Sights and Attractions in Sydney

Sydney is a major tourist destination with its millions of tourists every year. Most of the attractions are scattered all over the city.

Landmarks and Major Attractions

Sydney has several world-recognized landmarks among which are the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Tower.

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most distinctive buildings and is one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. It is situated in Sydney Harbor and it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2007.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge is a steel arch bridge that looms upon Sydney Harbor and stretches from the Sydney central business district to the North Shore. It is the world’s widest long-span bridge according to the Guinness World Records. It is also the 4th longest-spanning arch bridge in the world. It is famous for its architecture and for its famous fireworks displays during New Year’s Eve since 1998. It is also popular for its tourist attraction, the BridgeClimb which enables tourists to climb the southern half of the bridge.

The Sydney Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in Sydney and the 2nd tallest in Australia. It is the 3rd tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere and is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. The tower is open to the public and it is one of the top attractions of the city.

Other attractions in Sydney are Luna Park Sydney which is a historical amusement park and is the premier theme park of the city; and the Royal Botanical Gardens which is the largest of the 3 botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney.

Museums

The beautiful city of Sydney has more than a few popular museums. The biggest and most established ones are the Australian Museum which is a museum of anthropology and natural history and is the oldest museum in Australia; the Powerhouse Museum which exhibits collections related to science and technology and is the home of the oldest steam engine in the world with a rotating action that is still operating; and the Australian National Maritime Museum which focuses on the maritime history of Australia.

Other significant museums in Sydney are the Museum of Contemporary Art which is a museum dedicated to exhibit, collect and interpret contemporary art from Australia and around the world; and the Art Gallery of New South Wales which is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the 2nd largest in Australia, and it exhibits Australian, Asian and European art.

Beaches

Sydney is known for its glorious beaches and the most famous are the Bondi and Manly Beaches. Bondi Beach is one kilometer long and is visited by large numbers of tourists throughout the year for its beautiful blue waters, and it also features popular restaurants, cafés, hotels and fabulous views of the beach. It is located about 7 kilometers east of the central business district of Sydney. Manly Beach on the other hand is located 17 kilometers northeast of the Sydney central business district and is popular with the tourists and locals for its waves.

Entertainment and Opera

Sydney has a wide range of cultural institutions which showcase entertainment such as theater, music, dance and opera to locals and tourists alike.

The Sydney Opera House has 5 theaters that host a variety of performance styles. The Opera House is the home of Opera Australia which is the 3rd busiest opera company in the world and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Other notable performance venues in the city include the City Recital Hall, the State Theater, the Wharf Theater, and the Sydney Town Hall.

The Sydney Theater Company performs a regular roster of plays written by local and international playwrights. The New Theater which has recently celebrated its 75th anniversary is one of the established theater companies in Sydney together with the Griffin Theater Company and Company B.

Dance is given importance in Sydney and the Sydney Dance Company has gained acclaim during the late 20th century.

Nightlife

Nighttime will be a fun time to relax and unwind with the new friends that you will meet in Sydney. The most popular nightspots in Sydney include Darling Harbor, Kings Cross, Oxford Street, Circular Quay and The Rocks. All of these areas contain numerous bars, restaurants and nightclubs. If you want to try your luck, visit the only casino in the Sydney, the Star City Casino. If you would like to grab a bite or have a drink, visit the inner city areas of Balmain, Newtown and Leichhardt. For a live music experience, Annandale and Newtown are the places to be. Nightlife is also vibrant and popular in Manly, Bondi and Parramatta.

Festivals

Different festivals are hosted in Sydney year round and some of them are the largest cultural and social events in Australia. The Sydney Festival is the largest arts festival in the country, it has indoor and free outdoor performances and it happens throughout January.

Other noteworthy festivals in Sydney are the Biennale of Sydney which was established in 1973 and is celebrated in even numbered years; festivals devoted to full length films and short films such as the Sydney Film Festival, the Flickerfest and Tropfest; the Archibald Prize which is the premier prize for portraiture in Australia; the Sydney Royal Easter Show which happens every Easter each year; and the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras which takes place along Oxford Street.

Australia Day and New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney are the largest and most colorful celebrations in Australia.

Wildlife

Sydney is a city of many wonders and aside from being known for its landmarks, it is also renowned for its wildlife parks, sanctuaries and aquariums.

The Sydney Aquarium is a public aquarium located on the eastern side of the Darling Harbor. It contains a diverse collection of Australian aquatic life and it displays more than 650 species comprising over 6,000 individual fish and other water and sea creatures. The major exhibits in the aquarium are a series of underwater, see-through, acrylic glass tunnels where sharks swim above the visitors; and a recreation of a Great Barrier Reef coral environment. The Sydney Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and it is one of the leading tourist attractions in Sydney.

The Sydney Wildlife World is a zoo attached to the Sydney Aquarium. It is entirely enclosed and air-conditioned and it has a wide collection of about 6000 native animals. The exhibits in the zoo include the Koala Sanctuary-Gum Tree Gully, the Wallaby Cliffs-High and Dry, Rainforest-Lush Canopy, Semi-Arid Grasslands-Red Heart, Reptiles-Scales and Tails, Butterflies-Flutter Bys, Invertebrates-Spineless Wonders, Flight Canyon-Walking on Air and Nocturnal After Dark.

Other famous wildlife attractions in Sydney are the Taronga Zoo, the Featherdale Wildlife Park, and the Australian Reptile Park.