About Sydney
Why go there
Sydney’s city centre offers visitors a huge variety of attractions, including designer boutiques, fine restaurants, hip bars and lavish department stores. Clusters of modern office towers look down on the action and over Sydney’s historic precincts, such as The Rocks.
The city centre has some of Australia’s best shopping arcades and malls. To find your way there, just look for Australia’s tallest structure – the Sydney Tower, with its 360-degree views stretching as far as the Blue Mountains on a clear day. Pitt Street Mall is a good spot to pause for some impromptu lunchtime entertainment.
History
Many of Sydney's main streets, such as Phillip, Macquarie, Hunter, Bligh, Liverpool, Sussex and George, are named after early English governors to acknowledge the city's colonial heritage.
The city fans out from the focal point of Circular Quay. This transport hub is within walking distance of the city’s star attractions – the Harbour Bridge, opened in 1932, and the Sydney Opera House, hailed as a 20th-century architectural masterpiece.
Along Macquarie Street are fine examples of early colonial architecture, while across town the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) and The Strand Arcade recall the architectural ornamentation of the 1890s.
Darling Harbour
A lively waterfront precinct, Darling Harbour throbs with activity day and night. It has developed into one of Sydney’s largest dining, shopping and entertainment areas with exhibition and convention centres attracting large crowds.
One of the prime hotspots, King Street Wharf, is packed with sleek dining establishments. The Cockle Bay Wharf offers waterfront promenades with alfresco cafés, bars and restaurants. Across the water, lies Harbourside Shopping Centre, a dynamic mix of shops, restaurants and food to go.
- More information:
- www.visitnsw.com.au
- Bridge Climb:
- www.bridgeclimb.com
Guide to Sydney
