30 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SYDNEY

Usually people know very little about Australia, that huge country on the other side of the world whose most iconic character (at least for the laymen) is Crocodile Dundee. However, Sydney would enter the list of cities to visit before the majority of travelers die. Although it is not the capital of the country (hello, Canberra!), Sydney is undoubtedly its most popular city, which has managed to cross borders and be known (and recognized) beyond the seas. In this post we will tell you 30 things to see and do in SydneyBecause believe us, there is much beyond the Opera building or Bondi Beach!

* At the end of the article we give you a lot of useful information to plan your free trip to Sydney

1. Something we wanted to do in Sydney was to tour the 6 Km separating Bondi Beach from Coogee Beach, through the famous sack walk that unites both beaches. And it is very worth it! Along the way there are several viewpoints that offer tremendous panoramic views and the occasional surprise (sculptures, beautiful houses, cemeteries ...). Do not forget the swimsuit in the accommodation because you will miss it. More info.

2. The building of theOpera house Dominate the city skyline and you'll end up contemplating it from all perspectives, but you'll never get bored of it! Did you know that every part of its iconic white roof forms a perfect circle? There are many curiosities around the biggest icon of Sydney, to see if we get to it and write a dedicated post 😉

3. You cannot leave Sydney without having crossed your most famous bridge on foot: Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bravest ones even have the option of walking along its steel arch, yes, you will have to do it with a specialized tour, do not think you can climb free as if you were a flipped spiderman.

4. The Chinese community in Australia is one of the most numerous in the world, so we strongly recommend that you put Chinatown between your plans And if you can visit it on Friday nights, when its famous night market is set up, then much better!

5. The Rocks It is one of the most peculiar neighborhoods in Sydney, and it was, nothing more and nothing less, the first British settlement in the city. There are many shops and restaurants among its alleys, so the atmosphere is guaranteed.

The Rocks, one of our favorite neighborhoods 🙂

6. Sydney is a pretty green city, if it is cool to walk in the shade of the trees and the sound of the birds, you are in double congratulations: while you relax your mind and your body you can also give your eyes a taste, with a view unforgettable The The oldest park in the city is the Hyde Park.

7. There next to it is the St Mary's Cathedral, the prettiest church in Sydney, in Gothic style and with great significance: it was the first Catholic church built in Australia.

8. Another park you will love is Observatory Hill, which, as it does well to presage its name, has a sensational panorama of the bay and the Rocks neighborhood.

9. And how to forget about Botanic Garden, with its huge gardens, trails, lakes and cafes. Do not forget to reach its end, where you can see the Mrs Maquarie's Chair. She was dug in the rock by some convicts, in the place where Mrs. Macquarie, the wife of the governor of New South Wales until 1821, used to sit and watch the ships that came and went from her motherland: Britain. It is a magical place and with unbeatable vitas.

10. Bondi Beach It is world famous, but believe us when we tell you that for how many times you have seen it on TV, it will not disappoint you live: Bondi is very cool.

Sydney would not be the same without its beaches

11. If you have a certain time frame, one of the excursions that you cannot miss for anything in the world is atBlue mountains. This National Park is a real surprise just a few kilometers from the asphalt of the city. We visited him during our road trip and although we didn't expect much, he ended up entering the top10 of the route along the east coast of Australia.

12. Other excursions near Sydney are the Royal National Park where are the Figure 8 Pools, some natural pools dug in the rock in the shape of 8. And if you never wear kangaroos, you can go to the Morrisett National Park, we did not know him but several readers and friends recommended us!

13. Take a picture in front of the Sydney City Hall (the Town Hall). Although if we talk about monumental buildings you should approach the Queen Victoria Building, where, in addition, a frikada awaits you: a statue of the queen's dog that speaks! Or so they told us, we approached several times but he didn't even say good morning! Of course, inside the building is brutal!

14. You cannot leave Sydney without experiencing one of the most unusual things there is: ride your own barbecue in a park! We recommend you buy sausages, some beef steak, vegetables or whatever you like and get close to Bronte Park, it is a perfect place for a picnic-aussie!

15. In Bondi you can't stop approaching what are probably the most famous pools in the world: the Bondi Iceberg Pool. You can swim while listening to the sound of the waves breaking under your feet. Admission is $ 7 and entitles you to swim in the pool and use the gym and sauna.

The Bondi Beach pools are beautiful milk!

16. Although if you want to save a little money but you have a monkey in a bathroom, a short walk away are the Bronte Beach pools, almost as beautiful as the previous ones and free!

17. In Melbourne we fell in love with Fitzroy, your hipster neighborhood. Obviously Sydney cannot be left behind and in this case its most alternative neighborhood is Newtown, an area full of cafes and restaurants where wasting hours is a real pleasure. Mind you, Fitzroy is on another level 😉

18. If you like bookstores you have to visit the State Library, the entrance is free and it is a true oasis of peace in the middle of the bustle of the city.

19. If you are a fan of amusement parks you are in luck: Sydney, like Melbourne, has its own Luna Park,which also offers beautiful views of the bay. Admission is free, although the attractions obviously do not 😉

20. Ok, it may not be so secret anymore, but the Wendy's Secret Garden It remains one of those places in danger of extinction in each city. Just because of this, he deserves to get close, don't you think? We personally loved it.

21. Other park: Centennial park and, of course, other great views. In this huge urban park there is no option for boredom, rent a bike, go out to “hunt” the different species of birds, try to solve your maze, take advantage of a picnic or barbecue, or just walk.

22. One of the most beautiful buildings in the city is the Government House, which can be visited on weekends from 10 to 15 (remember to book your visit online).

23. Check the calendar well because hopefully your visit may match some of the largest celebrations in the city:

• NYE: Need we say how incredible it must be to receive the new year in Sydney? No, it's not necessary.
• The Sydney Festival: takes place in January, when artists from all over Australia and the world gather to offer dance, music, painting and comedy shows.
• Mardi Gras: is the date on which one of the biggest LGBT pride parties in the world takes place.
• Vivid Sydney: it is celebrated between May and June, and the city becomes an immense stage where light and music are the great artists.

24. Are you one of those looking for urban corners where to get the best snapshots? In Sydney there are a few,Angel place It is one of the most amazing. This alley has a peculiarity: a lot of open bird cages of different sizes hang between the facades of its buildings and above your head.

25. If you want to give yourself a whim a good idea is to enjoy a sunset dinner cruise on the bay (and with open bar of wine and beer!). We celebrate our last night of this 3 month trip through Australia and the experience is very, highly recommended. You will remember for a long time the sunset from the deck of the cruise.

26. Another cheaper option to enjoy Sydney from the water is to get on a public ferry. One of the best routes is the one that goes from Circular Quay to Manly. The trip takes about 20 minutes and the ticket costs $ 7.35. To save a little we give you a trick ... but you will find it in the part of Useful info 😉

27. The Sydney University It is the oldest in the entire nation, founded in 1850. But this is not the only reason to visit it, its buildings, of a clear British style (of course), are truly beautiful and there is always a lot of atmosphere around them.

28. Who has said that everything is expensive in Australia? Art lovers have to be very happy because both the Art Gallery of New South Wales As the Contemporary Art Museum they are for free.

29. The CBD (financial district) It is quite interesting at the architectural level. Formerly there was a free bus line that made an interesting route (route 555), but is no longer operational. Better, one more excuse to move your little legs, besides the best things you'll find them losing yourself in the streets.

30. Sydney is famous for its Street markets: that of Bondi Sundays is very cool, although the Paddington Markets is perhaps the largest (more than 100 seats are concentrated!) Of course, the most curious is undoubtedly that of fish: the Sydney Fish Market, he reminded us, saving us the distances to that of Tokyo!

These are for us the best 30 things to see and do in Sydney Do you know more stuff what to see and do in Sydney? Leave us a comment 🙂

Useful information

:: Where to sleep in Sydney?

We spent 5 nights in Sydney, the first three at the Sydney Central YHA and the other two at the Sydney Harbor YHA. The first one a few meters from the Central Station of Sydney, in a very central area, with lots of options for eating out, the Chinatown is next door and there is a very good atmosphere. The second one is located in the neighborhood of The Rocks, very close to the southern end of the Harbor Bridge and with stunning views of the harbor and the Opera from the terrace.

Prices: shared rooms are available from $ 35 the first and $ 41 the second.

Sydney Central YHA

Sydney Harbor YHA

:: How to get to Sydney from the airport?

The best means (and practically the only one, except obviously the taxi) is the train. The line that connects the airport to downtown Sydney is the T8, and stops at Central, Museum, St James, Circular Quay, Wynyard and Town Hall. In order to get on you will have to purchase an Opal Card (free, with the first mandatory recharge of $ 20). The price of the trip from / to the airport is $ 18.50 ($ 14.30 airport fee + $ 4.20 of the tour fee), and is out of the daily limit, which we talked about in the following point.

If you have to return to the airport that you know you can leave the card in negative, it is enough that you have a minimum of $ 3 of balance in the card to be able to enter your station in Sydney and when leaving at the airport the machine will mark you that you stay in negative, but it will let you pass.

If you dare to walk to the nearest train stop to the airport (Mascot Station), you will save the airport fee and the trip will be much cheaper, specifically $ 3.46 ($ 2.42 in off peak). Thanks Felipe for that little trick 😉

:: How to get around Sydney?

The first thing you have to do is acquire a Opal Card (A rechargeable card that will serve you for bus, ferry, tram ...). It's free but you have to make an initial recharge of $ 30. More info about the individual rates of each trip. But there is a trick: the maximum amount that they will charge you in one day is $ 15.40, so if you organize yourself well and do all the visits on means of transport in one day… it can be much cheaper than normal! And beware of the data: on Sundays this maximum is reduced to only $ 2.50! So if you are on Sunday in Sydney, take the opportunity to make further visits, such as Bondi Beach, Mandy or even the excursion enter the Blue Mountains, and the rest of the days explore the center.

The opal card can be purchased at the airport, train stations and even at 7eleven.

:: Where to eat in Sydney?

Here you have 7 restaurants to eat cheap in Sydney (good and cheap).