Exploring Sydney, Australia
Note: This post has been updated on March 25, 2024.
Time needed in this city: 3-4 nights
Sydney reminds me of many other large cities I've been to in the world, namely San Francisco. In walking the streets, you will recognize a lot of large company names, including tech/consulting business, shops, and restaurants. But, what sets it apart is its location, as well as some of the most iconic architecture in the world.
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this beautiful city!
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Where to Stay
Capella (10 rating)
Four Seasons (They can arrange a private flight to the Opal Mines.)
Where to Dine & Drink
AALIA
Per its description, “Aalia brings together the lively spirit of Sydney's dining scene with the diverse and flavourful essence of Middle Eastern cuisine. Our aim is straightforward—to pioneer Middle Eastern cooking while staying true to its cultural roots.”
Arthur Surrey Hills
Contemporary Australian exploration of the season’s best produce, located in a stately Victorian-era terrace.
Bar 83
Perched 83 stories above the streets of the CBD, this quirky, retro-futurist cocktail lounge is the highest place to drink in Sydney, located on the second-to-highest floor of Sydney Tower.
Bistecca
An extensive cocktail menu offered in a rustic, adult-only steakhouse specializing in Italian fare.
Bopp & Tone
Stylish restaurant/bar with vintage decor offering sharing menus, char-grilled fare & a terrace.
Caffe Amici
Traditional Italian breakfasts, lunches & dinners served in a laid-back atmosphere. They do have gluten-free pasta.
Esteban
Mexican cuisine, a tasting menu & cocktails offered in a dark, romantic fine dining spot.
Farmhouse King’s Cross
Modern Australian set menu served at a communal wooden table in a petite, rustic-chic space.
Felix
Down Ash street (and many other alleyways) is a string of eclectic fine-dining restaurants. Felix is a French Bistro, nestled down this alleyway, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. It instantly transports you into Europe, and it's food didn't disappoint. I recommend it for lunch, and highly recommend the beetroot salad.
Lana
Serving modern Italian dining with Asian flavors and the finest Australian produce.
Maydanoz
Maydanoz is an Aegean Turkish coast inspired bar & restaurant paying homage to regions vegetarian and olive oil driven casual meze bars.
NOUR
Reimagined Lebanese cuisine & signature cocktails served in a stylish, light-filled restaurant.
Opera Bar
There are several restaurants and bars that line the pathway up to the Opera House, with the Opera Bar being one of the biggest. It offers the best views of the water, city, bridge, and Opera house, with almost all of the seating being outdoors. Their food selections are great, with plenty of gluten-free options, including the best gluten-free pizza I've ever had (try their Margherita one). Note that ordering is different. You grab your own table, and go to the bar to order food and drink. You'll receive a number and a server will come bring you your food.
Palazzo Salato
Known for their handmade pastas.
Palmer & Co. (Speakeasy)
Imagine stepping into a Prohibition Era bar filled with swing dancers, clinking glasses, loud laughter, and bartenders serving up the best cocktails, all while feeling like you just transported yourself back to the 1920s. Being a sucker for this era (with a secret wish to transport back in time for a week), my jaw hit the floor when we walked in. This was everything I had ever wanted to see in a Speakeasy, and it didn't disappoint. It is a MUST-SEE in Sydney!
Restaurant Hubert
Classic French dishes showcased in a sophisticated venue featuring a lively bar & vintage decor.
Ripples
I love recommendations from local inhabitants. This one came from a guy that my mom sat next to on a plane, and while it doesn't look like much from the outside, it sits right on the water, under the Sydney bridge, and serves up five-star meals. It's my best recommendation in this city for any time dining. NOTE: The pork belly and short ribs dishes are AMAZING!
Sebastian Sans Gluten
A dedicated gluten-free restaurant and bakery.
SOUL Dining
Polished option executing Korean-Australian fusion dishes in a sleek minimalist space.
The Baxter Inn (Speakeasy)
A highly-regarded and sophisticated bar, featuring an extensive selection of top-shelf whiskies (nearly 1,000 and counting), plus classic cocktails.
The Blue Door
An 18-seat restaurant with tasting menu that changes daily.
The Gidely
Classic steakhouse fare is matched by an extensive wine list at this old-world, upmarket venue.
Food & Drink Tours
Things to See & Do
Historical Exploration
The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) was built in 1898 and designed by 28-year old architect, George McRae, replacing the original Sydney markets on the site. Built as a monument to the long reigning monarch, construction took place during a severe recession. How? The elaborate Romanesque architecture was specially planned for the grand building so the Government could employ many out-of-work craftsmen - stonemasons, plasterers, and stained window artists - in a worthwhile project.
The Stained Glass
The visual message of Sydney's coat of arms on the cartwheel stained glass window, is that the beehive depicts business, the sailing ship - trade, and the dolphins - the harbor. Panel 1 (on the left-hand side) represents the Council of the City of Sydney and symbols of architecture, while the letters I.G.B., on panel 3 (on the right), represent Ipoh Gardens Berhad, the Malaysian company who restored the QVB in 2009.
The symbols are of property developers - the builders. The bottom central panel represents the heraldic symbol of a finished building, and the joining of two hands denotes the fusing of two cultures.
The Queen’s Secret Letter
There is a letter from Queen Elizabeth II to the Citizens of Sydney, to be opened and read by the Lord Mayor of Sydney in the year 2085.
The Queen Victoria Statue
Outside the QVB, on Town Hall Place, facing The Town Hall are the Royal Wishing Well and Queen Victoria's statue.
The Strand Arcade
Designed by English architect, John Spencer, The Strand was built in 1890–1892 and opened on April 1, 1892 as the fifth and final of the arcades built in Sydney, in the Victorian era. It is the only one remaining in its original form today.
The opening of the arcade was a grand affair with over 600 invitees. It was described as a "well designed modern arcade" with "first class shops". But, as with all buildings, it became run down over time, It wasn’t until the 1970s that restoration work was carried out.
TIP: Visit The Nut Shop, which has been operating there since 1939.
Trim the Cat
The story of Trim begins in 1799, when he was born aboard the ship HMS Reliance as it sailed from the Cape of Good Hope to Botany Bay. There were a handful of cats on board to keep pests at bay, but Trim soon became a favorite of the crew and the ship’s 25-year-old lieutenant, Flinders.
Flinders’s respect for the kitten grew after he witnessed the adventurous feline’s bravery and determination. When the young cat fell overboard, Flinders later noted how “this was far from being a misfortune; he learned to swim and to have no dread of the water; and when a rope was thrown over to him, he took hold of it like a man, and ran up it like a cat.”
When Flinders was given command of HMS Investigator in 1801, Trim was by his side. In 1802, they completed the first circumnavigation of Australia. Two years later, Flinders and Trim survived the shipwreck of the HMS Porpoise on the Great Barrier Reef while returning to England as passengers.
After surviving the shipwreck, Flinders took command of the HMS Cumberland to return to England. But when he docked at the French-controlled Isle de France (now Mauritius) for repairs in 1803, theFrench detained him, imprisoning him as a spy. The ever-loyal Trim stayed with his friend during his captivity until 1804 when he never returned after his daily wanderings.
Flinders remained a captive on the Isle de France for six years, although he was given greater freedom to move around the island in the latter years. He wrote at length during this time, including a 4500-word biographical tribute to Trim, which was only found among his papers in 1971.
The bronze statue of Flinders, outside the Mitchell Library, was inaugurated in 1925, long before the discovery of Flinders’ tribute to Trim. The bronze figurine of Trim was added to the window ledge, behind the statue, in 1996.
The Arts & Sciences
Forgotten Songs (Sculpture)
Suspended above Angel place there are scores of cages, which you can see as you walk the pedestrian lane that runs between George and Pitt Streets. In combination with the delicate visuals above, sound artwork rises from below in a wave of calls of long-vanished birds.
Originally part of a collection of installations called, “Laneways By George! Hidden Networks,” it started as a temporary exhibit, part of an initiative to remind the urbanites of of some neglected sounds and spaces of a more human scale.
The recordings are from species that all once chirped in central Sydney, and they change along with the time of day to match their natural habits. So morning birds sing in the morning, and nocturnal birds call out at night.
The original installation proved so popular, funds were provided by the city to make it permanent.
Sydney Opera House
Planning began in the late 1940s when Eugene Goossens, the Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music, lobbied for a suitable venue for large theatrical productions. The normal venue for such productions, the Sydney Town Hall, was not considered large enough. By 1954, Goossens succeeded in gaining the support of New South Wales Premier, Joseph Cahill, who called for designs for a dedicated opera house. It was also Goossens who insisted that Bennelong Point be the site: Cahill had wanted it to be on or near Wynyard Railway Station in the northwest of the central business district.
Designed by Danish architect, Jørn Utzon, but completed by an Australian architectural team, headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on October 20, 1973.
TIP: To get a backstage tour of the Opera House, click here.
Unique Experiences
Just a few hundred feet from the restaurant, Ripples, is an old amusement park, complete with an Olympic pool.
History
From 1924 onwards, the future site of Luna Park Sydney was used extensively by the Dorman Long firm to fabricate and assemble steel components for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which officially opened in 1932. Once the bridge was completed, North Sydney Council opened up applications for tenders to develop the site. Consequently, the owners of of Luna Park Glenelg won the tender for the North Sydney site and began a 20-year lease on September 11, 1935, forming Luna Park (NSW) Ltd. The rides from Glenelg were dismantled and transported to Sydney over a three-month period. Construction of the park employed almost 1,000 engineers, structural workers, fitters, and artists. Less than one month later, it opened.
The park's signature entrance face, designed by Rupert Browne, was placed between two Art Deco-style towers with spires imitating New York's Chrysler Building. The Big Dipper roller coaster was an instantly popular attraction. After a successful opening season, the park closed down for the winter months so that rides and attractions could be overhauled and repainted, and new ones could be added. In 1936, the North Sydney Olympic Pool was also opened on an adjacent site.
During WWII, as non-essential uses of electricity were curtailed in wartime, the park's neon lights were disconnected and many ride facades were dimmed. The park's external lights were also 'browned out' in case of a Japanese sneak attack on Sydney.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the park changed hands and also management style, not allowing for the routine maintenance the park needed in the off season. As a result, it almost became a site for several high rises but was rejected by the then Governor. Instead, in the 1970s, the park went through transformations and renovations, trying to find its “identity” among the ever-changing taste of its customers. Unfortunately, this led to drastic measures in the 1980s of tearing down the old park and rebuilding it, after which there were several disputes over its name and elements of the park that were saved and put into storage.
It wasn’t until the 1990s that a historic trust was established to finally bring the park back to life, though still riddled with lawsuits, it had a hard time staying open. As of today, it is open with new rides to enjoy!
TIP: While the rides may not be operational at night, head their anyway to see the lights in all of their glory!
Purikura Photoland
Tucked into the second floor of an old mall in Haymarket, this place is lined with dozens of coin-operated amusements, including claw machines, gachapon (capsule toy) machines, and a few unusual arcade games. The highlight, however, are the many purikura - the cutest of all photo booths.
Purikura (an abbreviation of “Purinto Kurabu,” or “Print Club”) are photobooths with a lot of extras added on. They allow the users to edit and enhance their photos, then print them onto stickers immediately. Since their origin in the 1990s, purikura have become a staple of Japanese kawaii culture, which has since filtered into the English-speaking world and beyond.
Sydney Tower Eye
Opened in 1981, the Sydney Tower Eye has stunning views of the entire city at nearly 900 ft. There is a rotating restaurant as well.
It’s worth the bigger price tag to get these amazing views!
Walking Tours
Auburn Botanic Gardens
In the early 1900s, the area was mined for clay tile production and was then used as a waste landfill site. In 1949, these soils were eventually excavated to create the hills and lakes that now lie in the gardens. It took 30 years to fully landscape it.
The gardens are broken down into themed areas that include a Japanese garden, complete with a pond, waterfall, and ornamental bridges. Past the Japanese garden, is the Reflection Pool, then the scented garden, the sunken rose garden, a billabong, and a native rainforest.
Darling Harbour / SEA LIFE Sea Aquarium
A short walk down Market Street (from the Sydney Tower), will land you on the foot bridge to Darling Harbor. It's a GREAT place to shop, dine, take boat rides, and see some of their famous places, such as SEA LIFE Sea Aquarium. For $30 AUD per adult, my mom and I spent a few hours wandering through one of the best aquariums I've been to (what sold me was the penguin exhibit). It's absolutely worth the walk (and cost) to get there.
TIP: make day of the Harbour to enjoy all it has to offer.
Manly Beach is reminiscent of almost any main beach town, with the one exception that there is a hiking path that takes you along the water, and into rain forests. Along the way, you will see natural swimming pools, plenty of sunshine, and even some impressive beach homes!
HOW TO GET THERE: The Quay ferry is about a 30-minute ride from Sydney Harbour.
The idea of having a bridge in Sydney first came about in 1814, though it wouldn’t be until over 100 years later that it would be realized. In October of 1923, the first sod was turned over, and it would be until 8 1/2 years later that it would open.
FUN FACT: The bridge, itself, was regarded as a triumph over Depression times, earning the nickname "the Iron Lung", as it kept many Depression-era workers employed.
TIP: Walk over the bridge for THE BEST views of the harbor, as well as the opera house. From there, you can access Luna Park, the Olympic pool, Ripples, and many other sites.
FOR CLIMBING ENTHUSIASTS: Yes! You can climb the Sydney Bridge. Click here to book your spot.
Taronga Zoo
I'm still raving about this experience, because I've never been to a zoo quite like this! For $46 AUD per adult, we spent a full day interacting with animals in open enclosures (I've never been THAT close to a ‘roo or a wallaby), as well as taking in the sights of getting very near every other species in Australia and Africa. This is an absolute must-do in Sydney, although I recommend you spend the extra money to go "behind the scenes" and pet the kangaroos, and other animals. It's something I wish I had done.
NOTE: Eat at “Views” for lunch - it has spectacular views of Sydney, from across the water.
TIP: For an even MORE AMAZING time, consider booking a night at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga!
The Rocks
The Rocks became established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The original buildings were first, traditional vernacular houses, of wattle and daub, with thatched roofs, and later, of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. However, the area had a reputation as a slum and the arriving convicts' side of town, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes. After November 1790, many of the inhabitants were also Aboriginal.
In 1823, the district had a population of about 1,200, though the area was dominated by a gang known as the “Rocks Push” until the 1870s.
By the early 20th century, many of the area's historic buildings were in serious decay. In 1900, bubonic plague broke out and the state government took over the areas around The Rocks and Darling Harbour, with the intention of demolishing them and rebuilding them. More than 3,800 houses, buildings, and wharfs were inspected and hundreds demolished, but the continuation of these plans were brought to a halt, due to the outbreak of World War I.
During the 1920s, several hundred buildings were demolished during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And, while they wanted to keep demolishing in 1971, efforts were halted by local residents, both to keep rents low and to preserve history. It took four years to do so though, they won and the government was forced to restore the remaining buildings.
TODAY: Almost all of the remaining settlement buildings are still in-tact and if you wander into any of the shops, you will see how these working-class families lived. One such shop, which had my attention for both it's jewels (I got very large peridot earrings for $125 AUD) and its history, was Hathi Jewellery. If you see the old safe in the above slideshow, it's little pieces of history, like this, that make you want to wander into every building to see what it still has.
NOTE: Want to do a historical walking tour? Click here.
How to Get Around
Getting to/from the airport
Sydney has a multitude of easy ways to get to/from the airport. Cabs are the most convenient (and most expensive - about $55 AUD each way - Lyft might be cheaper). There is also a train that takes you to/from the airport to virtually any destination. If you aren't lugging a ton of stuff (like I did), then I recommend the train.
Getting to/from destinations across Sydney Harbour
To get to anywhere outside of Sydney, such as Manly Beach, Bondi Beach, Coogee, Taronga Zoo, etc., you have to take the ferry at Circular Quay. The rides provide the best views of Sydney, are equipped with free Wi-fi, and for the longer rides, a cafe. There are many different ferry companies. I used those that the Opal Card supports, which also happen to be cheaper (about $15 AUD roundtrip to most places).
FUN TIP: Make sure to take one ferry ride, back to Sydney, at sunset. Sit at the front of the ferry, no matter how cold. I failed to do this and missed the sun setting over the Opera House, which would have provided more spectacular pictures than the one below.
A History Summary
45,000 - 50,000 years ago - The first people to inhabit the area wereAboriginal Australians who had migrated from northern Australia and before that, from southeast Asia.
April 29, 1770 - The first meeting between Aboriginal people and British explorers occurred when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay and encountered the Gweagal clan.
1783 - Britain had been sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the 18th century, and the loss of these colonies in 1783 was the impetus for the decision to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay.
1788 - The First Fleet of 11 ships, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It consisted of more than a thousand settlers, including 736 convicts. The fleet soon moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on January 26, 1788. The colony of New South Wales (NSW) was proclaimed a week later.
July 1788 - A plan was submitted for the new town at Sydney Cove. It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital, and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial buildings. Phillip promptly ignored his own plan, and unplanned development became a feature of Sydney's topography.
1789 - An outbreak of smallpox killed about half the Aboriginal population of the Sydney region while only one death was recorded among the settlers.
1790 - 1791 - Former convicts received small grants of land, and government and private farms spread to the more fertile lands around Parramatta, Windsor and Camden on the Cumberland Plain.
1792 - The colony's military officers began acquiring land and importing consumer goods obtained from visiting ships. Former convicts also engaged in trade and opened small businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or without official permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town.
1804 - Irish convicts led around 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion, an attempt to march on Sydney, commandeer a ship, and sail to freedom. It failed.
1808 - Governor William Bligh imposed restrictions on trade and commerce in the town and ordered the demolition of buildings erected on Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflict culminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the NSW Corps.
1810 - 1821 - Lachlan Macquarie served as the last autocratic Governor of NSW and had a leading role in the social and economic development of Sydney. He established a bank, a currency, and a hospital. He employed a planner to design the street layout of Sydney and commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches, and public buildings.
1821 - 1830 - Immigrants to NSW increase from 900 to 29,000.
1842 - Sydney was declared a city.
1861 - 1891 - The population of Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 in 1861, to 386,900 in 1891. The University of Sydney, the Australian Museum, the Town Hall, St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, the Royal National Park, and the General Post Office were all built, as were elaborate coffee palaces and hotels.
1861-1866 - Sydney's first tram was horse-drawn, running from the old Sydney Railway station to Circular Quay, along Pitt Street. It was dismantled five years later, due to the tracks destroying wagon wheels and leading to deaths.
1874 - The NSW Rugby Union was established.
1878 - The inaugural first class cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was played between New South Wales and Victoria.
1879 -1910 - A steam tramway was established in 1879. It was then began to be electrified in 1898, with most of the system converted by 1910.
1898 - The landmark Queen Victoria Building was opened.
1901 - Sydney became the capital of NSW.
1903 - Manly Council removed restrictions on all-day bathing, provided neck-to-knee swimming costumes were worn.
1915 - Duke Kahanamoku of Hawaii introduced surf board riding to Sydney's Freshwater Beach.
1920s - 1960s - The tramway was gradually closed due to congestion/overuse.
1926 - The population reached 1 million.
1932 - The opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge dramatically and permanently changed Sydney Harbour.
1933 - The unemployment rate for male workers was 28%, but over 40% in working class areas. As a result, many families were evicted from their homes, and shanty towns grew along coastal Sydney and Botany Bay.
1939 - Sydney experienced a surge in industrial development to meet the needs of a wartime economy.
1942 - The Imperial Japanese Navy infiltrated NSW’s waters and attacked shipping there.
1945 - 1960s - Manufacturing, protected by high tariffs, employed over a third of the workforce.
1973 - The Sydney Opera House opened.
1974 - The progressive reduction in tariff protection began the transformation of Sydney from a domestic manufacturing center, to a "world city" providing financial, commercial, cultural and educational services to local residents and Australian and overseas markets.
2021 - The population of Sydney is 5.2 million, 40% of which are from overseas.
