Whether you’re looking for adventure, journeys, nature, great food and wine, events and culture, islands and beaches to relax on or to connect with the oldest culture on earth, there’s nothing like a holiday in Sydney – Australia.
Here’s our round up of things to do in Sydney!
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo houses more than 4,000 animals from various exotic and native species, including gorillas, tigers, leopards, chimpanzees, giraffes, Australian sea lions, kangaroos and koalas. Home of kangaroos, koalas, and native snakes, Taronga Zoo also shelters animals from Africa, Asia, and South America. Wildlife is kept in excellent conditions, with realistic enclosures and large habitats providing suitable homes for many majestic creatures.
Once you’ve made new friends in the wild, experience the wildlife from a new perspective by tackling the treetop Wild Ropes – more than 60 high rope challenges over four courses, including zip-lines, rope climbs and suspended bridges.
In addition to being a tourist attraction in Sydney, the zoo hosts corporate events, family functions, and even weddings!
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House stands as an icon of Australian architecture and one of the world’s most instantly recognizable buildings. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and inaugurated in 1973, the Opera House earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2007 for its unique appearance and engineering achievement. The multiple performance venues feature distinctive roofs of layered sails that look like seashells, and they reside on a peninsula jutting out into Sydney Harbour beneath Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Snapping photos as you walk around the harbour represents one way to experience this landmark, but you can also enjoy one of 1,500 annual of performances inside. Start with a tour during the day, discovering some of the 1,000 rooms and listening to dozens of stories about the venue. In the evening, dine in one of the restaurants before taking in the opera, live music, or theatre in one of its acoustically splendid rooms.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Nicknamed “The Coathanger” and dating back to 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s grandest engineering feats.
Visitors are free to walk or cycle across this vast structure, but book a BridgeClimb for the opportunity to scale to the summit and enjoy off-the-beaten-path experience.
Expeditions will take you high into its arches before reaching its peak, 134 metres (440 feet) above sea level.
No special climbing skills are required, and there are various sessions throughout the day, including at twilight and dawn.
Blue Mountains
Famous for its rock formation known as the Three Sisters – along with quaint hotels and charming townships — the Blue Mountains National Park is just under a two hour drive from Sydney.
Here you can discover one million hectares (2.5 million acres) of tall forests, sandstone cliffs, abundance of Eucalyptus trees, animal life, cliffs, waterfall, caves and bushland, either by mountain biking, abseiling or on foot.
For a unique perspective, head to Scenic World in Katoomba, home to a cableway, a walkway over the rainforest canopy and a glass bottom skyway. Are you brave enough?
Truly stimulating. Highly recommended.
Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise
Set sail and cruise around the harbour, enjoying clear views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, heritage sandstone buildings, all this beneath a sapphire sky and rows of twinkling stars.
As you play the harbour, your captain shares commentary on Sydney’s history, from the early 1800s when it was a new colony to becoming Australia’s largest and most international city.
If you want to learn to sail, you can assist the crew with the sails and ropes—if not, simply relax and watch the sunset. License to chill!
The Rocks
On a tongue of land protruding into Sydney Harbour, The Rocks, historic area was once home to the Gadigal aboriginal people and later became the country’s first site of European settlement. The name of the Rocks comes from the rocky coast on the west side of Sydney Cove, where the convicts pitched their tents. Today, more than 100 heritage sites and buildings jostle along the narrow streets, including Sydney’s oldest surviving house, Cadman’s cottage, built in 1816.
Visit the Rocks Discovery Museum, wander around the narrow-cobbled streets with their souvenir shops, restaurants, cafés, and aboriginal and contemporary art galleries to enjoy the richness of this destination. Guided tours run the gamut from aboriginal heritage walks to photographic excursions and night time ghost tours.
Darling Harbour
A perfect place to walk around with no map or agenda, Darling Harbour is a waterfront pedestrian precinct packed with shops, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, and entertainment venues.
Families will love Madame Tussaud’s; the WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo; and the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, which contains the world’s largest collection of Australian marine creatures.
Powerhouse Museum offers interactive exhibits on science, technology, design, and history, while nautical-minded history buffs can board a replica of Captain Cook’s ship, Endeavour, at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Younger children will love the carousel, playground, and water park. An IMAX and 9D theater, harbor jet boat rides, simulated flights and racing car adventures round out the exciting attractions.
Those seeking a tranquil patch of green amid all the excitement can slip into the Chinese Garden of Friendship and sip tea among the willows and koi ponds.
Sydney Beaches
Sydney is famous for its fabulous beaches. Tucked around the harbour are many sheltered coves with calm water and sugary sands. Less than a 15-minute drive from the city, iconic Bondi Beach beckons with its great surf, café scene, and cosmopolitan vibe. For fantastic ocean views, take the coastal walk along the cliffs from Bondi to Coogee. Other ocean beaches include Cronulla, Bronte, Tamarama, and Maroubra.
A 30-minute ferry ride from the city, Manly is a favourite seaside destination with its beachfront promenade, netted ocean pool, and excellent shops and restaurants. Farther north from the city, surfers will find some fantastic breaks at Collaroy, Dee Why, and Narrabeen.
While some of these are perfect for family and kids, Sydney is an ideal destination for some of the most beautiful hidden places too!
