Sydney is bold, brash and optimistic. Sydney Harbour provides a sparkling backdrop for the iconic opera house and harbour bridge, and spectacular outlooks elsewhere - even the giraffes in Taronga Zoo enjoy a million-dollar view! Back at street level, the city hums and buzzes all day and night.
For such a large city (pop. 4 million, area 1120 sq kilometres), Sydney is remarkably easy to move around in, whether by car, train, bus or ferry.
Most attractions are within or close to the central business district or harbour. Dress casually and bring comfortable shoes because there are so many ways to appreciate Sydney on foot.
Followers of fashion will be drawn to funky Paddington or urbane downtown. History buffs will be fascinated by what they learn about this former prison colony on a self-guided walking tour.
And the food! Decades of immigration have produced a world of tastes in the city's restaurant scene.
Pack the binoculars with your walking shoes. They're not only good for spotting whales and dolphins in the ocean, or koalas and kangaroos in the bush, they'll also come in handy at the opera house.
When the opera ends, the nightclubs are just warming up. There are Irish pubs, theme pubs, gay and lesbian pubs and friendly neighbourhood pubs - whatever you want, Sydney has it. Be aware that Australian pubs are often known as 'hotels', even though they may not offer accommodation.
Like your nature up close? Swing out to one of the many coastal tracks through forest and over beaches and rocks, with amazing ocean views.
If you're more of a water rat, grab your 'cossie' (bathing suit) and catch the ferry to Manly Beach. In 1903, it was one of the first beaches in Sydney to permit daylight swimming!
Bondi Beach is where locals play beach volleyball, jog, skateboard or roller blade, and for glamour you can't beat Palm Beach, the set of the television series 'Home and Away' and home to film stars, artists and millionaires.
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Things you must see and do in Sydney
- Shop till your credit card drops. Take a bargain-hunter's tour. Fossick around Paddy's Market, or go up-market to the glorious Queen Victoria Building, built in 1898 to replace the original Sydney Markets.
- Visit The Rocks, where the first Europeans settled in Australia and convicts built dwellings along natural rock ledges.
- Walk the coast from the Spit bridge to Manly and see some of Sydney's loveliest views.
- Get to the Sydney Fish Market. The public is invited to view the auctions, held every weekday from 5:30am. Retail outlets are open from 7am and the Sydney Seafood school can teach budding chefs a thing or two about cooking seafood.
- Visit the remarkable Sydney Opera House and tackle the breathtaking Sydney Harbour Bridge walk. There's a reason everyone does them: they're unforgettable.
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