Sydney

What's it really like?

Time Difference: GMT + 10 hours

Location:

Sydney's spectacular harbour has become a symbol of the finest modern architecture, a showpiece gateway to Australia.

A contender for the most beautiful city on earth, Sydney appears to have it all including one of the most recognisable skylines ever constructed when it includes the sails of the Opera House

It is also one of the biggest cities in the world with 37 beaches within its city limits and cradled by some outstanding natural scenery.

Attractions:

• Walks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a Bridge Climb tour is not for the faint-hearted but provides superb views from the summit and an unforgettable experience. Groups of 12 people are provided with equipment and a harness before following a trained guides over the walkways Note: There are ladders and steep climbs to negotiate.
• Tours of the Opera House include dining and a show and there are guides who now speak Japanese, Korean and Mandarin.
• Port Stephens cruise trips to see the bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat.
• Hire a car and take a two hour drive into the Blue Mountains for some utterly breathtaking scenery. Named for their dsitinctive blue haze, the best way to explore the forests and rock formations is on an organised bush guide which includes a visit to an ancient aboriginal village.
• The Australian Reptile Park houses a spider zoo where visitors can see some of the countries native creepy-crawlies
• The Olympic Park tour is strictly for sports fans. The site has now become a shrine to the 2000 games but the excitement of the facilities are just an echo.
• The lush countryside and vineyards attract visitors to Hunter Valley. This is a long daytrip and not much fun for kids.
• The longest stretch of straight railway track in the world crosses the Nullarbor Plain. From Nurina in Western Australia to near Watson in South Australia, the track is dead straight for 478 kilometres.

Shoppers won't be disappointed with the many clean, bright malls. The Queen Victoria Building has been beautifully restored and nearby is the Strand Arcade which has also been refurbished after a fire. There are designer labels and department stores aplenty.

Other Attractions:

• Ayers Rock (Ulura) is the world's most famous natural monolith and of great spiritual significance for Aboriginal people. As a consequence tourists are asked not to climb the rock although many still do!

  The sacred site is Australia's biggest attraction and provides glimpses of the native Australian's past through cave paintings.

  A small town has sprung up in the surrounding outback to provide accommodation for visitors and essential supplies for travellers.

  Great Barrier Reef. This breathtaking natural phenomenon stretches for more than twelve hundred miles and is home to the world's most dazzling sealife. Diving or snorkelling equipment is provided on organised excursions or you can view the marine life from a glass bottom boat.

• The longest stretch of straight railway track in the world crosses the Nullarbor Plain. From Nurina in Western Australia to near Watson in South Australia, the track is dead straight for 478 kilometres.

Beaches:

Note: Drownings are all too common on Australia's beaches and bathers are advised to stay close to lifeguard zones and only swim within the flagged areas

Just short of 40 beaches within 30 minutes travelling time including to the south of the city the famous Bondi (photo above), well-known for 'barbies' and beach babes. On summer weekday evenings and weekends the beaches are teeming with locals.

To the north is the modest but picturesque Whale Beach and Manly Beach which can be reached by ferry is a thriving seaside resort in its own right.

While lots of the coastline attracts surfers thanks to the rolling Pacific Ocean, there are more sheltered beaches to visit and one-or-two nudist spots.

Nights out:

Darling Harbour is ten minutes away from the centre and has become a meeting place for locals and visitors, especially in the evening. The shopping centre at Darling Harbour isn't a patch on those in the centre of Sydney.

Food lovers won't be disappointed with the choice of international cuisine, including 'fish and chips'.

Children:

Youngsters will probably appreciate a break from the city centre attractions by visiting Wonderland Sydney which has over 25 rides set in several fantasy lands.

The wooden roller coaster attracts enthusiasts from around the world and there's the fastest roller coaster in the Southern Hempisphere. On the same site is a waterpark and swimming pools.

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