Things to Do in Sydney

The largest city in Australia, Sydney is often considered one of the best cruise ports in the world, making it a must-see for anyone heading Down Under. Founded in the late 18th century as a British penal colony, it is also one of the oldest European settlements in Australia.  Modern and cosmopolitan, Sydney is also laid-back and welcoming, with a variety of culture, history, art and nature to enjoy.

How to Get to Sydney
Depending on the size of your cruise ship, you will either dock at Barangaroo Wharf at Darling Harbour or at Circular Quay. If you disembark at Circular Quay, you are already in the heart of Sydney, just steps from the Rocks, its old city. On the other hand, those arriving at Barangaroo will need to take a shuttle bus (if provided by your ship), a taxi or make the twenty-minute walk to the center.

One Day in Sydney
Regardless of where you dock, you won't need to go far to start your day — the areas around both Darling Harbour and Circular Quay offer plenty to keep travelers busy. Start from the famous Sydney Opera House, where you can take a guided tour and then enjoy a nice view of the harbor and its famous bridge. From there, walk along the promenade of Circular Quay, possibly stopping at the Museum of Contemporary Art before continuing inland to the historic district known as The Rocks. If you visit on a weekend, allow some time to explore the lively Rocks Market.

From the Rocks, head south toward central Sydney for great shopping, restaurants and people-watching in and around the General Post Office, Pitt Street Mall and the Strand Arcade. Stop for lunch and then make your way to the Queen Victoria Building before crossing the pedestrian bridge over Cockle Bay to Darling Harbour, where you'll find the Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Wildlife World, the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Spend a few hours visiting the attractions that appeal most, then take a break to grab a bite to eat at the Harbourside shopping and dining complex before returning to your ship.

If you're feeling adventurous and can spare the time, you may want to brave the Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb, a three-and-a-half-hour trek up and down one of Sydney's most iconic sites.

If you’re looking for adventure, phone accessories, strange herbs, delicious Chinese cuisine, or just want to visit a foreign country without leaving Sydney, then Chinatown is the place for you.

Located in Haymarket between Central Station and Darling Harbor, Chinatown is centered around Dixon Street, a pedestrian thoroughfare full of Chinese restaurants and shops. If you brave the unfamiliar signs, the labyrinths of stores and the enthusiastic street hawkers, you’re in for a rewarding experience.

The Sydney Chinatown is the country’s largest Chinatown, and the place to go for authentic Chinese food, especially if you’re looking for fried octopus balls, Dragon’s Beard Candy, freshly squeezed Sugar Cane Juice, Peking Duck or Tsing Tao.

At the southern end of Chinatown, next to Hay Street, you’ll find a large complex called Market City, which contains a modern shopping centre, restaurants (including an 800+ seat Yum Cha Restaurant), boutique shops, a large indoor entertainment complex called ‘Galaxy World’, and the Haymarket Paddy’s Markets. If you’re in the mood for a film, check out Media Asia on Dixon Street, a great place to check out the latest and greatest films from East Asia.

The best time to visit is on Friday nights between 4 and 11pm, during Chinatown’s weekly Night Market.

Sydney Fish Market is the largest working fish market in the Southern Hemisphere, even rivaling some of Japan’s biggest fish markets in the variety of seafood that’s traded every day.

Not only does the market shift an incredible 52 tons of seafood per day, it also hosts a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and food retailers to ensure that visitors get to sample Australia’s freshest fish straight off the boat.

Open for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner, the fish market is the best spot to see and enjoy Australian seafood at affordable prices. You can either eat in or head to the wharf outside to enjoy a meal overlooking Blackwattle Bay.

The market is also home to one of Australia’s leading cooking schools: the Sydney Seafood School. It offers a wide range of classes for all levels and abilities and is suitable for those who simply want to brush up on their skills or become a bit more creative with adventurous seafood such as mollusks and crustaceans. Classes are very popular and many of them are hosted by Australia’s leading chefs.

Sydney Fish Market is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 5:30am, Monday to Friday. Jump on bus 501 or 443 from the city center or catch the Metro Light Rail to the Fish Market stop in Pyrmont.

Allianz Stadium, previously known as the Sydney Football Stadium, is situated right next to the Sydney Cricket Ground and hosts Rugby League, Rugby Union and football (soccer) matches, as well as some of Australia’s biggest concerts.

The stadium, which is Sydney’s premiere rectangular field venue, first opened in 1988 and has a capacity of 45,500. The Sydney Roosters, NSW Waratahs and Sydney FC are the stadium’s major tenants, but the Wallabies and the Socceroos also occasionally play here.

Events held at the Sydney Football Stadium include the National Rugby League (NRL) semi-finals and one preliminary final, as well as all New South Wales Rugby League and Australian Rugby League Grand Finals. Other big events include the Football World Cup Qualifiers and the NRL Grand Finals, as well as International Rugby Union fixtures.

Those in search of stars can head to the shores of Palm Beach, a Sydney celebrity hot spot, or they can make their way to the Sydney Observatory, where astronomers and locals have been charting the skies of the southern hemisphere since 1858.

In 2000, Sydney Olympic Park hosted athletes from around the world, all of whom arrived hungry for gold. And while these games are now more than a decade behind us, this world-class facility still draws travelers and locals looking to experience the Olympic spirit.

The park is made up of several venues like ANZ Stadium, Sydney Showground, Athletic Centre, Aquatic Centre and Sports Centre.

No trip to Sydney is truly complete without a full embrace of the ocean water. Day or night, the Sydney Harbour's Tall Ships set off providing passengers an authentic Australian experience, watching over the city harbour over some genuine barbecue.

With a variety of different services, meal offerings, and specials, you can choose which time of the day and price setting best suits you, either choosing to share a romantic date with a loved one or giving the kids something to brag about, as you set sail on these majestic tall ships.

The scenery is spectacular, with most boats providing amazing views of some of the city's great landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Fort Denison, and even the Taronga Zoo, so be sure to bring a camera!

The steps of this iconic building in the heart of Sydney’s central business district serve as a popular meeting place for both travelers and locals, but it is what’s found within its walls that make a visit worthwhile.

The Sydney BridgeClimb is a memorable way to mark your visit to Sydney and Australia. Taking you up and over the huge arch of iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can gaze out over the city and spectacular Sydney Harbour from 440 feet (134 meters) above the water.

Described by those who have done it as "incredible" and an absolute "must-do," the climb is the ultimate adrenaline-fueled way to see Sydney. There are three guided climbs that you can choose from: The Express, The Discovery and The Bridge Climb that all take you to the summit of the Bridge via different routes.

The Express Climb is a smaller group tour (up to 12 climbers), with fewer stops on the Bridge, that allows you to explore its length in just over two hours. The Discovery Climb takes three and a half hours and is a chance to explore the heart of the bridge and learn more about its history and engineering. The Bridge Climb also takes three and a half hours and takes you along the outer arch of the Bridge with unparalleled views of Sydney and beyond throughout the climb.

You can also choose to do any of the climbs at your favorite time of day, departing at dawn (arriving at the summit at daybreak); in the middle of the day; at twilight or at night, when the city lights blaze beneath you.

The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is Sydney's primary venue for Cricket and Australia Rules Football. It also serves as the home stadium of the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Australian Football League’s Sydney Swans.The SCG originally opened in 1886 and holds just over 47,000 spectators. It is famous for the two historic stands that are still standing today: the members and the ladies stands.

Beneath the ladies’ stands you’ll find the SCG Museum, which is dedicated to collecting, documenting, preserving and displaying the sporting and social activities that have occurred at the SCG since the mid-1800s. Tours of the SCG run Monday to Friday at 11am and 2pm, and Saturdays at 11am. The museum is closed all public holidays and major match days.