Four Days in Sydney
What is there to do in Sydney?
Where shall I stay?
How do I get to Bondi Beach?
Can you climb Sydney Harbour Bridge?
Is Sydney the best city in Australia?
I’m a planner and like to research a city before I visit. In fact, for me, half of the fun is in the planning and booking of hotels and excursions.
Sydney was no different and these were just some of the questions I asked myself. It’s arguably the most famous of all Australian cities and often mistaken as the country’s capital, which is in fact Canberra about a 3 hours drive south.
The iconic Sydney Opera House
Where to stay?
This question is usually answered by using maps of the city and working out which areas are closest to the places I want to see. I read reviews of hotels in the area and, if the price is acceptable, I book one.
This was one stop on my Trip of a Lifetime, so for my four day stay in Sydney, I chose the luxurious Amora Hotel Jamison. Centrally located and between 10-20 minutes walk from landmarks such as Circular Quay; the Opera House; Sydney Harbour Bridge; Darling Harbour; Sydney Tower; or the shops on Pitt Street. It couldn’t have been more perfect for a solo traveller like me, especially as I made use of the in house spa facilities.
What to do and see?
I had to squeeze everything this city has to offer in just four days.
There are so many world-famous sights to see that it was an impossible task. This is where my research came in handy and I had to choose which ones I was going to prioritise.
Hop on Hop off city bus tour
I do this in every city I visit and make good use of the hop-on hop-off options. I think it’s one of the best ways to suss out where everything’s located and be able to fit several sights into a day.
Sydney Opera House
One of the most iconic buildings in the world. It’s hard to believe that it was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon in 1957 and the result of an international design competition. It seems futuristic now so I can’t imagine what people in the 50’s thought. The multiple white shells/sails appear symbolic of the harbour and beaches around the city.
It opened in 1973 and has a fascinating history. A tour of the inside is an absolute must - it’s nothing like I expected and the views of the harbour and bridge are fabulous. It just happened that a dress-rehearsal for an upcoming production was happening during my tour and we were allowed to watch for a few minutes.
Circular Harbour
I loved sitting at the bustling Circular Quay, with the Opera House on the right and Harbour Bridge to the left. From hop on hop off cruise boats to huge ocean cruise ships, the movement in and out doesn’t stop. Yet, even though it’s constantly busy, I found it relaxing and fascinating to watch the comings and goings.
Australian Museum
On a dull day when I was heading to Bondi it started to rain, so I hopped off at the museum. It wasn’t on my list of things to do but it’s excellent and I highly recommend it. I learnt so much about the country, its history, inhabitants and natural history.
Love this brightly coloured mosaic Bondi beach bench
Bondi Beach
You haven’t really visited Sydney unless you go to Bondi. It’s not exactly small but not as big as I was expecting. It wasn’t the sunny day I hoped for but I walked from one end passing the tourist shops and cafes, to the other where there is an open-air swimming pool and the swim club. I had lunch on the terrace watching the swimmers brave the blustery weather and the sea washed into the pool each time a wave crashed against the nearby rocks. Hardy souls those Australians.
Manly Bay and Shelly Beach
I caught a hop on hop off ferry from Circular Quay which took about 20 minutes, passing the Opera House on both journeys and goes under Harbour Bridge to pick up passengers from Darling Harbour on the return journey. Once disembarked, I walked straight to the large, beautiful, white sand beach and found the sign for Shelly Beach. I wasn’t expecting the coastal walk to be as lovely as it was. It curves around Cabbage Tree Bay and I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of different sculptures along the way featuring some of the sea life and activities that are found in the bay.
Chinese Garden of Friendship
A surprising find was this beautiful and quiet retreat in the middle of the city. I hopped off the bus and expected to whizz around in 10 minutes. I ended up meandering through the beautiful garden looking at exotic plants. Then sat in the teahouse next to a pond where koi carp swam.
Sydney Fish Market
There are some fabulous food stalls here and worth a visit to wander round and see all the different foods on offer. It’s not all fish and I had lunch at one of the large restaurants there, where I tried dim sum for the first time.
Places I didn’t have time to visit
- Taronga Zoo, although I had been to the Australia Zoo near Brisbane a few days earlier.
- The Royal Botanical Gardens where Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is located and from where there are excellent photo vantage spots of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
- Sea Life Aquarium
- The Blue Mountains are meant to be beautiful but would have taken too much time out of my limited 4 day schedule.
Donned in a Bridge Climb climbing suit, I look suitably impressed with the view
Can you climb Sydney Harbour Bridge?
You sure can! And, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Those of you who have read my previous posts will know I’m unafraid of heights and big on ticking things off my Lifetime To Do. Well, this experience has both and I had always promised myself that if I ever got to Sydney it was a must.
I book many of my travel excursions before I leave Jersey, and often use Viator.com but you can book this experience directly on the Bridge Climb website. There are different climbs to choose from and I chose a ‘Twilight Summit Walk’ (currently priced at AUD394), for my last night in Sydney.
I'm not the fittest of people and was a little concerned having read the warnings about the number of steps to be climbed but I found it easy.
Thankfully, the weather was good and as we ascended to the summit, the sun started to set and the city lights come on. It was breathtaking. Looking straight down from the top of the bridge to the road below, watching hundreds of cars drive under my feet. Probably, not for those of you who suffer from vertigo!
The walk was headed by an experienced guide who gave fascinating information about how the bridge was built, how many rivets were used and how many proposals have been made at the top.
There’s no denying it’s expensive but, if you’re looking for a once in a lifetime experience, it’s well worth it. The memories and photos (taken by the guide) will live forever, so if you get a chance, go for it.
Is Sydney the best city in Australia?
Probably. I was truly surprised by how much I fell in love with it.
It would be unfair for me to say an emphatic ‘yes’, although I’m tempted. I’ve only visited two of the major Australian cities - Brisbane and Sydney. Both are lovely and I’m sure Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are fabulous too but, as it stands, Sydney has my heart.
Someone told me that if I ever visited Vancouver, Sydney would come in second place. In 2019, I did visit Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Both are wonderful places, but I disagree - Sydney is top of the (Eucalyptus) tree.
In Summary
If you get the chance to visit this fabulous city, take it. Make the most of whatever time you have there.
My Top Tips
I squeezed in a lot in four days but my top tips are:
Tour the Opera House
Visit Manly and walk to Shelly Beach
Walk the full length of Bondi and visit the swimming pool
Watch the sunset from the top of the Sydney Tower
Do the Bridge Climb
The east coast of Australia, especially Sydney, exceeded my expectations: beautiful, friendly and unforgettable.
Coming from an island, I'm constantly on, in or near the sea. I was pleasantly surprised that many of my days in Queensland and New South Wales were spent in a similar fashion. The Australian people are warm and welcoming, the weather superb, the lifestyle idyllic.
More about this exceptional city can be found on the Sydney.com website.