Sydney luxury vacations hand-crafted by our Australia specialists.
Sydney INTRODUCTION
Australia’s largest and most famous city, Sydney is a delight for the senses.
Glittering with lights by night and reflections off the harbour by day, it’s a beautiful coastal city anchored by some of the world’s most iconic landmarks.
Take your pick of award-winning restaurants, championship golf courses, scenic coastal walks and gorgeous public gardens.
Then catch a performance at the Sydney Opera House or soak up city views from the steel-arched Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In addition to sparkling sophistication, Sydney holds a treasure trove of lesser-known attractions.
Walking the Bondi to Coogee coastal trail will take you along 6km of beautiful beaches, and a half hour ferry will take you to Manly for laidback cafes and crashing surf.
Dip in the wave-break waters of Bondi’s seaside public pool, or pack a bag to camp under the stars on the harbour’s Cockatoo Island.
Whether with family or friends, as a couple or on your own, Sydney always has something special in store.
Sydney Attractions, Sightseeing & Activities
Seen in so many famous movies and TV shows, Sydney’s best attractions, sightseeing and activities may seem obvious at first. Yes, you’ll find the iconic Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and stretch after stretch of beautiful beaches, but there’s more to do than what immediately comes to mind. Explore cobbled laneways at the Rocks to learn about the city’s Gadigal aboriginal people, or take a harbour cruise to encounter far more than the dominating sails of the opera house.
The Royal Botanic Garden provides a relaxing break from the bustling city, and the beautiful Queen Victoria Building hosts one of the best high tea experiences in town. Be whisked away to the top of the Sydney Tower Eye for panoramic views of the city, or discover zoo animals, sea creatures and even wax figures along the pedestrian precinct of Darling Harbour. You can also find Powerhouse Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum here.
Sydney Shopping & Dining
As you may have been able to guess, Sydney is one of the best places in Australia for shopping. Paving the way for fashion enthusiasts, you can find international retail giants at Pitt Street Mall, high fashion brands at the Queen Victoria Building, and boutique shops at The Rocks. With its tagline as ‘markets over malls, fashion over fads’, you know you’re going to find something special to add to your closet.
When all that shopping inevitably makes you hungry, you’ll have Sydney’s best restaurants at the ready. Often inspired by the flavours found in Asia, you can scour out street food stalls at a market, or indulge in fine dining that fuses east with west. Outlying suburbs like Balmain boast delicious restaurants tucked into traditional terraces, whereas Surry Hills has become the incredibly trendy place for famous and upcoming chefs to do what they do best: cook and create.
Sydney Festivals & Sports
Australia has more festivals per capita than anywhere else in the world, and that means Sydney certainly has its fair share. From the internationally-acclaimed St Jerome’s Laneway Festival to the city-centric Sydney Festival, you can dance to music by some of the world’s best artists, or sate your curiosity surrounding Sydney’s arts scene. Of course, Sydney’s popular Vivid festival is widely recognized for turning the Opera House into a psychedelic canvas of colour each year as well.
Sports enthusiasts will love Sydney for its varied sports event calendar. Here you’ll find Australia’s largest surfing festival, Surfest, as well as one of the world’s most prestigious ocean races, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Rugby fans end a long and grueling season with the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final Week in September, and golf aficionados get their glimpse of the pros at the Emirates Australian Open in November.