Sydney Activities

Sydney's sunshine, parks and can-do attitude combine to offer many ways to up your heart-rate. Boasting more than just one type of beach (you can choose from harbour and ocean), Sydney sands are heavily populated on warm weekends and Sydneysiders also swim before, after and instead of going to work.

Three days is a good amount of time to get the feel of the city. Spend your first day hitting it hard, copping an eyeful of the absolute essentials: start at the historic Rocks neighbourhood, then move on to Sydney Cove, passing the ferries of Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House. Continue to the Royal Botanic Gardens, then walk to the Art Gallery of New South Wales before scooting off to Bondi, enjoying a late lunch in a breezy beachside cafe and then having a quick dip in Sydney's most famous beach. Attend a performance at the Sydney Opera House and then dine in one of the restaurants around Circular Quay.You can start your second day with a ferry or Jetcat trip to Manly, where a cruisy open-air breakfast awaits, followed by a swim or long walk along the Manly Scenic Walkway. That night, head out to either Darlinghurst or Surry Hills for dinner and drinks. By the third day, you'll be itching to scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so join a 'Bridgeclimb' tour and see the harbour from high up - the view of a lifetime. You'll need some serious sustenance after that, so lunch (preferably yum cha) in Chinatown is looking good. Follow it up with a shopping spree along Oxford St, Paddington and then Queen St, Woollahra. That night, take in the bright lights and trashy good times available at Kings Cross.On the fourth day, slink off home for some desperate recuperation from a sojourn in Partytown.