Insider's Guide: Getting the best of Australian capital Sydney

One imagines an early incarnation of the Aussie larrikin sentencing an Irish bread thief to transportation, before turning around with a sly wink and saying “Onya way ta paradise, mate.” 

Nevertheless, the vast distance between Sydney and Europe meant that the city’s appeal wasn’t well-recognised until the 1932 opening of the Harbour Bridge, which coincided with the rise of commercial air travel.

Successive waves of immigration also prompted an influx of visitors, eager to connect with family members — and, 50 years ago, the curved, pearlescent shells of the Opera House were, after years of construction, gleaming against the blue of the Sydney skies and encouraging ever more travellers to the city.

To this day, the twin architectural wonders of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House remain inextricably linked in the imaginations of visitors to the land ‘Down Under.’ 

Yet these, plus the sweeping golden sands of world-famous beaches such as Bondi and Manly, and the vast blue of Sydney Harbour, dotted with myriad white sails and chugging green and gold ferries, are just the start of it: Sydney pulses with a vibrancy far beyond its most obvious attractions.

That said, one of the most compelling things about a city known to be expensive — for residents, let alone for travellers — is that so much of its beauty, even beyond the beaches, can be accessed for free. 

Sure, you can tackle the Bridge Climb (from AU$294/ €177) but you can also stroll at your own pace across the pedestrian walkway and soak up the same views from a lower height, and at no cost.

Similarly, while live performance in the Sydney Opera House is an incomparable experience, you can, depending on budget, join a guided tour of the structure for AU$43/€26, or simply take in the views of those soaring curves by wandering from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, to the east, through the adjacent (and free of charge) Botanic Gardens, or by ambling around Circular Quay, from which the ferries depart, to the other side of the water, where the Museum of Contemporary Art (also free of charge) is located.

Alternatively, you can hop on a ferry (from AU$3.20/€1.95) and glide past all of the Harbour’s vantage points, from hidden coves and lust-worthy waterside homes, to the postcard-view of the Sydney city skyline, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in the foreground.

Naturally, no visitor — especially a first-timer — will want to miss any of these attractions, still less time on and in any of Sydney’s beaches and waters. Yet lesser visited sights resonate more deeply with the city, its history, and its inhabitants, both ancestral and contemporary. 

A day basking at Bondi (and perhaps having a crack at surfing) is a must, of course, but so is setting off on the 6km cliff-top walk from this iconic beach to Coogee, with its abundance of rockpools. 

Each spring, the Bondi to Tamarama section of the path plays host to Sculpture by the Sea, a free outdoors exhibition; in the winter months, you have a decent chance of spotting migratory whales.

The walk also takes in Waverley Cemetery, in surely one of the most spectacular settings for a graveyard in the world, and one where several notables, including author Henry Lawson, poet Henry Kendall and Australia’s first gold medallist Olympian, Sarah ‘Fanny’ Durack are buried.

There’s also the splendid 1798 Memorial, erected one hundred years after the Irish uprising: constructed of marble and bronze, it’s one of two Irish monuments in the city, the other being the Irish Famine Memorial at Hyde Park Barracks.

Equally, while the big-name beaches exert their own allure, the harbour and ocean pools are, as any local will tell you, the place to plunge. 

Here, tides surge and suck over the low walls, and ocean sprays plume at the edges. At almost any of these at 6am, you’ll see senior citizens determinedly taking to these semi-enclosed salt waters for length after invigorating length, just as they’ve been doing for years. 

These early hours are well worth getting up for: as golden light extends its reach you can retire, post-swim, to any one of the beach cafés serving up the velvety coffee that Sydney has perfected, and watch the day unfolding, with the old-timers replaced by those grabbing a quick dip before work, as well as dog walkers and toddler-toting parents.

Of course, cafés can’t be mentioned without a nod to Sydney’s exceptional culinary reputation. 

At least one harbourside meal should be consumed during your visit. No, they don’t come cheap but, unlike some restaurants in many of the world’s tourist spots, where you might find you’re paying for a view rather than fantastic cuisine, this isn’t the case here — especially if you dine at Café Sydney, with its exquisite crustacean platter, or Quay, where chef Peter Gilmore masterfully combines locally sourced ingredients to produce dishes such as raw Abrolhos Island scallops with katsuobushi cream, sea cucumber crackling and Murray cod roe.

Still, you don’t need to hit up the five-star restaurants to have a fabulous foodie experience in Sydney. Head to Chippendale’s Spice Alley to eat from a selection of six Asian hawker-style restaurants, surrounded by glowing lanterns and vibrant murals or make your way to The Grounds of Alexandria, a former pie factory and car park, and now a vast temple of easy-going Australianness, bedecked with fairy lights and complete with locally roasted coffee, a bakery, restaurant, garden, and roster of Instagram-worthy installations.

The regeneration of formerly industrial or disused space has had a transformative effect on many areas of Sydney, not least Barangaroo, located on the harbour, to the west of the Central Business District. 

Six hectares of picnic-perfect parkland, dotted with public artwork and featuring over 80 different species of native flora, lie next to a range of bars, restaurants and shops, while sandstone steps flank a harbour swimming pool. As the ancestral land of the Gadigal people, one of the best ways to really get under the surface of this idyllic spot is to take a tour with one of the reserve’s Aboriginal educators (10am daily, AU$36.30/€22) who will bring the cultural and spiritual significance of the site to life.

Indeed, it’s only in recent years that the traditional custodians of the land have been acknowledged and at last, increasing numbers of indigenous experiences are on offer, enhancing an understanding of the history of Sydney and its people. 

In the Botanic Gardens, you can join a First Nations guide on a Bush Tucker tour ($30/€18) to learn about, and sample, traditional Indigenous bush foods. Other Aboriginal-led tours take place around the Harbour and in the Rocks area.

Take some time away from the city centre to explore Sydney’s wild and untamed bushlands. To the north, Ku-ring-gai Chase covers more than 14,000 hectares, from St Ives to the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn, with opportunities for boating, cycling and walking. 

Again, tours with traditional custodians are available, providing a deeper sense of connection with the landscape, and highlighting some of its 350-plus Aboriginal sites, such as burial grounds and rock engravings.

In the other direction, less than an hour’s drive south of the city, Royal National Park (known, inevitably, by locals as ‘Nasho’) spans over 15,000 hectares of protected wilderness, in which you can chase waterfalls; paddle in rockpools; tackle a two-day, 26km coastal track along sandstone cliffs punctuated by aromatic bushland, or surround yourself with unruly cabbage palms, proud casuarinas and mighty eucalyptus trees on the gentler, leafier Forest Walk.

Sydney — Eora to its First Nations people — was full of natural wonders long before it became known for its manmade ones: only by immersing yourself in these can you truly marvel at the changes that have occurred in the 235 years since it was a penal colony.

Three great neighbourhoods to discover 

Marrickville 

This inner-west suburb showcases a mix of architecture, ranging from gracious Federation-style bungalows to older terraced houses. 

Come with your appetite — home to a large Vietnamese population, the pho, noodle and bánh-mì options are top-notch. 

There’s also a vibrant after-hours live music pub scene, as well as a range of craft beer breweries in which to slake a thirst.

Balmain

Once the realm of a rough’n’ready working class, Balmian (and neighbouring Rozelle) now boast some of Sydney’s most desirable addresses. 

Wander along Darling Street for fabulous cafes, old-school pubs and chic shops before walking down to Birchgrove Oval for tree-flanked harbour views and gorgeous residential architecture. 

Finish up with a dip at the Dawn Fraser Baths, a heritage saltwater pool established in the 1880s.

Narrabeen

Located over the Spit Bridge on the Northern Peninsula beyond Manly, Narrabeen is well worth the 20 km journey from the city centre. 

With its world-renowned surf beach, this is a great place to watch the pros in action, as well as to take to the ocean baths, or the even more tranquil waters of Narrabeen Lakes, where you can kayak, paddleboard and fish. 

It’s also one of the best areas to indulge in one of the leisurely brunches for which Sydney is famous - don’t miss the Tramshed Café, with its restored heritage tram.

Escape Notes

The shoulder seasons — March to May, and September to November — are the best times to visit, offering overseas visitors comfortable temperatures and no school holiday crowds. 

That said, the buzz of a Sydney summer has to be experienced to be believed, with daily cultural events, the smell of sunscreen and frequent pyrotechnic displays.

Budget: Moxy, Mascot

Hop on the bright pink shuttle bus and be whisked to this 301-bedroom hotel, which is close to the airport, as well as being a quick hop from Sydney’s centre. 

In a city as cheeky as this, the Moxy ‘stay and play’ ethos is fitting. Expect comfortable, industrial chic bedrooms and “WOW” communal ones. You didn’t come to Sydney to sleep.

Prices start from AU$176/ €106 per night for a double room 

• marriott.com

Mid-range: W Sydney

W Sydney brings modern luxury to Sydney’s waterfront, with its dramatic curved structure featuring a two-storey rooftop bar and heated infinity pool overlooking Darling Harbour, plus dining and fitness facilities.

Prices start from AU$759/ €458 per night for a double room in January 2024. 

High-end: Capella Sydney

Located in the historic ‘Sandstone District’ of Sydney (in a heritage-listed building once housing the Department of Education) this five-star, 192-guestroom has been transformed by a contemporary luxury aesthetic without compromising the site’s original craftsmanship. 

With a range of wellness and F&B spaces, it’s a haven in the heart of the city.

Prices start from AU$964/ €579 per night for a double room.

*all attraction prices are per adult