Home to 4.5 million inhabitants, representing 20% of the Australian population. In this article, I will talk to you about: What to do in Sydney?
📋 Key points to remember: Sydney hosts the 5 must-see icons of Australia: the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, the Blue Mountains an hour and a half away, the ferry to Manly, and the trendy Surry Hills neighborhood. Plan for 4 to 6 days. Pleasant climate from October to April (Australian summer), avoid June-August (relatively cold). Average budget: €80-120 per day excluding hotel (which costs €100-180 per night in the city center).
What to do in Sydney?, a city located in New South Wales,
It is the best-known city along with Melbourne and also the most festive; some think it is the capital of Australia, but that is Canberra.
5 places to know, each with a different style:
– The Rocks (1),
In this northern neighborhood, you will find Sydney’s icon, the famous “Opera House” built in the 20th century. It’s quite trendy with many bars and restaurants. Occasionally, you can see Aboriginal people playing the didgeridoo or artists performing their shows.
There is also the Botanic Garden located next to Circular Quay, where you can find all kinds of animals in this park, such as bat nests! Be careful where you walk, don’t end up underneath them because a dropping can fall quickly, but it is said to bring good luck! The Australian lucky charm! You can also find cockatoos there.
🌍 Did you know?
The Sydney Opera House is made of neither marble nor ceramic: its famous “sails” are covered with 1,056,006 Swedish ceramic tiles in two shades of white created specifically for the building. Its construction lasted 14 years (1959-1973) and cost 102 million AUD instead of the planned 7 million.
You can cross the bridge (harbour bridge) to find yourself on the other side in North Sydney. You can even, for a little over a hundred dollars, climb this structure!
– Sydney Central (2),
This neighborhood, if we can call it that, is a long street, the famous George St, mainly made up of shops and shopping centers. Right in City Hall, you can find the largest cinema in the center of Sydney; the cinema is a bit expensive, 1.5 times the full price compared to France. There is also a Hyde Park which occasionally hosts exhibitions and cultural events. I remember once there were small stands offering tastings of Chinese cuisine, a delight!
I lived for 3 months in a backpacker hostel located in Sydney Central, the “WAKE UP”, it was an unforgettable memory! This hostel has a basement bar with live music every Wednesday and Monday. I recommend it to you.
– King Cross (4),
Better known as the “Pigalle” of Sydney, you can find sex shops all along the street. In my humble opinion, it is “The place to be” on Saturdays with many bars and nightclubs; you can find both foreigners and Australians there.
Despite this seedy side, you feel very safe here! This is where you find the cheapest backpackers in Sydney; the price does not mean the quality is lacking as some of them offer free breakfast. You especially know you have arrived at King Cross with the big “Coca Cola” sign!
🗣️ My experience: The magical moment of my stay: taking the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly at sunset. 30 minutes facing the Opera House lighting up, golden light on the Harbour Bridge, and the bay changing color. Cost: 10 AUD round trip. No tourist knows this. In Manly, dinner on the promenade and night return with Sydney illuminated. For 10 AUD, the most beautiful memory of the trip.
– Darling Harbour and Chinatown (3),
Once a port, Darling Harbour has become a complex of restaurants, shops, clubs, and exhibition centers. You can find the IMAX there, which was for a time the largest 3D screen in the world! There are also attractions such as the Sydney Aquarium, the casino (which hurt me badly), and the Chinese garden.
Darling Harbour is just a stone’s throw from Chinatown, a street made up solely of Chinese restaurants. In this area, there is also the Paddy Market open from Wednesday to Sunday, where you can find tourist stalls or a kind of market where you can buy fruits and vegetables!
| To see | Neighborhood | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opera + Harbour Bridge | Circular Quay | Free (outside) | 2-3 h |
| Bondi Beach + Bondi to Coogee walk | Eastern Beaches | Free | Half-day |
| Blue Mountains (Three Sisters) | 1h30 train from Central | 15 AUD round trip train | Day |
| Ferry to Manly | Wharf 3 Circular Quay | 10 AUD round trip | 2-3 h one way |
| Royal Botanic Garden | Near the Opera | Free | 2 h |
| Sydney Tower Eye | CBD | 32 AUD | 1 h |
| Taronga Zoo (panoramic) | North Shore | 50 AUD + ferry | Half-day |
– The beaches (Bondi beach, Manly and others).
The places where you find pretty girls and muscular men. There are always barbecues on the beach! One of my favorite weekend spots, a few sausages and a pack of beer and a few calls later a barbecue is organized!
🍀 Visiting Sydney
- Unmatched urban setting (harbor + beaches)
- Excellent public transport
- Rich cultural life, cosmopolitan restaurants
- Overall very high safety
🔻 Limitations
- Very high cost of living
- Long and expensive Europe flight (24 h)
- Buses very infrequent in the evening
- Sun = strong exposure, sunscreen essential
I will talk to you about 3 beaches in particular
Bondi beach, the most famous and touristy beach in Sydney, very easy to access from Sydney central by bus (Hyde park) or via Bondi junction.
Manly, the beach located north of Sydney, you have to take a ferry to get there from Circular Quay, it is less touristy than Bondi, but it’s worth going.
⚠️ Classic trap
Visiting the Blue Mountains without booking your train in advance during high season. Departure from Central Station is at 7:30 am, and connecting buses from Katoomba can be full. Book the day before online via Opal Travel or via the NSW TrainLink app. Cost: 15 AUD round trip train + bus.
Coogee Beach, less known and popular than the first two, quieter and with fewer waves, you can swim there peacefully. Many Australians appreciate this beach because there are fewer tourists passing through.
To prepare the trip budget-wise, the Australia budget gives the general scale. Other city-breaks to compare provide inspiration. And Perth, west coast complements Sydney to discover the other side of Australia.
Map of Sydney :
