Sydney City Guide

Sydney is Australia's oldest and largest city with inhabitants from nearly every part of the world. Sydney is a delightful, carefree, trendy metropolis with a great atmosphere that has a little something special for everyone. It represents a smidgeon of London, a touch of New York, a dash of the Mediterranean, a spoonful of Asian 'spice' and loads of that Australian 'no worries' feeling. What also helps to make this city so special is its incredible climate; the weather is great all year long. Some travellers never want to leave....

We can definitely recommend staying in Sydney for at least two entire days to experience the best it has to offer.

Harbour cruise
It's a tourist thing of course, but much like cruises in other great cities, it's absolutely worth it. Sydney has one of the most beautiful harbours in the world and it stretches as far as 20km into the city. Harbour cruises set sail every hour. There are several different types of boats that do them, there are even more adverts promoting them and there are even night cruises. You'll have an excellent panoramic view and you'll even sail past suburbs such as Manly and its famous surfing beach. If the harbour cruise is too expensive, you can also take a much more affordable ferry to Manly and you won't miss a thing. Naturally you could also go for another angle to get a good view of the city; climb a bridge or tower and admire the Sydney cityscape.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is known for its magnificent architecture. Although you probably will have seen it on television or magazines, it's so much more impressive in real life. In the evening you'll have a lovely view of the harbour and the Harbour Bridge from the Opera House. If you would like to go to a show, have a look at: www.soh.nsw.gov.au

Bondi Beach

This is, without a doubt, the most famous, laid-back city beach in Australia. It has many fun bars, restaurants and clubs for you to visit. For those who watched men and women life guards run around in red bathing suits on a particular tv show in the 90's.... well, here's your chance to see the real deal. No other capital has such a beautiful beach within such a short distance from the centre of the city.

The suburbs

All of the city's suburbs such as Cambridge, The Rocks, Kings Cross and Bondi, each have their own very specific character. Stroll past the typical knick-knack stores, DKNY and Cartier. You'll find the most stylish designer stores, for instance from Finland, next to hat stores. Visit a mouth-watering Italian restaurant, a swinging USA-style disco, a traditional Irish singing Pub, get your Asian food fix at a Thai, shoot some pool the-Outback-way with some Aussies, try out an Argentinean fusion-style steakhouse... there are so many shops, restaurants, bars and people of various nationalities here, you're sure to have a great time. There are also many festivals here such as Mardi Gras. For those who simply want to soak it all in and want to get away from the noise and the streets, there are plenty of large, green parks where you can just simply lie back and watch a single cloud cross a vibrant blue sky.

Transfers

After you arrive at Sydney Airport, you shouldn't have any problem finding a tax cab to take you into the city. If you're travelling with 3 or 4 people, this the most affordable way to get to the city. If you are travelling alone or with one other person, you may want to take the shuttle bus. There are several different shuttle bus companies that will take you to your hotel. Nearly all the areas main hotels are on the shuttle bus route. It could take up to 45 minutes or an hour before you reach your hotel, however this will give you chance to get to know the city. So if you get in early in the morning, the shuttle bus is a great way to get a first look at Sydney.

Transport

When in the city centre itself, you can take the monorail to get where you want to go. Large sections of the city can actually be reached on foot and if you need to get a little further simply take the bus. A taxi is also reasonably affordable in Sydney. Hiring a car while staying in Sydney isn't really that convenient and parking is quite expensive. It's best to wait until you leave the city to hire a car. If you're coming to return a hire car, it's best to bring it back to the airport since city offices can close early. If you're planning on taking a taxi cab late at night, keep in mind that there aren't that many that stay out all night.

Tips & Trips

Blue Mountains
A day trip is fine, but it's better to spend at least one night here. The area almost seems European, except that the vegetation is very different. If you spend the night in the area, you'll not only have a chance to see the area by bus but you'll also get to go on longer walks through nature. You can also visit some of the Laura Ashley-esque towns in the area.

Sports bar
A very American and yet also very Australian phenomenon. Have a pint and watch an Aussie Rules football game on the tvs. Not only the game, but especially the commentators make this an interesting experience. Naturally you could also choose to actually watch an Aussie Rules football game live.

Outback shop
In most towns you'll find this type of store. They offer all kinds of original, typical Aussie souvenirs, hats, belts, camping equipment and Aboriginal art. Keep an eye out for the very unusual clothes and hats they sometimes carry. Some of these shops even double as a bar!

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