 The iconic, globally recognized Sydney Opera House Sydney [1] is the capital city of the south-eastern Australian state of New South Wales, situated on Port Jackson, which is more commonly known as "Sydney Harbour". With a population of just over 4.2 million, Sydney is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia. Sydney has a worldwide reputation for being one the most beautiful of all cities, brimming with historical associations and remaining vastly globally influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, cuisine and design. Sydney is also home to many unique architectual styles, including Sydney's most recognized architecture: the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, two of the most iconic structures on earth. The city is also an important place for economic activity and has since become one of the most important cities for finance in the Asia Pacific region. Sydney was also the host of the 2000 Olympic Games, which raised the city's global profile even higher. Sydney is known throughout the world as the "Harbour City". Though Sydney is built up of a large population, it still retains many public spaces and lush green parklands. The city centre of Sydney is known simply as "the City of Sydney".
Districts
Sydney sprawls extensively around its Harbour in Port Jackson, up the Parramatta River to the west, along the adjacent coastlines (both north and south) and across the surrounding Cumberland Plain to the Blue Mountains. The city and its suburbs (many of which are cities in their own right) form a vast metropolitan area. Owing to the city's size and variety, the districts of Sydney remain notoriously difficult to categorise. Inner Sydney suburbs
Outer Sydney suburbs
Satellite townsSome of the areas on the far western edge of Sydney developed long before the expansion of the suburbs to their doorstep, and are still considered to some extent separate towns: UnderstandHistorySydney is the oldest European settlement in Australia, having been founded as a British penal colony on 26 January 1788 (now celebrated as Australia Day, a national public holiday, with major festivities around the city and the Harbour). PeopleOne of the most cosmopolitan cities on the planet, Sydney has attracted immigrants from all over the world - Italy, Greece, China, Lebanon, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa and various Pacific Islands are just some of the backgrounds strongly represented. Sydney's culture, food and general outlook reflect these contributions to the majority Anglo-Celtic cultural basis. Sydney has a prominent gay community. Every year, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is celebrated at the end of February, drawing people from all over Australia and the world for the celebrations. Sydney became the centre of the world's attention in September 2000 when the city hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics - officially announced by the IOC Chairman at the Closing Ceremony as "the best games ever"! The Olympics saw a major building and renovation program take hold of Sydney, positioning it as one of the great world cities of the 21st century and will continue to hold it's world city status. ClimateSydney is perhaps best described as "sub-tropical" - although Sydneysiders talk about "four seasons", it is truer to say that Sydney has but two seasons: a hot, mildly humid one (summer), and a colder one (winter). Others , citing indigenous traditions claim up to six seasons (not all in the same year) : hot/dry, hot/humid, warm/dry, warm/humid, cool/dry, cool/wet. The city is generally comfortable for travellers to visit any time of year. The average annual temperature in central Sydney is 25°C (77°F). The city enjoys in excess of 300 sunny days each year - that said, when it rains, it really can rain, varying between days of grey drizzle to over a week of bucketing downpours with occasional localised flooding (although Sydney is currently in the middle of a years-long drought). Summer can be extremely hot, with temperatures climbing to over 40 degrees Celsius for a number of days each year in Summer, accompanied alternately by stifling humidity and searing dry winds. Sydney is generally well equipped with air conditioning in public buildings, however, and the beaches and harbour are only a short journey away -- just remember your sun protection, as the UV exposure risk is extreme in Australia! Hot summer days frequently (though not always...) end with a "Southerly buster", a cold front sweeping up from the south, bringing a clearly noticeable drop in temperature, driving rain and thunderstorms -- a "mini monsoon". Within hours, the storm can pass and the evening continues cooler. Summer is also the season when bush fires on the margins of the city are most prevalent. For this reason, in hot weather lighting of outdoor fires (non-gas BBQ's etc) is frequently banned (reported as a "total fire ban" during weather reports) and visits to National Parks can be hindered . Winter in Sydney is generally cool, not cold - daytime temperatures rarely drop below 13°C, but night-time temperatures can fall to below 8°C. Most Sydney residents would agree that autumn and spring are the most equable times to visit. March and April, especially, tend to have clear, warm days with mild nights. Spring is very similar, though perhaps with the chance of more rain. Getting inBy planeSydney has one major airport (SYD, Mascot, or Kingsford-Smith) and one smaller airport (Bankstown): Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) [4] is Sydney (and Australia's) largest and most important international and domestic airport, located 8 km from the city centre at Mascot in South Sydney. Multiple daily flights link Sydney with key city destinations in the Pacific, Asia, Europe and North America. The Asian-Pacific transport hubs of Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Tokyo are particularly well-served, as are various European centres via Asia. Multiple flight links also exist with New Zealand. In addition, the west coast of the US and Hawaii are popular inbound / outbound destinations. Travellers from Europe and the Middle East tend to travel into Sydney via Asia, whilst travellers from South America fly via either North America or New Zealand. In addition to the international terminal, the Sydney Airport has two terminals dedicated to domestic air traffic: one terminal shared between several domestic airlines, the other terminal dedicated to Qantas domestic flights alone. The twin domestic terminals are located a little distance from the International Terminal: transferring passengers, if not transferred by their airline, can transfer using Kingsford Smith Transport buses (tel 02 9666 9988) or via the rail link. You can fly to Sydney directly from all other Australian capital cities and from many major regional airports. Otherwise, you will usually need to fly to the state capital and transfer to a Sydney flight. Sydney can be reached within an hour and a half from Melbourne and Brisbane, a little less from Canberra and just under four hours from Perth. Several transport options to the City exist from Kingsford-Smith:
Bankstown Airport [7] - located in the mid-west of Sydney, Bankstown Airport is Sydney's second airport and is primarily dedicated to commuter and private aviation By carSydney is within a reasonable driving distance (minimum 10 hours driving) of Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Most people allow two days to cover this distance.
Travelling such distances in a rental car will often exceed the allowed kilometres per day (usually 100 km) and result in excess kilometre charges. If you are planning to drive long distances, look for a rental car provider which offers "unlimited kilometre" rental. One-way trips in rental cars will often result in a substantial fee called a "drop charge". The fine print on rental car contracts usually does not permit them to be driven on unsealed (dirt) roads, and the renter will have to cover the cost of any underbody damage if they do. Insurance (collision damage waiver) is recommended. A credit card is usually required when collecting a rental car, even if the fee is later paid in cash. Cars may be rented at the airport and elsewhere from major rental companies, or at smaller, less conveniently located, cheaper companies such as Bayswater Car Rental in Kings Cross. By trainAll major train links to Sydney terminate at Sydney's Central Station in the south of the CBD area. Travellers can transfer to Cityrail trains or the light rail service to Darling Harbour, as well as to taxis. Australia's long distance train service CountryLink (ph 13 22 32 within Australia) runs daily services to Sydney from Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and many regions of New South Wales including the North Coast, New England, the Central West and the Southern Highlands. Travelling time from Melbourne and Brisbane is around 12 hours. Fares range between $30 and $100 for standard class seats. The Indian Pacific train service (ph 13 21 47 within Australia or 08 8213 4592 internationally) runs from Perth to Sydney via Adelaide and Broken Hill. Adult fares from Perth are $1250 for a sleeper cabin and $513 for a seat. Children's fares are $805 for a sleeper cabin and $139 for a seat. The train departs from Perth on Wednesdays and arrives at Sydney on Saturdays. Note that these fares are much higher than return plane fares to Perth, this journey is really for train journey enthusiasts who want to see the interior of Australia. The Cityrail network runs services several times a day from close regional cities: Newcastle via the Central Coast (New South Wales), Goulburn via the Southern Highlands, Nowra via the South Coast and Lithgow via the Blue Mountains. Fares on these trains range from $4 - $25 for adults. Get aroundSydney has a good public transport system, especially in areas closer to the city area where many attractions are. You can find out timetables, fares, and routes by phoning 131 500 within Australia for the cost of a local call, or by visiting 131500.info. The further away from the city you travel, the less reliable public transport services will tend to be. The cheapest way to use the buses, trains and ferries is to purchase one of the many travel cards: multi-use tickets typically sold at a 10-20% discount. Some (for trains, buses or multi-modal) are unlimited use within a time limit (e.g. 1 day or 1 week), others (for buses and ferries only) let you travel for ten trips but have no time limit. Information about the discounted commuter tickets and leisure tickets is available from Cityrail; otherwise a quick visit to the TransitShops in Circular Quay (cnr of Loftus & Alfred Sts) or outside the Queen Victoria Building or the information booth at Central Station will get you all the info you need. Most newsagents also stock travel cards. If you are in Sydney for a week or more, or even planning a busy day on the ferries then one of these passes will save you a few dollars, maybe even enough for an extra cold beer at the end of your travels at one of Sydney's many pubs. Of particular interest to short-term visitors are the CityHopper ticket ($6.80 adults and $3.40 children, cheaper if bought after 10am) which allows unlimited train travel for a day in the center of the train network; the DayTripper ticket ($15 adults and $7 children) which allows unlimited travel on all metropolitan Cityrail trains, Sydney Bus services and Sydney Ferry services; and the longer term SydneyPass tickets, allowing unlimited travel for up to 8 days including tourist services. An alternative is the week-long Red TravelPass which includes all trains, buses and ferries in the inner Sydney area for around $30. Note that there are private buses and ferries away from the city that do not accept the abovementioned travel cards and will require the purchase of cash tickets. By carApart from peak hour, you can drive around Sydney reasonably freely. The car is a good option if you want to travel between parts of the city other than the CBD, since almost all train lines travel in and out of the CBD. Many outlying areas are now served by motorways, most of which charge tolls: a typical toll [2005] ranges from $2 to $6. On most tollways there is the option to pay in cash (you will find it faster if you have exact change) but on the newest tollways, the Cross-City Tunnel (which passes underneath the CBD area), and the Westlink M7, the western orbital motorway bypassing Sydney, are exclusively electronic tollways. Tolls may only be paid by purchasing an electronic pass from the tollway management up to 24 hours before or after using this road. It is expected that this system will eventually be introduced to all tollways in Sydney. As with the rest of Australia, driving is on the left hand side of road. Travel times from the CBD to outlying suburbs can range from 30 minutes if you use motorways to 60+ minutes if tolls are avoided. As an indication, travelling between Sydney CBD and Penrith, one of the furthest West suburbs at the base of the Blue Mountains takes approximately 60 minutes if using the M4 tollway outside of peak hour. Speed limits are given in kilometres. By taxiTaxis are a convenient way to get around Sydney if you don't know it. They can also be the only transport option available late at night when the trains and buses stop. All Sydney taxis are metered: it's rare for drivers to forget to turn the meter on, but it's important to check the meter because there are two meter rates: a day rate (rate 1) with a flag fall of $2.75, a distance rate of $1.56 a kilometer, a waiting rate of $0.68 a minute and a booking fee of $1.45; and a night rate (rate 2) which adds a 20% surcharge to the distance rate. The night rate applies between 10pm and 6am: check the meter of your taxi at other times for a 1 or a 2 next to the current charge: if it's set to 2, remind your driver to switch to the day rate. Passengers are expected to pay all tolls for their trip. In addition, passengers who are taken north over the Harbour Bridge, for which there is no toll, are expected to pay the driver's southbound toll for the return into the city (currently $3). Drivers will sometimes take toll roads without asking you, and will simply add the toll amounts before quoting the fare. Do ask if you are unsure why they are asking for an amount above that shown on the meter. Multiple taxi companies provide services to potential passengers; Taxis Combined (tel 131 008) perhaps provide the most extensive coverage. Tipping is never expected anywhere in Australia, but it might be nice if you round a taxi fare up to the next dollar (or five or ten dollars, depending on the base fare). By trainSydney has a patchy suburban rail network operated by CityRail. Sydney trains are often very crowded in peak hour, but at other times a CityRail train is the fastest way to get to the CBD. The complex rail network frequently experiences delays, especially during rain. In addition to the discounted tickets discussed above, Cityrail has single trip and return trip tickets valid until 4am the day after purchase. There are discounted single and return trip tickets for children, students and pensioners. A return trip ticket is much cheaper than two single tickets if you purchase it after 9am (called off peak). Outside of operating hours, between 12am (1am on Fridays and Saturdays) and 5am, NightRide buses are available on most routes within Sydney. Any CityRail train ticket is valid for the equivalent NightRide bus except a single. If you don't have a ticket, you'll need to buy a NightRide single from the driver, which is more expensive than a single for the train. NightRide buses stop at most CityRail stations and a few additional stops. They don't travel on the same routes. If you intend catching a NightRide bus home, check the NightRide route map on the back cover of each timetable or at the station while you are waiting for your train. On weekends check for trackwork before leaving for the station; CityRail will transfer passengers to buses if lines are closed for trackwork, and the process will add about half an hour to a typical journey. Trackwork will be advertised at the station for about a week before it begins. Train tickets, single, return or travel card, are valid on trackwork buses between the same stations. You must always purchase a ticket before boarding a train or trackwork bus from either the ticket office or from the ticket machines that are located on most stations. There is no opportunity to buy a ticket onboard. If you are caught by an inspector travelling without a ticket the fine is at least $200 and up to $550. If you are found with a student or pensioner ticket and you don't have the appropriate authorisation card, the same fine applies. Be aware that the ticket machines may accept $50 notes but usually give less than $20 in change. Within the city area there is a light rail system run by Metro Light Rail. It connects Central station to Darling Harbour, Star City Casino and the inner western suburbs. By busSydney has an extensive bus network. Most of the buses in the inner city and inner suburbs are run by the government owned Sydney Buses. Their buses are mainly blue and white, with the exception of the red Sydney Explorer loop bus. The Explorer visits 26 stops around the city, and a ticket ($36) allows unlimited rides for one day; services run every 20 minutes. The rest of the commuter network is run by private bus companies. These services don't compete so you'll usually only have one way of getting somewhere by bus. Outside of the city and inner suburbs, private bus companies provide services to varying degrees of frequency and reliability (but generally significantly less frequent during off-peak period sand weekends). They do not accept tickets from government buses or multi-modal tickets, although single fares cost the same. When you are waiting at a bus stop, you must raise your arm and wave to the bus to tell the driver to stop. Unlike many cities, a Sydney bus fare depends on how far you are travelling, measured in "sections" of about 1.8 kilometres. It is usual to simply name your destination and the bus driver will work out the number of sections. There are some points on the network where you can transfer from one bus to another free of charge (you purchase a ticket from the first driver all the way to your destination) but typically you pay each time you board a bus. There are no return tickets. You don't have to pay exact fare, but the bus driver may not be able to give you change for a $50 or even a $20 note. They will usually make the effort, but this situation can end in your being unable to travel on the bus. If using buses and paying cash, try to have a good supply of coins and smaller notes. From late night to dawn, most buses cease running with the exception of a few trunk routes that run 24-hours (but at a reduced frequency). By ferry Sydney Ferries run all around the harbour and up the Parramatta River. The central hub is at Circular Quay at the top of the CBD. More than just a utilitarian means of transport, the ferries are a great way to see the harbourside. The best ferry excursion for visitors is from Circular Quay to Manly. Be prepared to take a stunning photograph of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge as you leave Circular Quay. Metro and MonorailIn 1997 the Metro Light Rail opened, and now operates one route from Central to Lilyfield in Sydney's Inner West. The Sydney Monorail was built for the 1988 Bicentennary celebrations. It runs on a loop through the central business district and Darling Harbour, linking many tourist attractions Both Metro Light Rail and the Monorail are operated by Connex. The Light Rail is rather small, yet it is very reliable. The line travels 7.2 km from Central Station to Lilyfield, making 14 stops. The line runs on-street from Central to Haymarket, and then follows the alignment of an old goods line through Ultimo, Pyrmont and Glebe to Lilyfield. By bikeIf you want to see a particular area of the city, a bicycle may be suitable. However, Sydney is a reasonably hilly city and many parts of it are not at all cyclist friendly. It is illegal for adults to ride bicycles on footpaths unless they are especially marked for cyclist or shared cyclist/pedestrian use: only children under 12 may ride on unmarked footpaths, adults must ride only on marked bicycle tracks or on the road with cars. Bicycle helmets are required by law, as are lights and reflectors at night.
See
Landmarks
Historical areasMuseums and galleriesMuseums and galleries are concentrated in the city and in Darling Harbour. Here are a few of the highlights:
Wildlife
Sydney Harbour Sydney's large natural harbor, usually called Sydney Harbour (correctly Port Jackson), was the reason that the original penal settlement was established in the area now known as Circular Quay, rather than further south at Botany Bay as James Cook recommended after mapping the coast in 1770. While it is now very built up (and Sydneysiders will pay a premium for views of the water) it is still very beautiful. The harbor is served by a dedicated ferry service which transports passengers across the harbour. An excellent way to see both the harbor and Sydney attractions is to take a ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, Manly or Parramatta. There are a number of islands in the centre of the harbor which you can visit for a picnic: Shark, Goat, Clark and Rodd Islands. These are very beautiful and have magnificent views of sailing boats on the harbor and of Sydney's harborside buildings. At most times of the year they will be nearly deserted. You will need to reserve a place and pay a fee of approximately $5 per head to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (ph 02 9960 6266 or fax 02 9960 3965). You also cannot moor a boat at any of these islands. Goat, Rodd and Clark islands are not served by ferries, so unless you can arrange for a private drop-off, you will need to charter a water taxi at a cost of approximately $20 per head. Contact Water Taxis Combined [20] by phoning 02 9247 5033 or faxing 02 9241 3303. Shark Island is served by an hourly Matilda Cruises [21] ferry on weekends; the price of $16.00 roundtrip per adult includes the National Park landing fee. You can arrange a guided tour of the islands by contacting Cadmans Cottage, 100 George Street, The Rocks. ph 02 9247 5033. fax 02 9241 3303. Fort Denison is another, more popular, island on the harbor. Its entire area is a large fort, completed in 1857 and built to defend Sydney against Russian attack. The National Parks and Wildlife Service runs a half-hour guided tour for $22 per adult, $18 per child and $72 for a 4 person family. They also run a morning brunch for $47 adults and $43 children. Contact Cadmans Cottage as above. The world famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race begins every year on Boxing Day, on Sydney Harbour. Thousands of spectator craft take to the water to farewell the yachts as they set off on their grueling journey to Hobart. Sea worthy craft follow the yachts through the Sydney Heads into the open ocean. The private hire water taxi service H2O Taxis [22] have an offshore service that is suitable for this and other offshore activities such as scuba diving. Contact them on 1300 426 829. Beach landing access, such as at the famous Doyle's Restaurant on the harbour, is also possible with this service. LearnYou can take language classes, join a cafe book group, learn to draw, sign up for historical or foodie walks, or take computer or business classes at City of Sydney Library, where you can sign up to borrow books or just read magazines in their café as well. ArchitectureSydney’s skyline is large and widely recognizable. Sydney also possesses a wide array of diversity of modern and old architectural style. They range from the simple Francis Greenways Georgian buildings, to Jorn Utzon’s expressionist, the Sydney Opera House. Sydney also has a large amount of Victorian buildings, such as the Sydney Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Building. The most architecturally significant would be the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, among many others. Skyscrapers in Sydney are also large and modern such as the Sydney Tower, which dominates the Sydney skyline. ItinerariesDo
SkateSydney has many ice centres, it is very rare to find a skating centre outdoors. But in the winter and summer months, many indoor ice rinks open their doors to visitors. Be aware that if you have not tried it before, chances are that you will feel very unstable on ice.
Sydney Harbour BridgeThe Sydney Harbour Bridge has an excellent view of the city, especially at dawn and dusk, although the drivers and train passengers relegated to the middle of the Bridge don't see it. There are four things to do on the Bridge:
FestivalsSydney is home to a number of major and minor festivals and calendar events each year:
BuyFashionWhile cities such as London, Milan, Paris, and New York City are traditionally regarded as the fashion centres of the world, these days Australia's unique style and creativity means Sydney is also mentioned as 'must-visit' centres on the international fashion circuit. When it came to fashion, Australia used to be seen as isolated and out-of-touch. That notion is now out-of-touch itself, as designs from Australians such as Wayne Cooper, Collette Dinnigan, Akira Isogawa, Lisa Ho, and Easton Pearson are seen around the globe. In fact, around 60 Australian labels are currently exporting their designs to boutiques and department stores in Asia, Europe and the United States. Sydney has now been listed in the many "must visit" fashion lists. ShoppingSydney is one of the world's great metropolises, anything and everything you could possibly want to buy is probably available in Sydney, it may be scatterd all over the city, but it will be there. Areas range from the more upscale and wealthy areas, to the "cheaper" and moderatly priced items.
EatYou never have to go far to find food in Sydney. As a rough guide, cafes serving breakfast menus start opening at 6am and breakfast is usually served until 11am, or occasionally all day. Orders for lunch start at about noon and continue until about 3pm. Orders for dinner start from 5:30pm, and while there are a small number of exceptions (usually concentrated in areas with active nightlife), last orders for dinner are typically taken around 9pm. Sydney is an amazing multi-cultural city. The range of food out there is huge and isn't necessarily expensive:
Sydney is also home to some of the world's best restaurants. In the City itself, try Tetsuya's in Kent Street (be warned, there are no walk-ins and a booking of upto 3 months may be required), Becasse in Clarence Street or Rockpool at The Rocks. It is usually possible to find a restaurant of any nationality, specialising in almost any cuisine, in Sydney. Just look around, or ask a local. DrinkSydney has an enormous number of places to drink and party. A limited number of venues have 24 hour licences, however the majority close before 3am and some as early as 11pm, particularly if there are nearby residents. Most venues will have door staff checking photo identification to determine that you are over 18. Admission is also commonly refused to those who seem visibly drunk to the staff. More popular venues have discriminatory door practices, the most common of which is refusing entry to groups of men who are not accompanied by women. Most places have at least a basic dress code. If you're not sure where you're headed and want to get into most generic pubs and clubs you come across, men should wear a collared shirt, neat full-length pants (not jeans) and business-style shoes. Cheaper pubs have looser requirements, and of course different groups follow different fashions. This recipe won't work for entry to a goth club. In almost all cases, women can dress more freely, but a small number of places require closed shoes. Entry charges for live music or DJs are usual and range from $5 to $30 depending on clientele. Entry charges are rare if you're going into a pub for a drink. Note that there is a taxi shift change at 3am, and it is notoriously difficult to catch a taxi anywhere between 2:30am and 3:30am. Some types of nightlife are concentrated in particular areas:
Stay safeSydney has similar crime issues to most large western cities, but that being said, it is a reasonably safe place to visit. Be on the lookout for the usual big city crime problems such as pickpocketing, and exercise caution on the rail system late at night. It is generally advisable to travel in the carriage closest to the guard's compartment, which is marked with a blue light on the outside of the train. Whilst in late 2005 some ethnic tension between white Anglo-Celtic residents and Middle Eastern residents spilled over into rioting at Cronulla Beach and tension is generally on the rise, if you have respect you will be fine. Sydney is mostly a tolerant place, if you are tolerant. SleepBudgetSydney has a wide range of backpackers' hostels - popular districts for these include the southern half of the CBD, Glebe and Kings Cross, the Southern Beaches (Bondi, Coogee) and the Northern Beaches (Manly).
Mid-rangeYou find many mid-range accommodation providers within the CBD, and within a short distance of the city by public transport, including in North Sydney, the Inner West and the North Shore SplurgeThere are luxurious hotels that can be found all over Sydney. The most expensive hotels are generally located in the CBD and the Rocks district, near the business hub of Sydney, close to many restaurants, and with excellently amazing harbour views. Some other high quality hotels are located in Darling Harbour. Serviced ApartmentsServiced, short-term apartments are widely available throughout Sydney and are available for stays as short as one night. Amenities typically include kitchen, washer and dryer, and separate bedrooms. A range of properties exist from budget to five-star.
Read
Get outThere are a number of good day trips from Sydney.
Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0. Privacy policy About Wikitravel Terms of use |
