Sights—The architecturally stunning Sydney Opera House; the historic Rocks district; Taronga Zoo; the view of the skyline from the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge or Sydney Tower; the peaceful Royal Botanic Gardens; the view from North Head, Manly.
Museums—Early Australian, contemporary and Aboriginal art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales; contemporary pieces at the Museum of Contemporary Art; natural and cultural history at the Australian Museum; the temporary exhibitions at the State Library of New South Wales; the city's history at the Museum of Sydney; the early days at the Rocks Discovery Museum; Australian innovation and technology at the Powerhouse Museum.
Memorable Meals—A plate of fresh oysters at Sydney Cove Oyster Bar; Chinese food in Chinatown; spicy Malaysian fare in the garden courtyard at Chinta Ria in Darling Harbour; the sheer artistry of food presentation at the highly acclaimed Tetsuya's; the Outback degustation menu at Deep Blue Bistro in the seaside suburb of Coogee.
Nightlife—A night of opera at Sydney Opera House; live jazz at The Basement in Circular Quay; enjoying the view and libations at Cargo Bar & Lounge on King Street Wharf; dancing at the super-hip Home on Cockle Bay Wharf or at the mega-trendy Tank; the Friday-night buzz around the pubs of Taylor Square in Darlinghurst.
Walks—A walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens; a breezy stroll across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (preferably from the north to the south side at sunset); a saunter down Oxford Street, from Darlinghurst to Paddington; the Manly Scenic Walk.
Especially for Kids—Sleeping over at Taronga Zoo ("Roar and Snore" sleepovers are available on selected dates); the shark tank at the Sydney Aquarium; the interactive exhibits at Oceanworld Manly; examples of human achievement at the Powerhouse Museum; petting a kangaroo at Featherdale Wildlife Park; the fair and rides at Luna Park; the huge indoor playground at Lollipops Playland.
Located on an inlet on the southeastern coast of Australia, Sydney is a sprawling, low-rise city. Visitors will likely spend most of their time in Sydney's center—two distinct areas that are within walking distance of one another: downtown (which generally includes the Central Business District, The Rocks and Darling Harbour) and the Kings Cross-Paddington area.
The best place to start getting acquainted with the city's layout is Circular Quay, the city's transportation hub. As you face the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to your right is the famous Sydney Opera House with the Royal Botanic Gardens beyond it. To the left, beneath the bridge, is The Rocks, which curves around the bay to Darling Harbour, where you'll find the city's aquarium, exhibition center and other attractions. The tall buildings bordered by Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Hyde Park make up the Central Business District (also known as the CBD).
A 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride southeast takes you to Kings Cross, the city's red-light district, which is close to some of Sydney's most seriously hip neighborhoods. Paddington is lined with fine-art galleries, trendy clothing stores and pretty Victorian houses. Darlinghurst is known for its trendy cafes and nightclubs. Oxford Street is Sydney's—and Australia's—gay mecca and site of the famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in February. To the south is Surry Hills, whose residents are known as "Surry Hillbillies": inner-city groovers with disposable incomes. It is one of the city's most desirable postcodes. Northeast of Sydney, on the Pacific coast, lie Manly and its famous beach. To the west are a host of grungy inner-city suburbs, including arty Glebe and Newtown. Southwest is the Italian enclave Leichhardt. To the east are the iconic harborside suburbs with unbeatable views of Sydney's waterfront heritage: Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay, Watsons Bay, Vaucluse and the like. Sydney's most iconic beach, Bondi, is to the southeast.
The Aborigines inhabited the Sydney area for thousands of years before the first European settlers landed there on 26 January 1788. British Capt. Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack and named the city in honor of Lord Sydney, who was then the British home secretary. Phillip's mission was to establish a penal colony at Sydney Cove (today known as Circular Quay) for the boatloads of convicts and troops he'd taken with him.
The reluctant colonists (known as "First Fleeters") were ill-prepared to settle the continent, but after much hardship, the city began taking shape in the area now called The Rocks. Over the next century, Sydney's secure harbor spurred the city's emergence as the country's economic hub. But Sydney didn't shed its reputation as bland and provincial until the mid-1950s, when enlightened leadership led to the construction of such landmarks as the Sydney Opera House. Explosive growth, coupled with a booming economy, helped turn Sydney into one of the world's most attractive, cosmopolitan and multicultural cities.
Australian Mary Donaldson, now Crown Princess of Denmark, met Crown Prince Frederick at the Slip Inn in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Sydney was 113 F/45 C and the lowest temperature ever recorded was 25 F/-4 C.
English actor Robert Morley, when asked his opinion of the place, reportedly said, "Sydney? That's a strange name for a city. Why didn't they call it Fred?"
The famous Australian comedian and actor Paul Hogan used to work as a rigger on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney's indigenous funnel-web spider is rated the world's deadliest arachnid.
The seaside suburb of Manly was named after Sydney founder British Capt. Arthur Phillip's admiration of the "manly" build of the Aborigines.
