Guide to Exploring Sydney
Sydney is the biggest, oldest and most iconic city of Australia. It also has a reputation for being one of the most cosmopolitan and most livable cities in the world. In this Sydney Travel Guide, I want to introduce you to this biggest city in Australia, and help you, as an independent traveller, discover all its places of interest.
Discovering Sydney
In addition to being the biggest city of Australia, Sydney is also the state capital of New South Wales. It has close to 4.4 million inhabitants. Its history goes back to 1788, when the British established a colony at Sydney Cove. The city eventually spreads out around a body of water called the Sydney Harbour. At Sydney Harbour are some of the most famous landmarks of Sydney, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
Sydney is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Royal National Park to the south. Sydney Harbour is actually a submergent coastline. It was created when the ocean level rose to cover the river valleys.
There are many beaches in Sydney. The most famous are Bondi Beach and Manly.
Sydney enjoys warm summers and cool winters. January is usually the hottest month, when temperature may exceed 40°C, while July is the coldest month, with temperature going down to below 10°C. The city doesn't get too much rain, nor is it affected by cyclones, although it some times does experience soft hail, usually during the winter month of July.
Downtown Sydney is called the Central Business District, or CBD. This is the area that stretches from Sydney Cove to around the Central station. It is bordered by parks such as the Domain to the east, Darling Harbour to the west. Most of the skyscrapers of Sydney are concentrated within the CBD area, and towering over everything is Sydney Tower.
Arriving in Sydney
Sydney International Airport (in full, Sydney Kingsford-Smith International Airport, SYD), located south of Sydney in Mascot, NSW, is the most important airport in Australia for both international and domestic flights. Sydney Airport is only 8km from the city centre, and has three main terminals: T1, T2 and T3. T1 is the International Terminal, while T2 and T3 are for domestic flights. T1 is separated from T2 and T3 by a runway, so travellers transiting between terminals should allow sufficient time between flights. Terminals T2 and T3 are next to each other, so you can walk between them. To reach T1 from T2 and T3 or vice versa, you need to take a transport. If you are flying with Qantas, you can use the air-side shuttle service. Otherwise, the options are train, bus and taxi.
The train between terminals is the AirportLink, AirportLink, which is connected to Sydney's suburban train network. It takes just 2 minutes to go between terminals. Follow the train sign to the station, and make sure the train is heading in the right direction. The fare is $4.70.
The bus service, called T-Bus, use the normal road to go between terminals. It takes 10 minutes to shuttle passengers between terminals, some times more if they get stuck in a jam. The fare is $5.00
The third option is by taxi. Taxis are not entirely happy to ferry passengers between terminals. That's because they have been in the taxi queue for a while, and doing so puts them at the end of the queue again, for a 10-minute journey that does not earn them as much as a trip to the city. Nevertheless be firm about it, for it is legal requirement for taxis to take you there. The fare is $10.00
Getting Out of Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport is just about 9 km from the city centre. A train ride will take just 10 minutes while the bus will take 30 minutes, depending on traffic. There's an underground train station at each of the airport terminals, while the bus and taxi stands are outside the Arrival Halls.
- By Bus. Taking the bus and then connecting to commuter train is probably the cheapest way into Sydney. Bus No. 400 goes to Bondi Junction and Burwood via Rockdale Station. It costs $2.90 for the international terminal, and $3.90 for the domestic terminals. From Rockdale, take the train to the city for $3.20. Get the Red Travelpass for $33. It allows you 7 days of unlimited use of the bus, train and ferry in Sydney. Go to CityRail TravelPass for details and terms of use. Also, visit 131500 Transport Infoline for information on transport in the Greater Sydney area.
- By Taxi. The fare to the city is approximately $25-$30, including tolls. It will cost more to farther destinations in Sydney, ie The Rocks $35-$40, North Sydney $35, Manly $50, etc. Expect long queue for taxis if arriving on Friday evenings.
- By Train. Airport Link, connects Sydney Airport to the city. One way fare is $12.00. Airport Link connects to Cityrail, www.cityrail.info/ the commuter rail system of Sydney. They share the same ticketing system. As the trains are part of Sydney's commuter lines, expect them to be busy during rush hours (7:30am - 9:30am).
- By Car. If you want someone to collect you from the airport, take note that waiting is not allowed. Minimum charge for parking is $7.00 for the first half an hour.
- By Rented Car. Car rentals are available at all terminals. To book your car online, the low-cost option in Australia is EasyCar
Getting Tourist Information
The Tourism NSW Information Desk is available at Level 1 of the T1 terminal, and open from 6:00am to 11:00pm every day, to provide you help on accommodation, tours, etc.
How to find Accommodation: Sydney Hotels
There is plenty of accommodation in Sydney, ranging from guesthouses to hotel chains. If you are planning to book a hotel room, it would be wise to check the prices from different Hotel Booking websites before you place any bookings. Why's that? Well, you'd discover that different sites actually quote different prices for the same hotel rooms. Use our free Hotel Search Engine to view list of hotels and prices they offer. You will be able then to determine which booking site offers the lowest price for the room you intend to book. This enables you to make an informed decision that will save you a lot of money.
How to get around in Sydney
What to see in Sydney
So where to go when you're in Sydney? Below I list out the places in Sydney by category. On the right column are places of interest in Sydney that you may want to explore. There is really more places than the average visitor care to visit, so I add a star ( * ) for sights I deem of considerable significance, and two stars ( * * ) for sights of major significance. I hope that helps you enjoy Sydney more!
Sydney Neighbourhoods
- Chinatown: Place in the southern part of Sydney's Central Business District with a significant Chinese population
- Circular Quay: Place north of Sydney's Central Business District
- Darling Harbour: Place in Sydney by the sea now used as a recreational precinct
- The Rocks: A rough urban neighbourhood in Sydney, next to Circular Quay
Sydney Beaches
- Bondi Beach*: Famous beach in Sydney
- Manly Beach*: Another famous beach in Sydney
Sydney Churches, Chapels and Cathedrals
- St Andrew's Cathedral: Cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Sydney
- St James' Church: The main Anglican church of Sydney
- St Mary's Cathedral: The seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney
Some Parks and Monuments in Sydney
- ANZAC War Memorial: Monument in Hyde Park
- Hyde Park: Park with monuments in centre of Sydney
- Royal Botanic Gardens: Park with monuments in centre of Sydney
- Sydney Olympic Park: Site of the 2000 Olympics
- The Domain: Large open park in Sydney
Some Sydney Bridges and Tunnels
- Pyrmont Bridge: A swing bridge at Darling Harbour now used for pedestrians
- Sydney Harbour Bridge: One of the most famous bridges in the world
- Sydney Harbour Tunnel: Vehicular tunnel under Sydney Harbour
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Places of Interest in Sydney
Top Tourist Attractions
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Sydney Opera House
- Great Barrier Reef
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
- Kakadu National Park
- Cadman's Cottage
- Campbell's Storehouses
- Customs House
- Garrison Church
- Hero of Waterloo
- Justice and Police Museum
- Macquarie Place
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- National Trust Centre
- Sailor's Home
- St Philip's Church
- Susannah Place
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Sydney Observatory
- The Rocks Discovery Museum
- Writers' Walk
Sights within the City Centre and Darling Harbour
- ANZAC War Memorial
- Australian Museum
- Australian National Maritime Museum
- Chinatown
- Chinese Garden
- Great Synagogue
- Hyde Park
- King Street Wharf
- Lands Department Building
- Martin Place
- Museum of Sydney
- Paddy's Markets
- Powerhouse Museum
- Pyrmont Bridge
- Queen Victoria Building
- St Andrew's Cathedral
- St Mary's Cathedral
- State Theatre
- Strand Arcade
- Sydney Aquarium & Wildlife World
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Sydney Harbour Tunnel
- Sydney Opera House
- Sydney Tower
- Sydney Town Hall
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Conservatorium of Music
- Fort Denison
- Hyde Park Barracks
- Mrs Macquarie's Chair
- Parliament House
- St James' Church
- State Library of New South Wales
- Sydney Hospital
- Sydney Mint
Sights around Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and Paddington
- Beare Park
- Centennial Park
- Darlinghurst Court House
- El Alamein Fountain
- Elizabeth Bay House
- Five Ways
- Juniper Hall
- Old Gaol of Darlinghurst
- Paddington
- Paddington Markets
- Paddington Street
- Paddington Town Hall
- Potts Point
- Sydney Jewish Museum
- The Entertainment Quarter
- Victoria Barracks
- Victoria Street
Sights in the surrounding vicinity of Sydney
- Bondi Beach
- Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
- Macquarie Lighthouse
- Manly Beach
- Parramatta
- Sydney Olympic Park
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