Sydney Things to Do Tips by leffe3

The Botanic Gardens are to be found on the shoreline of the Harbour in the centre of the city. Not only does it offer great views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, quiet respites from the traffic and freneticism of downtown Sydney, the understated grandeur of the former Government House, an insight into the natural flora of Australia, but you can also find the most extraordinary number of fruit bats in the trees around the shop/cafe. And at dusk, the sky is full!

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Strange - one of the most famous iconic buildings in the world, yet, when close to it, you suddenly realise that its only recognisable from certain angles. Its the roof angles that make it so distinctive.

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Address: Circular Quays

The Opera House changed Sydney. It provides a focal point and is a world famous building. Incredibly, it was very nearly not built and actually took 14 years to complete, ending up costing more than A$100 million rather than the A$7 million first budgeted. Danish architect Jorn Utzon won the international competition to design it - amazingly, when the building got underway on Bennelong Point (named after the first Aborigine to speak English), Utzon complained that he hadn't finished the design! But its an amazing sight, perched as it is overlooking the Harbour and the Bridge. Its a whole series of concert halls, studio theatres, bars etc and there are many different types of tours, inside and out, that can be undertaken.

There are problems with it though, including the fact that the opera auditorium (and stage) is too small.

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Address: Circular Quays

Walk from the Opera House and a few minutes will take you to Circular Quays and the ferries to all points round the bay. And all ferries from this point all give you superb views of the other Sydney icon - the Harbour Bridge. Good thing about Circular Quays is that it is also a train station - so a real central transport hub and which can be reached easily from all points of Sydney.
Personally, I would take one of the ferries to get great views of the harbour rather than the expensive organised tours.

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The AMP Tower is distinctive on the Sydney skyline. It may not be the most attractive of such towers, but it is becoming as well known as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as synonymous with the city. A trip to the top is as much part of a trip to Sydney as is the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Empire State Building in NY.
It ain't cheap though at A$22, although entrance includes Virtual 3D trip through the highlights of Australia.

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Phone: 02 9231 9300
Address: 100 Market St
Directions: Enter through the shopping mall on ground floor - take lift up to the foyer entrance

A surprisingly disappointing view from the tower is to be had. Its great for distant coasts and bays. and certainly provides proof as to why, in area, Sydney is twice as big as London and three times as big as NY. Problem is the close proximity of other office blocks tot he tower, thus blocking the view of the Opera House completely and providing only a glimpse of the Harbour and Bridge.

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The redevelopment of Darling Harbour has provided a new central focus point to Sydney. Highly saught-after residential blocks, luxury hotels, swish restaurants, chic bars, cool cafes as well as museums/galleries/ the aquarium, harbour cruises, ferry stops, live music throughout the year, IMAX screen and the Chinese Friendship Garden make this a hive of activity 365 days of the year. Plus the old swing bridge that opens once a day.

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Virtually everyday there is some live entertainment or other in Darling Harbour - and they certainly attract the crowds. End of May is the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival - 3 days of jazz using 2 (one floating) stages in the harbour basin itself. Free access and final night = major firework display.

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Go across the bridge to the other side of the harbour and Kirribilli. You can catch a train that actually crosses the bridge, take a bus but the best way is to walk, taking in the views of the harbour below you. The other side provides fantastic views of the bridge and Opera House, as well as the Central Business District skyline.

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Around the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks are heaps of buskers and street entertainers - some good, some not so.This guy, with his partner, was excellent - and sussed - A$10 would buy you their CD. They' also request a AUD$2 donation to take photos :) - and they do pretty well out of it too!

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