Last Updated on January 3, 2025
Exploring Sydney – unmissable things that you should do
When you think of Sydney the two images that probably immediately spring to mind are the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. There are many things to see and do in this beautiful Australian city.
Sydney Harbour is the largest natural harbour in the world, with twenty-two miles of coastline, so naturally, the harbour takes centre stage with lots of activities and attractions both in and around the water.
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Sydney Opera House
The iconic Sydney Opera House is best viewed from the water on a boat. This is a stunning piece of architecture with light reflecting from its surface. It was designed by the Danish architect, Jørn Utzon and constructed by a team of Australian architects. It took fourteen years to build. Jørn Utzon had a vision which has resulted in a timeless building dominating the harbour and centre of the city. Tours are available to see the inside or why not book to see a production at the Opera House as a lasting memory of your visit to Sydney.
For more information on the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge, the largest steel arch bridge in the world spans the harbour linking the central area from the Rocks to the North Shore and North Sydney Business District. It carries both trains and other vehicles to and from the city centre. It is also accessible for pedestrians If you are feeling adventurous you can climb up within the bridge to get an amazing view of the harbour with a group climb.
Details of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb including health and safety requirements.
Take the Ferry to Manly
Circular Quay, adjacent to the Sydney Opera House, is a hive of activity with its quays for ferries and other boats. A short ferry ride from Circular Quay takes you across the water to the terminal at Manly. This is a popular route with frequent departures for work or leisure. Walk through the pedestrian area to reach the lovely Manly Beach; the sea promenade runs the length of the beach ideal for a leisurely walk by the sea.
For the fast ferry timetable to Manly from Circular Quay click here.
Sydney Harbour Boat Tours
If you want to get the best views of the harbour, a small boat tour is a must. Sydney Harbour Boat Tours offers great boat tours as well as private itineraries. Their Sydney Icons Bays and Beaches Tour, on a small boat with a capacity of twelve people, leaves from Campbells Cove, a trip of just over two hours. When you are closer to the water there is a real sense of exploration and an appreciation of the scale of the Harbour. This trip hugs the coastline and dips into the bays and beaches along the shoreline.
The captain brings alive the history of the development of Sydney. It is a unique experience as some beaches are only accessible by water or foot. The boat goes into Rose Bay, Double Bay, Quarantine Bay and Store Beach before crossing the head to return along the opposite coastline via Chowder Bay and Athol Bay. At the end of the tour, the boat finishes by sailing underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, from this angle the structure of the bridge is truly impressive.
Visit Sydney Harbour Boat Tours for details of the Sydney Icons Bays and Beaches Tour and other tours.
Visit the Opera Bar
After a day on the water, take time out to relax with a drink and enjoy the views of the Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House. The Opera Bar is the perfect spot to see and be seen. This open-air bar has plenty of seating with a lovely view and a lively atmosphere, it is an ideal venue to meet friends for a drink and a bite to eat.
Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens
Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens runs alongside the water adjacent to the Sydney Opera House. Some of the trees here date back to when the First Fleet landed in Australia in 1788 and cleared the land for cultivation. The soil was too poor for growing crops but the trees they planted have grown into lovely mature specimens.
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney are Australia’s largest and oldest botanic gardens and are worth a visit. They are beautifully landscaped with tropical plants, palms and native species. During summer beds of colourful annual flowers provide real impact. One intriguing native species is the grass tree, it has evolved to withstand bushfires; dramatic tall spires shoot up to produce its flowers. The Royal Botanic Gardens are close to the CBD, Central Business District, a large green space creating a haven in the urban landscape. Guided walking tours around the gardens can be booked in advance.
Entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens is free. For more information on opening times and special events click here.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales
A short stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens brings you to the Art Gallery of NSW, New South Wales, without having to go by road, it is a lovely route as the path winds through the gardens. The Art Gallery of NSW, located in the Domain, is one of the top places to visit in Sydney with over twenty-two thousand Australian works of art and more than thirteen thousand international ones. The main building with its large galleries is a good place to start as it takes you on a historical art journey. A temporary exhibition runs on the lower ground floor, currently, this is showing works by Magritte.
Next door is the North Gallery building, an airy glass structure that opened in 2022 with spacious galleries on several levels with a stunning central atrium. Here you can see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art exhibition, containing stunning Aboriginal art. Other galleries display modern works by well-known international artists such as Francis Bacon.
For more information on the Art Gallery of New South Wales. General entry is free of charge, there is a fee to visit the temporary exhibitions.
Hyde Park Barracks Museum
A visit to the Hyde Park Barracks Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site is a great way to find out more about the colonisation of Australia. The audio tour cleverly describes the history of settlement from the point of view of the convicts. They were deported for what we would class as petty crime with a long journey by sea before reaching Sydney where they were housed in the Hyde Park Barracks. Their lives were very harsh, they lived in cramped rooms with few possessions and worked in dreadful conditions to clear the land and construct buildings for the settlers.
More than fifty thousand convicts passed through Hyde Park Barracks. Listen to their stories of their daily lives and the interactions they had with the indigenous people, whose land they appropriated. Towards the end of the tour, the focus moves from the convicts to the story of the female immigrants as they also passed through this building on arrival in Sydney. Hear tales from the ancestors of the aboriginal people whose lives were dramatically changed by colonisation. It is a sobering experience to learn in detail about these events in Australian history.
Entrance to the Hyde Park Barracks is free.
Sea Life Aquarium
Australia is an island surrounded by oceans amongst them the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean. Sydney Sea Life Aquarium, situated in Darling Harbour, allows you to get a glimpse of some of the abundant sea life to be found in these oceans. There are numerous tanks showcasing colourful coral and jellyfish as well as beautiful tropical fish.
The Dugongs, otherwise known as sea cows, are not to be missed, these docile, marine mammals that graze on seagrass are now an endangered species. The route through the Sea Life Aquarium takes you down ramps underneath vast tanks of water, looking up you see huge rays and Grey Nurse sharks swimming leisurely through the water. The penguin exhibition is one of the popular highlights of Sea Life with a mini boat trip past the penguin enclosure. The aquarium has both King and Gentoo penguins.
For entrance fees and opening times of the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney.
Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art
If you are interested in modern art head for the Museum of Contemporary Art on Sydney Harbour, the largest contemporary art gallery in Australia. The MCA focuses on contemporary art with a visual impact, time limited exhibitions from leading Australian artists fill the galleries in this impressive building. The works of art from the MCA collection can also be seen here. Entrance to the MCA is free.
Bondi Beach
Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi Beach, is located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. With its pristine waters and golden sand Bondi Beach is a paradise for surfers, swimmers and sun worshippers.
Sculpture by the Sea
For a few weeks in early summer, from mid-October to early November, the Sculpture by the Sea, a stunning display of over one hundred sculptures, is dotted along the coastline from Bondi Beach to Tamarama Beach. The setting for the sculptures is stunning, the walk takes you along the headland between the two beaches before dropping down to the beach at Tamarama. Sculpture by the Sea is a spectacular outdoor showcase for leading sculptors and is highly recommended.
If you are travelling to Australia on holiday, Sydney is one of the top cities you should visit. There are so many things to do and see in this beautiful harbour city, both on and off the water.
These suggestions are based on my own trip to Australia and New Zealand, in October and early November the start of the summer season in Australia. I stayed in North Sydney and explored the city using the trains to get around. Most of the attractions in the centre of Sydney are within walking distance once you are close to the harbour.
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