Sydney
Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales and the largest city in Australia.
The metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2025 was 5,638,830, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and the Harbour City.
Getting to Sydney
Sydney Airport (SYD IATA) is Australia's busiest airport and the main gateway to eastern Australia. It is 9 km from the City centre in Southern Sydney on the northern shores of Botany Bay. Sydney Airport is the oldest continually operated commercial airport anywhere in the world. There are direct flights to Sydney from all the other inhabited continents, as well as some sight-seeing flights over Antarctica.
Worth seeing
Most of the Sydney landmarks can be seen in the City Centre with the iconic Sydney Opera House as well as visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Tower, St Mary's Cathedral, Royal Botanic Gardens and the State Library of New South Wales. Right next to the centre is the historic district of The Rocks where you see Sydney's heritage as well as walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Things to do
Sydney's beaches are the perfect place to spend a warm summer day, where you can swim or lie on the sands to your heart's content. The most popular are Bondi, Manly, Cronulla and Coogee, although many others have their own charms.
- 01Bradleys Head
Take the ferry to Taronga Zoo wharf and then head to your right along the promontory.
Where to eat
Prices in Sydney's restaurants vary. Breakfast at a standard cafe (food plus a coffee or juice) can cost anywhere up to $20 for a full English breakfast or other substantial meal. A main meal in a mid-range restaurant is around $25 - $35. Upper mid-range averages around $35 - $45. At the real top-end places a dinner for two with wine can run up to $400-500 and beyond.
Getting around Sydney the local way
- Get inOn cruise days there is a ferry operating to Darling Harbour, as well as taxis and transfer services organised by the cruise companies (usually to the city and airport).
- Get aroundThe public transport system consists of train, metro, light rail, ferry, and bus services, and can get you virtually anywhere in the city as well as the outer regions.
- Get aroundThe sign "T" in orange means train, "M" in teal means metro, "L" in red means light rail, "F" in green means ferry, "B" in blue means bus, and "C" in purple means coach.
- Get aroundSome ferries and buses have disabled access.
- Get aroundThe fare system covers all train, metro, light rail, ferry and bus services in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the surrounding regions.
- Get aroundTop-up machines are available at most railway stations, some light rail stops, and all ferry wharves.
- Get aroundYou can obtain a single trip ticket at some top-up machines in train stations and ferry wharves.
- Get aroundThis applies to all transport except for the Manly ferry, whereby you only need to tap-on.
From Wikivoyage: Sydney, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: M.S. Hill (Public domain), Wikimedia Commons.
