Sydney in 2-3 days
Day 1
Start the day off with breakfast around Surry Hills or Paddington. Good choices include Bills on Crown Street, or And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon on Glenmore Road.
Then take a leisurely stroll down through Oxford Street towards the city to work it off, giving you the opportunity to look at Sydney’s many designer shops and boutiques. Alternatively you can take the 380 or 382 bus.
Get off at Circular Quay and from there make your way over to Bridge Climb. Spend the next three-and-a-half hours on top of Sydney — literally. Climbers can choose between two guided experiences — The Bridge Climb or The Discovery Climb, both available at Dawn, Day, Twilight or Night. Both reach the summit of the world famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134 metres above the stunning Sydney Harbour.
After this, make your way over to the world famous Opera Bar, situated at the World Heritage listed Opera House. Here you can drink cocktails while staring out at Sydney Harbour and the world’s most famous coat hanger.
There’s plenty of other drinking holes around Circular Quay including The Basement nightclub on Reiby Place and Cruise Bar at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Otherwise Darling Harbour boasts fantastic nightclubs such as Pontoon and Bungalow 8.
Day 2
Head over to Bronte, one of the smaller but just as popular beaches, for a late brunch.
One top spot is Swell on Bronte Beach Road. Otherwise you can grab fish and chips from Brio Bronte Beach, a bit further up on the same street.
After a paddle in the surf, you can then do the famous walk to Bondi. It’s just 2.5km but shows off the city’s most spectacular coastline.
Finish up near Icebergs on Notts Avenue, a favourite haunt of Nicole Kidman’s, where you can drink cocktails as you watch the sun go down. Alternatively, there’s plenty of other pubs and bars on trendy Campbell Parade.
Day 3
Spend the morning at the Powerhouse Museum which covers a variety of
subjects including science, history and space exploration. It’s very
interactive and is popular with all ages. In the afternoon get on
Sydney Harbour by catching the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly where
you can while away the afternoon.
In one week
Start with the 2-3 day itinerary.
Day 4
Pay a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney. It’s an extremely picturesque zoo situated on the banks of the Sydney Harbour and has a wide array of native fauna and exotic animals.
In the afternoon catch a ferry to South Head where the harbour opens up into the Pacific Ocean. There’s even a little nudist beach if that floats your boat.
Day 5
Due to the fact that public transport can be lacking in Australia, it might be worth hiring a car for your final three days. Take a day trip to the Blue Mountains. About two hours out of Sydney the area is dotted with charming small towns and bush walks. If you don’t get a car, there are plenty of day trips to the area.
Day 6
Time for more beaches. Head north to Palm Beach which is only 14km north of the city centre. This will be a special treat for Home and Away fans because this is where the exterior filming is carried out for the Australian soap opera. Later in the afternoon get back on Sydney Harbour and go kayaking.
Day 7
Today head south to the Royal National Park, the world’s second oldest national park. You’ll find secluded beaches, pretty picnic spots, clifftop heathland walks and rainforest cycle tracks. Again, it’s probably best to hire a car to make the most of your day.
