1788 onwards at the Museum of Sydney, on the corner of Philip and Bridge Streets. Exhibitions, films and state-of-the-art technology spin stories of colonial life, Aboriginal culture, environment, trade, authority/law and everyday dramas and dreams.
Royal Botanic Gardens
An oasis of 30 hectares in the heart of the city, the Royal Botanic Gardens is wrapped around Farm Cove on the edge of Sydney Harbour. The gardens, established in 1816, are the oldest scientific institution in the country. Rich in history, they form a living link with the beginnings of European settlement in eastern
Australia and have an outstanding collection of plants from Australia and overseas.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales
The leading museum of art in New South Wales is of Australia’s foremost cultural institutions. It holds significant collections of Australian, European and Asian art, and presents nearly 40 exhibitions annually.
Tours
There’s an outing with your name on it – from indigenous cultural tours through the Royal Botanic Gardens and heritage walks, to gourmet food and wine tours around Sydney and The Rocks Walking Tours. Destiny Tours provides a glimpse of Sydney’s lesser-known charms from the plush comfort of a converted hearse. Learn to sail or join a Captain Cook Cruise from Circular Quay to experience Sydney Harbour’s splendour. Make a day of it and visit Balmain, Rose Bay or Manly on a Sydney ferry.