Introducing Sydney
At the heart of Sydney - Australia's oldest, largest and most diverse city - is the outrageously good-looking Sydney Harbour. Like a psychedelic supermodel, the city curves and sways through this glamorous maze of sandstone headlands, lazy bays and legendary surf beaches. The Sydney experience is essentially physical - dunk yourself in the Bondi surf, sail under the Harbour Bridge on a yacht, jog along the Coogee cliff tops or rampage through Centennial Park on horseback. Everybody seems to be outside - the beaches are swarming, street cafés buzz and the harbour blooms with sails.
Advertisement
Jealous as hell, the rest of Australia stereotypes Sydney as more body-beautiful than bookish, more carpe diem than museum - a narcissistic 'Sin City' fixated on sunglasses, salons and soy lattes. Sure, there's a lot of blonde dye in Bondi, but the genetic legacy of the British and Irish convicts who built Sydney is more evident in gutsy self-belief than anything mirror-worthy.
Sydney is no less complex socially than it is on the map. An edgy multiculturalism ignites the food scene and fuels the nocturnal life - you'll lose yourself in the restaurants, bars and clubs just as easily as on the streets. Aboriginal heritage makes an impact through art; you'll see many urban galleries celebrating indigenous culture.
Whether it's the launching pad or the final fling of your New South Wales adventure, your Sydney days will be active and engaging, your nights indulgent and intense. The rest of Australia is in denial - Sydney is as good as it gets.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Explore Australia's east coast on a 7-day journey from Sydney to Brisbane
- Experience the bush with a 4-day tour from Sydney
- Enjoy the views on a luxury Sydney harbour cruise
Last updated: Feb 1, 2013
Tips & articles
-
Expensive experiences, cheaper alternatives
10 April 2013
The world’s most iconic travel experiences don’t usually come cheap – but sometimes there are real alternatives. Here are some...
-
Sydney’s top speciality drinking spots
18 March 2013
It’s hard to know where to start in a city that sparkles with entertainment options after dark. There’s no shortage...
-
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras: a guide to Australia’s biggest party
15 February 2013
This is an excerpt from Lonely Planet’s A Year of Festivals....
Sydney
Things to do
- All things to do (1,053)
- Activities (238)
- Entertainment (188)
- Restaurants (230)
- Shopping (167)
- Sights (223)
- Tours (7)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Sydney
-
1 Bondi Beach and Northern Beaches
Carve up the surf at Bondi Beach or the Northern Beaches
-
2 Dining at Circular Quay
Enjoy fresh seafood, divine Australian wine and harbour hubbub at a Circular Quay restaurant
-
3 Sydney Opera House
Catch a show and ogle the architecture at the Sydney Opera House
-
4 Art Gallery of New South Wales
Check out the stunning indigenous art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
-
5 Manly Scenic Walkway
Forget you're in the middle of a huge city on the bushy Manly Scenic Walkway