City Highlight: Sydney

Sydney, Australia

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Blessed with the world’s largest natural harbour and strong multicultural society, Sydney’s food scene has transformed from the burnt ‘barbie’ on a greasy grill to glamorous restaurants set up by world-famous chefs and offering haute and nouvelle cuisines with sophisticated wine lists to match. Aria, which is featured in our Restaurants in Sydney guide, is constantly voted as one of the best restaurants by Sydneysiders. It is the place to go if you’re a gourmet or want to impress your future in-laws.

Seafood lovers should head to Sydney fish market, listed in our Shopping in Sydney guide and indulge in Australian rock lobsters, plus an array of freshly cooked and diverse dishes such as traditional fish and chips, Chinese dim sum and Japanese sushi.

Australian Rock Lobsters.
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Our informative guide to Things to See in Sydney helps both first-timers and seasonal travellers explore the city’s attractions with ease. Top of the list is to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Make this a truly spectacular event by timing your climb just before daybreak to catch the fireball rising from the horizon, illuminating the skies with a thousand shades of red and blue. After that, walk ten minutes east to the iconic Sydney Opera House, one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world. For keen walkers, another 30-minute walk heading southwest will take you to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, which offers a complete all-Australian wildlife experience on the waterfront.

No visit to Sydney is complete without sunbathing or surfing on Bondi Beach. Hire a kayak and paddle to Store Beach if you want to avoid the crowds, or dive in Sydney Harbour to check out historic shipwrecks. Our Things to do in Sydney section has plenty of ideas and contact information.

Blue Mountains National Park
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The suburbs of Sydney sprawl towards the stunning Blue Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can easily spend an afternoon or a week exploring the world’s oldest caves and riding the world’s steepest incline railway. Another great excursion is to the famed Hunter Valley, where you can sip award-winning Semillon and Shiraz wines in a lush vineyard setting. For more information, check out our Sydney tours and excursions.

When it comes to hotels in Sydney, bear in mind that accommodation can be costly in this metropolis. But for a friendly hotel in a great location, Ovolo Woolloomooloo is always a safe bet.

Enjoy your time in Sydney. You know you will.