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Besides being Australia’s largest city, Sydney is also its most visited. (and, contrary to popular belief, it is not the country’s capital!) Sydney has an incredible variety of attractions and sights to see and, while Sydney can be pricey, its great outdoors, stunning scenery, and a few attractions are free. So when you find yourself in his great city on a tight budget, here are some free things you can do:

The Rocks

The Rocks is the most historic part of Sydney with many narrow laneways, fine colonial buildings, maritime past, sandstone churches and Australia’s oldest pubs. The Lord Nelson brews its own beers and is well worth a refreshing stop. There are traces of Sydney’s original hospital, plumbing and Tank Stream (the first fresh water source) around the area. With weekend markets and street entertainment, The Rocks is a good place to see.

Beaches

Go surfing, swimming, paddling, walking, or simply laze in the sun. From Palm Beach in the north, through the famous Bondi to Cronulla in the south, Sydney is jeweled in white sandy beaches. Discover your favorite, whether energetic and crowded or tucked away almost unseen- there is a beach for all moods and people.

Royal Botanic Gardens and Mrs Macquarie Chair

One of Sydney’s finest walks leaves from lively Circular Quay (where the ferries come in). Walk towards the Opera House with its telltale white sails and into the Royal Botanic Gardens, Australia’s first vegetable garden and now a treasure trove of trees, ferns, flowers and lawn. Criss-crossed by paths and tracks, it is a fine place for a picnic before aiming for Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for one of Sydney’s finest views. Carved from sandstone for the wife of one of the early governors, this spot offers stunning vistas of the Opera House, harbor and Harbor Bridge. On a sunny day, you’ll find locals sprawled out all over the gardens.

Ferry to Manly Beach

More like a seaside town than Sydney itself, Manly is one of the better known beaches in Sydney. Walk the pedestrian Corso to the main beach area where you can swim, sunbake, eat ice-cream, and simply people watch. There is a superb walk along the coastline to tiny and protected Shelly Beach, with cute marine sculptures and a tidal pool. The ferry ride back offers great views of the Harbor Bridge and Opera House. Plan your journey around sunset or early evening for some stunning scenes.

Sydney Harbor Bridge

The bridge was built in 1932 as a government employment project during the great depression. While tours to climb the bridge are expensive, it is free to walk across the bridge giving great views of The Sydney Opera House and panoramas across the harbor. Finding the entrance on the city side can be tricky, so jump on a train to Milson’s Point and walk back towards the city. The best time for pictures is the early morning for the sunrise or the late afternoon when the sun is behind.

The Blue Mountains

Over the millennia, the ancient sandstone of this national park area has been weathered into gorges lined by steep cliffs and separated by narrow ridges. Some activities in this area include seeing the magnificent rock formation of the Three Sisters (particularly stunning at sunset and under evening floodlight) or hiking along paths offering excellent views of the valley, sheer rock walls, tumbling waterfalls and magnificent forests. The park is free but the bus costs a little money.

Museums

Like most cities, Sydney has a wide variety of museums. There’s free entry to the Art Gallery of New South Wales (including lots of aboriginal art), the Museum of Contemporary Art at The Rocks, Nicholson Museum in Sydney University and the National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbor. The historic ships are major attractions including various military vessels and a seaworthy replica of Captain James Cook’s Endeavour, used to discover Australia in 1770. These museums can give you a insight into Australian culture and history as well as a nice cooling break for the Sydney’s hot sun.

Sydney offers a number of ways to enjoy its charms without spending money. Whether it’s relaxing at the beach, escaping to national parks, learning a little of Australia’s history, or viewing the iconic sights, Sydney has it all. Even if you don’t plan on coming on a budget, these attractions are still a must see.

Mark is a 40-something traveler who is based in Sydney, having visited 80+ countries across all seven continents. He is the author of the popular travel blog Travel Wonders of the World and enjoys writing about and photographing memorable destinations across our great planet.