Australia’s unofficial capital, Sydney blends liveliness and loveliness as one of the world’s greatest cities. Home to more than one-fifth of the continent’s population, Sydney is Australia’s major urban center, and it certainly looks the part, from the elevated monorail snaking through the skyscrapers to the twinkling lights of Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay Wharf.
For all of Sydney’s urban bustle, however, it’s refreshingly in tune with nature. Its beautiful architecture is famous throughout the world, most notably for the astounding structures found in Sydney Harbour and The Rocks. It’s the same harbor where the First Fleet of colonists and convicts first landed in 1788, and today, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge define Sydney’s skyline and draw visitors to the water’s edge. Sydney’s obsessive beach culture also lures tourists to the ocean; glamorous Bondi Beach and the more peaceful Northern Beaches above the harbor let Sydneysiders soak up the sun.
Like many major cities the world over, Sydney is much more liberal than the rest of the country. Its substantial gay population is out and about, and the annual Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration attracts enormous crowds of all persuasions from around the globe. Sydney also refuses to be culturally contained, as its wide range of cuisines makes clear. The city houses a diverse Asian population, and bustling Chinatown is growing quickly. Many travelers use Sydney as a springboard to other destinations, from the nearby Blue Mountains to the tip of Queensland’s Cape York. But after dining by the waterfront, raging in the clubs, relaxing on the beach, and marveling at the city’s vigor and dynamism, you might be ready to permanently relocate Sydney-side.
Travel Sydney Australia, one of the world's greatest cities. Use Let's Go tourist guide to for tourism and sightseeing. Know where to go when you visit Sydney.
The Sydney metropolitan area is immense and seems to be contained only by the forces of nature: Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park to the north, the Blue Mountains to the west, Royal National Park to the ...more
Sydney’s well-oiled public transportation system makes it easy to travel within the city limits. The Sydney Transit Authority (STA) controls city buses, CityRail trains, and ferries; the network ...more
Find practical Sydney tourist information including the NSW state library, banks and Travelex locations, and the Sydney visitor centre with Let's Go tourism guide.
The city center is an obvious choice for accommodation because of its convenient location and the sheer abundance of options. The huge hostels near Central Station are more like hotels with dorm rooms ...more
Sydney’s multicultural makeup shines through in its variety of cuisines. Asian options, most notably Thai restaurants and small sushi shops, are abundant all over the city. The CBD is packed with ...more
The main sights of Sydney are concentrated within the city’s two main harbors— Sydney Harbour and Darling Harbour —and the historic district of The Rocks that’s situated at the ...more
The iconic Sydney Opera House is the lynchpin of Sydney’s creative culture. With five stages, the Opera House serves as the main venue for a variety of the city’s artistic endeavors. (Box office ...more
Sydneysiders love to shop, and the city is outfitted accordingly: department stores, designer boutiques, factory outlets, and vintage stores are scattered throughout the streets. Fittingly, Sydney&rsquo ...more
Whether out on the town dancing or huddling around the latest sports telecast, many locals hit the pub and club scene as many as five times per week. Kings Cross is the sloshing sanctum of weekend ...more
Sydney Festival (☎ 02 8248 6500; www.sydneyfestival.org.au), throughout Jan. Over 300 arts and entertainment events. Check the Daily Telegraph for details on free concerts in The Domain, street theater ...more
Skydiving. Skydiving in Australia is comparatively cheap and the perfect outlet for those looking for some Aussie adventure. Sydney Skydivers, 77 Wentworth Ave., runs half-day tandem dives with magnificent ...more
Walking Tours. The recently revamped walking tours of The Rocks depart from the visitors center at 106 George St. (☎ 02 9247 6678). Themed walks include ghost tours (some of which depart from Cadman&rsquo ...more
Sydney’s attractions are not limited to the city proper. The national parklands that encompass the surrounding hills and valleys are representative of the natural beauty for which the continent ...more
Acceptance of GLBT culture had made leaps and bounds in Australia since the 1970s, and nowadays Sydney is one of the best places around to be gay. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the largest of ...more
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