The most photographed attraction in Sydney and all of Australia is the Opera House on the shores of Sydney Harbor. Despite the name, rock and house sounds more often under its quaint roof than opera arias. Opposite across the bay is the Harbor Bridge – the largest single-span arch bridge in the world, which the Australians familiarly call the “Hanger”. By paying 250 AUD, you can walk along the narrow deck of its upper arch, but first you have to pass a blood alcohol test and put on a ridiculous climate-controlled jumpsuit. Check localcollegeexplorer for other cities and countries as well as education in Australia.
Each participant of the ascent receives a certificate of conquering the bridge, but even without it, it will be remembered for a lifetime.
Where the Harbor Bridge touches the south shore of Sydney Harbour, the Rocks area begins. From its Round Quay – the main city pier, the history of the development of Australia begins. In 1788, the first European settlers landed here – English prisoners. Next to the piers is a tiny First Fleet park named after this event, and a pole has been erected from which all distances in Australia are measured.
To the east of the piers is the Royal Botanic Garden, which was founded by the Governor of Sydney, Lachlan Macquarie, who decided that the citizens of the young British colony needed a place to relax and walk. The gardens overlook a steep cape, where a bench was carved for the governor’s wife, from where the romantic person admired the sunsets. Today, Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair is one of the best viewing platforms in the city overlooking the Opera and the Harbor Bridge.
It’s equally exciting to see Sydney’s sights from the top deck of a sightseeing bus on the Sydney Explorer Tour (website in English). The route of another bus tour – Bondi Beach Explorer – passes through shopping Oxford Street, Bondi Beach, the beaches on the south side of Sydney Harbor, the lush areas of Double Bay and King’s Cross.
7 things to do in Sydney
Celebrate your arrival in Sydney at the Opera Housebar overlooking Sydney Harbor.
Pet the koala and feed the kangaroo.
Climb the stairs of the Queen Victoria House, one of the ten most beautiful stairs in the world.
Catch a wave at Bondi Beach.
Watch the fur seal show at Taronga Zoo.
Listen to the organ in the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary – the most beautiful in Sydney.
Follow the example of the Sydneysiders and have a picnic on Palm Beach with shrimp and Australian chardonnay.
Sydney for kids
Luna Park, Aquarium and Taronga Zoo – Sydney’s “Bermuda Triangle”, where parents and children disappear for a long time.
Taronga Zoo attracts with a variety of wildlife and excellent organization of space (website in English). In the Australia Walk themed area, you can take pictures with a funny koala and see other unusual inhabitants of the green continent. The “Children’s Trail” allows you to communicate with domestic animals, and the “Wild Cat Trail” allows you to look into the eyes of a formidable tiger. The cost of an adult ticket is 66.55 AUD, for a child – 39.15 AUD.
Taking a koala in your arms is prohibited by law. These incorrigible dormouse, lazybones and gluttons can only be stroked.
The Sydney Aquarium is one of the largest in the world, displaying Australian marine and freshwater life. In the underwater tunnel you can see three-meter sharks and giant stingrays swimming overhead.
Luna Park is a whole complex of attractions and entertainment (website in English). A good mood already appears at the entrance – its gate is made in the form of a huge smiling face of King Cole from an old English fairy tale. The cost of a ticket depends on the height of its holder.
When buying tickets online for the aquarium, zoo and amusement park, 10-30% discounts.
Weather
Winter in Australia starts in June. Many sunny days, a little windy, but the water is not conducive to taking sea baths. A great time to explore the natural beauty around Sydney. Spring comes to Sydney in September. Rainfall is minimal, temperatures are comfortable, and beaches are starting to fill up with people. November is the peak tourist season.
Summer, which comes here in December, is moderately hot, although there are really hot days in January. The water is well warmed up, so the beaches are filled to capacity. Sydney autumn lasts from March to May – a period of frequent short rains.
Sydney beaches
All beaches in Sydney are free. Indeed, do not take money for a lifestyle and a state of mind. Within the city limits there are several dozens of sandy beaches with clear water. Each has changing cabins, sunbeds, showers and toilets. Australians love to have picnics on the beach, so many have barbecues.
Lifeguards are on duty at every beach – strong guys in yellow suits (and not girls in bathing suits from a movie about Malibu). They know all about the undercurrents, which at high tide can quickly change direction and drag you to the depths.
You can swim only within the limits marked with red flags. Behind them is the territory of surfers, for whose lives the lifeguards are also responsible. An alternative to the open spaces of the ocean are huge concrete pools where large waves drive water, or backwaters protected by rocks.
Photographing topless sunbathing women on the sly is a criminal offense in Australia.
Noisy and crowded Bondi Beach is the main beach of Sydney and the entire East Coast with trendy bars, cafes and beach boutiques. There are no strong waves on the beaches of Balmoral, Edwards and Shark in Sydney Bay, they are suitable for families with children. The northern beaches are more deserted, nature here resembles a nature reserve. Palm Beach is especially beautiful with million dollar views. There’s a bit of everything on the South Coast, from nudist-loved Perous Beach to the vast expanses of Cronulla, where Australians come in off-road vehicles to drive along the water’s edge.
