So I pretty much fell in love with Sydney in the first day or two, and I guess it’s the similarities to home that help. The geography is things like George Street, Hyde Park, Sussex Street etc and it’s all a grid system so is really easy to navigate. (Although not for everyone, I have a friend who kept getting lost and calling me for directions!) On top of that, there’s a beautiful harbor and you can travel places by ferry, and the novelty of this never wore out.
1. Getting Around
The public transport is great. You buy an Opal card (like the UK oyster cards) and this works on buses, trains and ferries. You can top up in newsagents or at the machines in the stations or ferry quay.
2. Sydney Opera House
Did anyone else not know the Opera House is more than one building?! It’s actually separate buildings which make up the iconic outline. It’s so photogenic, and you see it from so many different vantage points as you explore Sydney, I’ve got a ton of photos of it. One of best places was sat out at Mrs Macquires Point near the Royal Botanic Gardens watching the sun set behind the Opera House – so pretty.
3. Beaches
There are a lot – Bondi, Manly, Coogee and more. Top tip, Bondi Beach has free wifi which makes it a great place to hang out for the day or a good location to pop too if you need to skype home. If you fancy a day of beach hopping then head along the walk from Coogee to Bondi Beach, there are lot of little beaches along the way you can chill out at. My favourite beach has to be Manly just for the ferry ride to get to it.
4. Food
So a big part of going to another country is trying all the food right?! These are the places I’ve been to which were great: –
Foodcraft and Espresso Bakery – amazing milkshakes
Bourkestreet Bakery – yummy pastries
Guiylan Cafe – didn’t know these existed! Their range of desserts is all so tempting, and you get a seahorse chocolate with your coffee.
Australian Heritage Hotel – in the Rocks this pub has pizza with some truly Aussie toppings, including kangaroo, emu and crocodile. One for the Aussie food bucket list.
5. Blue Mountains
This is a day trip from Sydney and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s a national park and it has a blue haze from the eucalyptus hence the name. It was so windy when we went but still stunning. We went to Echo Point (the rocks echo sound which is how people used to communicate with each other over long distances), the Three Sisters (supposedly 3 sisters turned to rock by a witch-doctor) and did a walk down to Katoomba Falls.
6. Luna Park
This is just across the harbour and is a small carnival style theme park. The rides and food were a bit expensive but the highlight is walking through the clown’s mouth entrance and the views back across the harbour of bridge and Opera House. If you are around at New Year this is a good vantage point to watch the fireworks but make sure you get your ticket early.
7. Surrey Hills
I used to live in Surrey in the UK so I couldn’t resist having a wander around this suburb of Sydney given its name. It’s actually a really nice tree lined street area with old buildings that have wrought iron balconies. The best bit is that it’s full of little coffee shops and eateries so you can spend a whole day just exploring and munching on snacks.
8. Free Fireworks
There is usually a free fireworks display on Saturday nights in Darling Harbor so it’s a great place to eat, drink and be entertained on a Saturday evening.
9. Paddy’s Market
Stocking anything from fresh produce to clothing and trinkets, Paddy’s Market is a good place to pick something up on the cheap. It’s especially worth a visit if you are seeking out those typical souvenirs to take home but want to find them a bit cheaper. It’s only open Wednesday to Sunday though so do check before you head there. It’s an indoor market located near China Town, on Hay Street.
10.Cockatoo Island
A World Heritage Site, this island used to be a convict prison and then a naval dockyard. Today you can wander through the disused buildings which are fascinating. It’s only a 30 minute ferry ride from the main quay too.