The 2nd time was for NYE with my friend Emily and it was a great 5/6 days to revisit some sites and explore some news ones.
I am by no means a Sydney expert, I have good friends who live in Sydney & they can probably come up with a better & more original list than me but these things were places that stood out & I enjoyed the most during my short time there.
BOTANICAL GARDENS
I do love a botanical gardens visit.
You could spend an entire day exploring every part of this garden, venturing down all the hidden pathways, enjoying the wildlife and exhibitions.
A bonus to this particular garden is that you get lovely views of the iconic Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge.
Win win!
My favourite part of the gardens is relaxing at Mrs Macquaries Chair where you get THE best view in my opinion.
Sunsets are dreamy here but make sure you arrive early as its pretty popular!
CIRCULAR QUAY
This whole area is home to the ferry terminals where you can hop on a ferry, take to the water and explore different areas surrounding Sydney.
OH & also Sydney Opera House is here, quite a big one to nearly miss.
The Opera House sits at the end of the Quay. Take a walk round, marvel at the design, visit the gift shop inside or buy tickets to take a tour or even see a show.
The quay has plenty of shops, bars and restaurants to enjoy while you soak up the sun watching the boats come in.
BONDI TO COOGEE WALK
I'd heard great things about this popular coastal walk so got to try it out for myself in January.
The walk spans from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach and is roughly 6km and is not to be rushed. It is a very popular route for local runners and tourists so can be crowded at times.
From the Southern end of Bondi Beach you will find the Icebergs Hotel, and here you can follow the coastal trail south.
Take your time, enjoy the lookout points, spend time at the lovely beaches along the way & fill those lungs with that fresh sea breeze.
Once you reach Coogee Beach I highly recommend stopping at the Coogee Bay Hotel and getting an ice cream, the white chocolate & salted caramel was to die for!
From here you can either catch the 373 bus back to the city OR
& if you're feeing extra fit, walk back too.
THE HARBOUR BRIDGE
Another iconic bit of architecture in Sydney.
Enjoy views of the bridge from Circular Quay, the Botanical Gardens, across the water, travel under by ferry or simply walk (or climb) over it.
One of the most popular experiences in Sydney is to complete the Bridge Climb, which comes at a price and make sure to book in advance.
Or if this doesn't appeal to you, or funds are low, simply walk across for FREE & enjoy many of the vantage points to marvel across the Sydney & surrounding skyline.
You can find steps to the bridge in The Rocks.
DARLING HARBOUR
Darling Harbour really is a darling.
A really lovely area in Sydney, bustling with things to do; museums, exhibitions, restaurants, bars, cinemas, boats and is a popular spot for buskers and street performers.
Take your time strolling round the harbour & pop in somewhere for a bite to eat; I recommend Case Ristorante Italiano, the pasta dishes are brilliant.
If you're feeling a little more adventurous, have a go at the Escape Rooms at Strike Bowling - its actually really hard but great fun!
Every second Saturday night from October to January Darling Harbour hosts a free firework display from 9pm.
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
Ok, so not exactly IN Sydney but an easy access point by car, train or tour bus.
The Blue Mountains are a UNESCO listed national park around 2 hours outside of Sydney but well worth a visit while you're in town.
You can opt to drive there yourself, take the train or do a day tour.
Enjoy some of the hikes, see the waterfalls and just stand in awe of the surroundings from the numerous lookouts in the park.
Make sure to visit the famous Three Sisters while you're there!
Or take a ride on the world's steepest scenic railway.
I will be putting together a simple guide to spending a day at The Blue Mountains soon.
WILDLIFE
Sydney offers plenty of opportunities to get up close with nature, whether it be on a whale & dolphin spotting boat, a trip to Taronga Zoo or visiting either the Wild Life Zoo & Sea Life Aquarium in Darling Harbour.
The Sea Life Aquarium is actually pretty good, you leave with a greater appreciation to Australian Marine Life and the efforts to tackle some environmental issues ... but also which appealed to me, they have a new attraction which allows you to ride on a boat through the penguin enclosure - but be warned, its pretty chilly!
THE ROCKS
Next to Circular Quay you will find this quaint and historic precinct. The Rocks offers great views of the city, as well as a prime location to get that perfect Instagram photo of the Harbour Bridge at Miller's Point.
The whole area is buzzing with cafes, shops and bars. On the weekend stop by and spend some time exploring the markets which run every Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.
You can take a free tour of Sydney Observatory from here and learn all about southern hemisphere astrology and also Sydney's history.
I'm sure whether you've been to Australia or not, at some point you've heard of Bondi Beach. Its 'supposedly" one of the most popular beaches in the entire country but I can honestly say i've been to much nicer beaches and ones that aren't ruined by over-crowding tourists and backpackers.
The beachfront hosts a range of hipster cafes, restaurants, bars and surf-shops. Or walk to the end of the beach and take a photo of the iconic Icebergs Hotel.
The thing I liked most about Bondi Beach was the different graffiti and art work that surrounds the beachfront.
CHINATOWN
I'm all about food & when I find a good Chinese restaurant i've got to share it.
Located in Chinatown you can find hundreds of local supermarkets, restaurants and take-away joints. Venture through the famous Chinatown archways and take your pic from the many food outlets. In January myself & Emily were looking for a good chinese, and when we stumbled across "Chinese Noodle House" on Thomas St and you know its going to be good when theres a queue of people outside waiting to get in. We had an abundance of dumping, noodle and rice dishes and it was amazing!
Make sure you venture up Dixon Street and get yourself some creampuffs at 30c each! They are divine.
- My Guide to Travelling the East Coast - Cairns to Sydney - CLICK HERE
- Vising The Blue Mountains - CLICK HERE
- Roadtrip Sydney to Melbourne - CLICK HERE
Thank you for reading & happy travels :)
♡ G
Join me on Instagram @gemwills
& follow me on my Australia Adventure! ☀
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