City Guide: Sydney, Australia
Sydney Harbour Bridge – Sydney, Australia
Welcome to Sydney!…
Sydney, it doesn’t matter where your from it’s going high on your travel to destinations… And with good reason, sun, sand, beaches Australia has a lot to offer travellers and Sydney is no exception. From its Iconic harbour to its sun draped beaches there is plenty to see and do in Sydney.
What To Do
Sydney Tower – Sydney, Australia
On your first day in why not go for a wonder around the city (why not try the walking tour mentioned below) Sydney’s CBD area isn’t to big and has water on 3 sides so it’s not likely you will get very lost for too long (just make sure you do have a map with you, you can pick them up from most City Convenience stores and Hotel Lobbies). If you don’t feel like walking around there is a couple of bus services that will take you for a tour around key sites of the city. Check out their websites for more information Hop On Hop Off Bus www.viator.com and Sydney Explorer Bus www.metrotransport.com.au/destination/view/sydney-explorer-bus.
Sydney Opera House – Sydney, Australia
Another unique experience in Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, it’s not many places you get to climb all over an iconic structure. You will need to be reasonably fit to complete the climb, although they do try cater for most people’s fitness levels. One thing you’ll have to account for is they wont let you take anything up on the bridge with you that’s not secured, so no camera’s, wallets etc which is mostly for the safety of the pedestrians, trains and cars below you so if you want a photo you’ll have to pay for the one the tour photographer offers you. For more information about the Bridge Climb check out their website www.bridgeclimb.com
- Monorail – Built for the Bicentenary its a unique Sydney experience
- Sydney Tower – Formally known Centerpoint Tower is the largest free-standing structure in Sydney it offers some great views of the city and some unique experiences including a 4D cinema experience and Skywalk off the top of the tower.
- Pitt Street Mall – If shopping is your thing then Pitt Street Mall has something for everyone.
- Botanical Gardens – If you want to escape the hassle and bustle of the city and see some unique Australia plants and flowers.
- Luna Park – Sydney’s original theme park, it has had a mixed history but it’s still open, worth checking out for a couple of hours one afternoon/evening.
Day Trips
Bondi Beach – Sydney, Australia
There are plenty of great day trips to take out of Sydney especially if your going to be in town for longer and a week, a couple of the must do’s on most travelers lists are Bondi, Manly and the Blue Mountains.
Bondi is the most famous beach in Australia, people flock from all over the world to see it, to get to Bondi you can catch a train from Central (Sydney Terminal) to Bondi Junction and catch a bus to down to the beach. You’ll have to get their early during the summer as the beach does get crowded very quickly. If you forget anything or after some food or drink Bondi Pavilion has a variety of stores and is located just across the road from the main area of the beach. If you’re not familiar with Australian beaches make sure you swim between the red and yellow flags, it’s the safest part of the beach and the part most frequently patrolled by lifeguards.
Manly is another famous beach people flock to, to get to Manly you catch the ferry from Circular Quay. From here its just a short stroll across town to the beach. Manly is more famous for its surfing culture and you’ll be able to find all the leading surf brands represented in the mall on the way to the beach. If learning to surf is what your after on your trip there are a few companies that offer surfing lessons at the beach. There is also plenty of great restaurants and pubs to get a decent meal at Manly and if the weather starts to look questionable and you don’t want to head back to the city just yet Manly Oceanworld (run by the Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World) is located near the ferry terminal.
The Three Sisters, Echo Point Lookout – Blue Mountains, Australia
If you’re a little over beaches then head out to the Blue Mountains, you can get there by catching a train from Central (Sydney Terminal) to Katoomba (Cityrail have a Blue Mountains Explorer Ticket which includes a Bus Tour www.explorerbus.com.au). You’ll have plenty of opportunities to take in the sites of Blue Mountains but make sure you Echo Point Look Out & The Three Sisters, Scenic World (which includes the Scenic Railway and Cable Car),Wentworth Falls. If your feeling like an overnight stay is in order then make sure you get to Jenolan Caves.
Where To Stay
Here I like to write about places I’ve personally stayed in, good bad or indifferent, and give you a little information based on my experiences at the time. The places I’ve stay in Sydney are the Metro Hotel, Base Hostel, and the Capitol Square Hotel.
The Metro Hotel located on Pitt Street (There is a couple more but I’ve only stayed in the one on Pitt Street) is a very nice hotel, very comfortable, centrally located and great if your going to be staying Sydney for more than just a couple of days. Like all hotels in the heart of Sydney it can be quiet expensive to stay at so you do need to keep an eye on deals, mid-week stays are always going to be cheaper than weekends. For more information check out their website www.metrohotels.com.au/sydney-hotels/metro-hotel-on-pitt-3
The Capitol Square Hotel is very centrally located, right next to the Capitol Theatre and a short stroll from Chinatown, George Street and Darling Harbour. It’s not as nice as other hotels I’ve stayed in but it is clean comfortable and great if your only planning on staying in Sydney for a couple of days. Check out their website for more information www.rydges.com/hotel/RNCAPS/Capitol-Square-Hotel-Sydney.htm
If a Hostel is more your scene (and budget) then the Base Hostel in Sydney is not a bad option, again it’s not the nicest hostel I’ve ever stayed in but it is centrally located and the rates are very reasonable. There are a couple of HI/YHA hostels in Sydney which are supposed to be a bit nicer and a little more expensive but I’ve never stayed at them. For more information about the Base Hostel in Sydney check out their website. http://stayatbase.com/hostels/australia-hostels/base-sydney.aspx
Transport
Monorail – Sydney, Australia
There are plenty of transport options to get you into, around and out of Sydney from Trains, Busses, Ferries, the Monorail and the Light Rail. The Ferry, Monorail and Light Rail are very unique Sydney experiences and worth fitting into your trip. I’d highly recommend using the Ferry to get to either Taronga Zoo and/or Manly. To get from the Sydney Airport to the City the train is the cheapest and easiest option although there are plenty of taxi’s if you don’t feel like carry your suitcase to your hotel. For more information about transport in Sydney check out www.131500.com.au
Money
In the Australia the currency of choice is the Australia Dollar ($). 1 Australian Dollar is made up of 100 cents and can be made up with 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins which are all silver (50′s aren’t round they’ve got 12 sides). Dollars come in 1 and 2 dollar coins which are gold and notes from there up. A good thing to understand the exchange rate between the Australian Dollar and your own currency and that will help you make decisions an whats good value at the time of writing this the Australian Dollar was roughly the same as the US Dollar but it does fluctuate.
Walking Tour
I think the best way to really see any city is to take a stroll around it, so I’ve put together this walking tour which is purely a recommendation but it does cover most of the must see sights of Sydney. It will take about 3 and half hours to walk this route and that doesn’t include stopping to take in the sights along the way, and it covers about 16 kilometers (roughly 10 miles) so make sure you’ve got some comfy shoes and a map handy.
Sydney Walking Tour Map – Sydney, Australia
- We’ll start at Sydney Tower (formerly know as CentrePoint Tower), from here find Pitt Street Mall its on the same block as the Tower.
- Pitt Street Mall is the main shopping are of Sydney (although there are plenty more shops along George Street)
- From here head east up Market Street to Hyde Park (you will see it St Paul’s train station from Pitt Street and Market Street)
- When you get to Hyde Park you’ll see the Archibald Fountain and St Mary’s Cathedral. If you head south through Hyde Park (across Park Street) you’ll see the Anzac Memorial.
- From here head North and Follow Macquarie Street, Bent Street & Loftus Street (past some Sydney Hospital, Sydney Mint and several other Historical Buildings) to Circular Quay and the Ferry Terminal. From here you will get a great view of the Harbour, Harbour Bridge, Luna Park and the Opera House.
- From here we’ll follow the water front around to the Sydney Opera House and then continue around the water into Sydney’s Botanical Gardens at the next point know as Mrs Macquaries Chair.
- Mrs Macquaries Chair is a great place to get your postcard photo of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. If you continue around the Botanical Gardens you’ll get a great view of Garden Island home of the Australia Navy. But we’ll head from here back to Circular Quay
- Once you arrive at Circular Quay you’ll see the Ferry Terminal again this is the place to catch a Ferry to Manly or Taronga Zoo for the day.
- From here we’ll continue along the water towards the Harbour Bridge and the The Rocks, When you see the Museum of Contemporary Art look for Arglye Street to head into the historical area know as The Rocks.
- From The Rocks continue along Argyle Street to Cumberland Street at this intersection if you head to the right you can follow down to underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge (and the Entrance to the Bridge Climb) or if you head to the left you’ll find stairs leading up to the walkway along the Harbour Bridge.
- When your finished with the Harbour Bridge head back down Argyle Street to George Street and Follow George Street all the way back till Market Street (the Monorail will give it away).
- Follow Market Street underneath the Monorail down till you reach the foot bridge, and then follow to Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife World and Cockle Bay Wharf on the opposite side of Cockle Bay is Darling Harbour, the Maritime Museum and Star City Casino.
- When you’ve finished in Darling Harbour head towards the IMAX Theatre and out past the Sydney’s Exhibition and Entertainment Centers till you reach the Light Rail line (effectively a Tram) and Paddy’s Markets.
- From here you’ll be able see Chinatown which is worth a stroll through and once you’ve finished in Chinatown follow the skyline back to Sydney Tower to get you back to where your started.
Tips/Useless Facts
- Sydney is not the capital of Australia, Canberra is.
- If you’re looking for a good quality cheap meal then head to a Pub, its nicer than fast food and cheaper than a restaurant.