Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largest cities. It is known globally for its unique, sail-like design of the Sydney Opera House, which became recognized symbol of Australia when it was inaugurated in 1973.
Quick facts
- Name: Sydney
- Founded: 1788
- Population: 4.9 million
- Area: 12,368 km²
- Known as: Capital of New South Wales, ‘The Harbour City’
Large Darling Harbor and the smaller Circular Quay harbour, with the arched Harbor Bridge and the prestigious Royal Botanic Garden in the vicinity, are the hubs of waterfront life. The outdoor platform of Sydney Tower, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and surrounding areas.
Sydney’s life is very much determined around outdoor experience, with two popular surfing destinations nearby: Bondi and Manly Beaches. Focus on nature and wildlife preservation is successfully maintained in Sydney Aquarium, Taronga Zoo and Wildlife Sydney Zoo with thousands of animal species.
Main attractions in Sydney
There are plenty of attractions in Sydney, both inside the city and in immediate surroundings. We are listing here only top 15-20 of them.
Sydney Harbour Bridge. Steel arch bridge across Sydney Harbour with rail, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. Iconic structure, opened in early 20th century in Sydney. Offering BridgeClimb and the Pylon Lookout attractions and exhibitions.
Sydney Opera House. Australia’s world known landmark with unique shape, housing performing arts: opera, theatre, music and dance. Offering guided tours.
Bondi Beach. Popular surfer location, white sand crescent shape beach with constant sea waves.
Darling Harbour. West Sydney harbor and leisure area. Many attractions, including museum, galleries, parks, cruises and lots of places to eat and shop.
Port Jackson. Combination of waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers. Offers many recreational activities, including Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
The Rocks. Historic neighbourhood near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Many shops for handmade fashion and sellers of street food. Popular tourist area.
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. More than 700 species of freshwater and marine are hosted in this great aquarium in Sydney. Featuring species of Great Barrier Reef.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Australian and International art hosted in an unique waterside building.
Australian National Maritime Museum. Located in Darling Harbour, this naval history and seafaring hub hosts naval vessels and various maritime exhibitions.
Taronga Zoo Sydney. A zoo located on the shores of Sydney Harbour. Opened in 1916, today hosts more than 4000 animals.
Circular Quay. A harbour, formerly operational port and nowadays international passenger shipping port, public square and popular tourism spot.
Royal Botanic Gardens. Massive garden in Sydney, hosting many plant species and recreational areas. Famous for its rose garden, fernery and ‘Jurassic Jungle’ for children.
From other attractions in Sydney, we recommend Royal National Park, Hyde Park, Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Chinese Garden of Friendship, Sydney Observatory, Sydney Fish Market and many more.
Top things to do in Sydney
There are numerous attractions that we didn’t mentioned in our list as this is a quick spotlight, but if you have time for some additional activities, we can recommend following:
Dinner and drink cruise in Sydney harbor; Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb (for adventurous types among you); Helicopter ride above the city and harbor; Wine tours; trips to Blue Mountain National Park for sightseeing and hiking and exploration in depth of city life through many restaurants, bars, clubs and entertainment venues.
Festivals and events in Sydney
Sydney is packed with festivals and events all year around. Here are some top recommendations.
Mardi Gras (February/March), Sydney Royal Easter Show (April/May), Vivid Sydney (May/June), Crave International Food Festival (October), New Year’s Eve along Sydney Harbour (December) to name a few.
Read more: Festivals and events in Sydney
Interesting facts about Sydney
Here are some interesting facts about this amazing city:
- The Sydney Harbour Bridge is called also “The Coathanger” due to its shape.
- George Street in Sydney is the oldest street in Australia.
- Each year around 3.5 million international visitors visit Sydney.
Read more: More interesting facts about Sydney
Best time for flights to Sydney
The peak season for flights to Sydney is January, February and December. The low season for purchasing tickets is May, June and August.
Sydney is served by Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport (SYD). Direct flights to Sydney are offered by 37 airlines.
Top hotel offers in Sydney
These are current top hotel offers in Sydney. The list is updated automatically when page is refreshed.
Safe travels!
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