What should i see in sydney

An average visit to the Sydney Aquarium takes about two hours, and can easily be included in a full day visit to Darling Harbour. You can purchase tickets online , or you can also get a Sydney Attraction Pass which includes various Sydney attractions at a reduced price. Wandering through this 30 hectares large green oasis is an absolute delight. Popular with both tourists as well as with local office workers, the Botanic Garden is a quiet place where people can visit to learn more about science, gardens, plants and horticulture.

Visiting one of the many Sydney Harbour islands is a great way to learn more about the history and evolution of Sydney. Cockatoo Island is one of those islands that is definitely worth a visit and makes for a great day out. Over the years, the island has served as a shipbuilding yard and Commonwealth naval base, and also as a convict island. There is a direct ferry service from Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island. Once on the island, grab a free map from the visitor centre and simply wander around to fully absorb the rich history and the highlights on the island.

If you have more time to spend, you can also stay overnight on Cockatoo Island. Book a luxury tent on the waterfront camping site, or otherwise book a night in one of their heritage holiday houses or harbour view apartments.

The best way to truly enjoy the beauty of Sydney Harbour is by catching a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly.

Depending on the weather on the day, try to get a seat outside at the front of the vessel for the best views. Otherwise, pick one side of the vessel on the way to Manly, and grab a seat on the other side when returning back to the city. Bondi Beach quite literally has something for everyone. The water is great for both swimming and surfing, there are lots of great outdoor picnic areas to enjoy, and the suburban street of Bondi are heavily populated with great cafes and pubs.

If you have the time and you love a bit of hiking, the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is an absolute must. The views from start to finish are absolutely amazing, with lots of cafes and parks long the way to have a rest.

The track can be divided into two sections, with Bronte Beach located at the halfway mark. Depending on stops, the walk can easily be completed within three hours. You can then walk back the same way, or catch a bus to return to your starting point. A large park in the centre of town, various cafes and pubs, a couple of beaches, and some great lookout points make Watsons Bay a pleasant tourist attraction.

Starting and ending at Robertson Park, the popular circuit walk around South Head offers some of the best panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the city skyline, North Head, the Gap, and the historic Hornby Lighthouse. This relatively easy walking track is the best way to discover the beauty of Watsons Bay.

Getting to Watsons Bay is easiest by ferry from Circular Quay. Otherwise, plenty of buses travel between the city to Watsons Bay on a regular basis. Manly is a beachside suburb with a somewhat unique and relaxed atmosphere. It has a long beach facing the ocean, and a quieter beach facing Sydney Harbour, where the ferry wharf is located.

Both beaches are connected by the Manly Corso, a pedestrian mall lined with pubs, cafes, surf shops, galleries and street entertainment. But if you like some exercise, Manly is the starting point or end point of two popular hiking trails. The Spit to Manly walk is a 10km coastal adventure between the Spit Bridge and Manly, and the North Head circuit walk is a 10km adventure that explores the history and unique landscape of North Head. Both are highly recommended.

Situated on the western side of the Sydney CBD, Barangaroo Reserve is a modern Sydney Harbour foreshore park that was developed as part of a large urban redevelopment project.

This project has turned a once ugly industrial site into a thriving business, entertainment and leisure precinct. Barangaroo Reserve is a 6-hectare waterfront park with a large man-made hill right in the middle. Don't miss: If you're not in the mood for booze, PS40 also manufactures its own bespoke line of sodas.

It's 26 kilometres of national park with stunning coastline walks, secluded beaches, natural rock pools and rock formations that are Insta-worthy.

Whether you want to swim, trek, picnic, swim, bike ride, swim or just GTFO of Sydney for the day, the Royal National Park will provide an outdoors, adventure-filled day away. Don't miss: Whale watching season runs from May to November and the Royal National Park is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures on their migration. The harbourside MCA is the go-to venue for cutting-edge art on a local and international level.

These coffee pioneers were the first in Sydney to extol the virtues of bean provenance and production. In the 18 years since they first opened, they've firmly cemented a reputation as Sydney's ultimate utopia for coffee enthusiasts. Don't miss: When in Rome, drink coffee like the Romans do. Don't mess around with a flat white — it's Single O's espresso game that really stands it apart, so make sure you order the strong stuff. Each lesson starts on the sand, so you can ask embarrassing questions without fear.

It's the largest island in Sydney's harbour and set at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers. It's been a film set, a jail, a shipping yard and home to arts and culture festivals. Because it has so much history. Before , when a prison was built to house convicts from Norfolk Island, it was covered with red gums and was almost certainly an Aboriginal fishing spot.

The island had a brief stint hosting an industrial school for girls and a naval training ship for boys. However, the island was mostly used for shipbuilding and repairs. Today, the island is run by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, which runs different types of tours. Don't miss: There are campsites, glamping packages, apartments or heritage holiday houses to choose from if you want to extend your trip to the storied island. This easy, breezy 1. A not-for-profit zoo with harbourside views featuring 4, animals from koalas and echidnas to giraffes and elephants.

You're guaranteed sightings of many Australian animals, plus threatened species. The zoo runs talks and animal encounters daily — and even glamping sleepovers. The gallery presents nearly 40 exhibitions annually, and there are workshops, talks and film screenings each week — most of which are free to access. Don't miss: Here on a Wednesday? The galley is open till 10pm for workshops, talks, film screenings in a weekly program called Art After Hours.

T he largest fish market in the Southern Hemisphere is a working port and a popular lunchtime spot. Dine in or buy fresh seafood, or book into an early morning Behind the Scenes tours to weave your way around 55 tonnes of fish on the auction floor, learning key facts about how to buy seafood at its freshest.

Don't miss: Get up early and catch the noisy wholesale fish auctions; they start at 5. When it opened in , the Strand Arcade was regarded as the very latest in shopping-centre architecture. It's still one of the most beautiful thoroughfares to visit today. Plus, you can find vibrant and distinctive jewellery from local brand Dinosaur Designs and natural beauty products at Aesop. Don't miss: The very dapper hat collection at Strand Hatters.

If you came to Australia without sufficient head protection, staff will sort you out with a stylish Akubra, Brixton or Panama. Even now, after all these years, making your way through the dark tunnel and down the stairs at the back of the laneway is still a little bit of a thrill.

And the service remains nothing less than impeccable. Don't miss: The jaw-dropping collection of whiskies now stretches to more than 1, labels, and the bar is now open 4pm-3am every single night, so let the good times roll. It takes a chef of rare skill to perfect a complex dish, but a true genius in the kitchen to elevate a dish to legendary status that essentially has just one main ingredient.

People queue down the street every weekend to get a taste of these light-as-a-feather, pillowy eggs, and for good reason. Surry Hills, and Sydney in general for that matter, is far from short on brunch options but Bills is widely considered to be the OG venue for brekkie in the city.

And it's not just the scrambled that they nail here — the corn fritters are another tried and true crowd-pleaser. Don't miss: If you can manage your timing just so, try and snag a seat at one of the outdoor tables. Not only will you get some grade-A people watching along Crown St, but you can also enjoy being the envy of everyone still waiting in line. When Time Out has visitors in town this is one of the first things we recommend they do. Don't miss: The chance to live in your activewear all day long.

No one will bat an eyelid. Situated on the North Head just south of Manly, Sydney's former quarantine station is now a hotel and corporate retreat. But try telling that to the many ghosts that supposedly roam its grounds. Q Station's ghost tours are hugely popular and pepper your scares with some fascinating local history. If ever there were a time to learn more about the quarantines of yore, it's now. Q Station was on the frontline of the last global health emergency in , and the rich history of this heritage-listed site offers a fascinating lens on the experiences of the past year.

Don't miss: Of all the ghoulish stops on the Q Station ghost tour, one is feared above all others: the gravedigger's cottage. Some seriously scary experiences have been reported within its walls, and this creepy dwelling is said to have Sydney's most haunted bathroom. Get amongst the Jatz crackers and French onion dip, or a proper free-range, hormone-free schnitzel. They cook it right — a very hot pan to get that crisp, caramelised shell, and a liberal hand with the seasoning.

Of any bar in the city, few can boast a view as iconic as the Opera Bar. But that's not the only reason to go here. There are multiple venues to sample, live music and DJs most nights and unbeatable people-watching opportunities.

It manages to be both one of the most enviably located bars in the city as well as its most advantageous spot for a pre-show drink. Don't miss: The neighbouring venue, Opera Kitchen, is soon becoming a market food hall including a pasta bar, single O coffee and an Italian bakery. The only cageless shark diving experience in Sydney. You can join a colony of grey nurse sharks on a minute diving experience in Darling Harbour. The biggest benefit of diving with them at the aquarium, rather than in the open ocean, is the guarantee of seeing so many sharks in one spot.

Don't miss: The colony of king and gentoo penguins who also call the aquarium home. One of Sydney's few legal nude beaches, so if you're feeling the au naturale vibe, then shed some layers here.

You'll need to park up the hill and walk a fair way to get here — it's at the bottom of a long series of steps, and as far as beaches go, she's a small one. While going Full Monty in public isn't for everyone, there's something undeniably liberating about taking to the harbour waters in just your birthday suit.

The stunning Sydney views are just the cherry on top. Don't miss: If stripping off at Obelisk piques your interest, why not pay a visit to one of Sydney's other nude beaches? There are five near the city where getting your kit off is permitted.

One of the best escape rooms in Sydney; there are three rooms to choose from, and in each room you have to solve a series of puzzles in the allotted time in order to escape. Game designer Marise spent a year researching escape rooms around Australia and in New York before creating Espionage.

Palm Beach is the ideal Australian package. Plus, you can walk to the lighthouse on the hill, which is a great spot for whale watching. Every plant found here is native, although not necessarily local — these colourful blooms have been sourced from across Australia, including 18 threatened species of flora.

The gardens were first planted in as a sanctuary for Indigenous plants and animals. Some of the most stunning trails close to the city can be found here, but the rocky falls at America Bay has to rank as its most breathtaking corner.

Aside from the toothy grin of its distinctive front gates, this multicoloured Ferris wheel is the most recognisable feature of Sydney's oldest theme park. For more than eight decades, Luna Park has surprised and delighted the fun-seekers of Sydney. But it's not resting on its laurels. Sure, you'll still find some old-timey rides and vaudevillian aesthetics, but the park is also undergoing a major upgrade currently, to bring it into the 21st century, including the construction of several new attractions.

Don't miss: While it's easy enough to catch the train over the Harbour Bridge to Milsons Point, we recommend taking the ferry. It's almost as quick and you'll be rewarded with some choice photo ops as you approach Luna Park's wharf.

Don't miss: Should you find yourself in the city, you can get your hands on one of these bad boys at their second location in the thriving Darling Square precinct, as well.

Connecting Queenscliff and Freshwater beaches, the tunnel is still the most direct route between the two seafronts without cutting through the suburban streets. Don't miss: While you're in the neighbourhood, why not make a day of it?

Too many restaurants, not enough time? Cut the fat with our guide to the best places to eat in the city. Going out and doing things satisfies our need to explore, to learn and to grow and then to brag about it on social media. Our hope is that the DO List becomes not just your bucket list, but your inspiration to experience and appreciate the corners of magic in the world. About us.

Contact us. Discover the best of the city, first. We already have this email. Try another? Explore the inner workings of the Sydney Opera House. Book Now. More info. Open In Google Maps. Visit Website. Give us feedback. Building, Market, Shopping Mall. Natural Feature. Botanical Garden. Market, Shop. Cockatoo Island Business. View Rooms. Price Drop. Sitting in the middle of Sydney Harbour, Cockatoo Island was once a prison where repeat offenders were sent to serve their sentences.

It was later transformed into a shipyard, storing the materials that were used to construct the expansion of Sydney. Swimming Pool. Manly, New South Wales, , Australia. Atmosphere: Family Friendly.

Amusement Park. Art Gallery. Atmosphere: Accessible Wheelchair , Family Friendly. Atmosphere: Accessible Wheelchair. To the east of Sydney lies Watsons Bay, a historic fishing village that is thought to be the first place Captain Cook stopped at on arriving in the harbour. A must-do here is to buy some fish and chips to eat by the water. There are some fancier restaurants, but the dish is best doused in vinegar and coddled in paper to eat on the beach.

Architectural Landmark. Barangaroo, New South Wales, , Australia. Hiking Trail. Natural Feature, Park. New South Wales, Australia. These recommendations were updated on May 28, to keep your travel plans fresh. Read Next View.