Photo courtesy of iStock / Yiran An
Welcome to Sydney
There’s a lot to love about Sydney, from its iconic harbor to its beautiful beaches. Come along with us as we take a closer look at some of the city’s top attractions and hidden gems.
Photo courtesy of Sydney Opera House
An Australian icon
No building in Sydney is quite so immediately recognizable as the Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage site with its sail-like wings rising above the harbor waterfront. When the opera house is open, visitors can take guided tours of the building, attend a live performance or grab a bite to eat from the Opera Kitchen restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Beach culture
Sydney enjoys some of the world’s best urban beaches, none quite as stunning (or as famous) as Bondi Beach. Surfers take to the waves from early in the morning, and surf schools along the sand offer lessons for those new to the sport.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Swimming on the edge
Few swimming pools on our planet are as iconic as the one at Bondi Icebergs Club at the southern end of Bondi Beach. The saltwater pool, with its views over the beach and water, is normally open to visitors throughout the year.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
A slice of surf history
In 1964, Manly Beach hosted the first-ever World Surfing Championship, forever marking its spot on the Sydney tourist map. The beach stretches from South Steyne to North Steyne and Queenscliff and is popular for surfing, as well as picnicking along the promenade.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Australia underwater
Just offshore from Manly Beach, the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve protects an underwater world rich in marine life. It’s one of Sydney’s top spots for snorkeling, scuba diving and underwater photography.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
The Coathanger
The Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world, opened in 1932 across the natural harbor. Visitors can walk or cycle across the bridge, which locals often call the Coathanger. Head to Observatory Hill Park for some of the best views of the bridge.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
On top of the world
The Sydney Harbour Bridge also hosts one of the city’s top experiences for thrill seekers, BridgeClimb Sydney. Participants ascend to the summit of the bridge for 360-degree views and a closeup look of the engineering marvel.
Photo courtesy of iStock / ToolX
View from the top
For the best view in Sydney, head to the top of the Sydney Tower, where you’ll find the 820-foot observation level. For a more breathtaking experience, take a guided Skywalk that circumnavigates the tower’s outer ledge. Two revolving restaurants offer spaces to linger and soak up the scenery.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Sports city
Sports fans visiting Sydney will find a city obsessed with rugby. The Bankwest Stadium in West Sydney, unveiled in 2019, is the newest addition to the sports scene, hosting rugby league, rugby union and soccer matches.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Shopper’s delight
One of Sydney’s top shopping destinations, the Queen Victoria Building, is also one of its architectural gems. The George Street icon is home to some 180 high-end stores and boutiques, housed inside an 1890s structure with a central dome and stained glass windows.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Shopping on Oxford Street
The inner Sydney neighborhood of Paddington is best known for Oxford Street, its main artery. It’s one of the city’s top shopping streets, lined with boutiques, art galleries and cafes, many housed in colonial-era buildings.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
An outdoor gallery
Explore Sydney and its suburbs, and you’ll have no trouble finding some colorful street art. The city’s street art subculture got its start in Newtown, a neighborhood that has art adorning just about every wall along King Street and its side streets, like this mural on Church Street.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
History and art on Cockatoo Island
The UNESCO-listed Cockatoo Island, located in the heart of Sydney Harbour, was a convict penal establishment and dockyard before its transformation into an art venue. The island hosts Australia’s largest visual arts event, the Biennale of Sydney, and has a popular waterfront campground.
Photo courtesy of iStock / zetter
Purple blooms
From late October into November, Sydney’s jacaranda trees bloom in brilliant purple. While the trees are indigenous to Brazil, they’ve found a home in Australia and can be seen all over the city during the spring season.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Festival of color and light
In May and June, Sydney usually hosts its most colorful festival, Vivid Sydney. This weeks-long event features large-scale light installations and projections (like this one in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney), live music performances, seminars and workshops and events for families staged throughout the city.
Photo courtesy of Destination NSW
Ushering in the New Year
The fireworks exploding in the sky above Sydney Harbour typically mark the start of the New Year festivities each year, as Australia is one of the first places on the map where the clock strikes midnight.
