The world famous "white sail" -like Sydney Opera House is the jewel of Sydney. Construction finished in 1973 and, built on the waterfront, the Opera House is easily accessible through Circular Quay by ferries, trains or buses. The Sydney Opera House hosts more than 2000 operas, dances and performances throughout the year.
Outside the Opera House, a market housing 40 stalls featuring Australian arts and crafts, ornaments and souvenirs operates every weekend. |
The Sydney Opera House is bounded by the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Circular Quay and the Royal Botanic Gardens; together they make Sydney Harbour one of the most beautiful in the world and an icon of Sydney and Australia.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
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| Built in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world's largest steel arch bridge. The bridge connects the city to the North Shore. Every New Year's Eve, fireworks are set off from the bridge at 9 p.m. and midnight, making it one of the most spectacular New Year's celebrations in the world. |
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| The Sydney Harbour Bridge is accessible by car, train, bicycle, or on foot. The entrance to the bridge on foot is above The Rocks, or close to the Milsons Point train station at the other end of the bridge. One of the pylons, which is closest to the city, houses a museum about the bridge. | Since its introduction in 1998, more than 1.5 million people have climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb. BridgeClimb is a small group adventure offering 3 1/2 hours of guided climbs to the summit of the city's most prominent icon: The Sydney Harbour Bridge. |
| Address: | Pedestrian access from (North) Milsons Point train station or (South) The Rocks; Pedestrian access on the eastern side of the bridge (facing Sydney Opera House); Bicycle access on the western side of the bridge (facing inner harbour) |
| Fees: | Free |
| Attraction: | Pylon Lookout |
| The south east pylon (the pylon closest to the Sydney Opera House) is the Pylon Lookout where visitors can discover the history of the bridge and have a view of the harbour and the city. |
| Opens from 10.00am to 5.00pm daily, closed on Christmas Day |
| Admission fee is payable for Pylon Lookout |
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Sydney Tower / Centrepoint
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 | The Sydney Tower stands 305 meters tall and is the second tallest building in Australia. The observation deck at the top features a 360-degree view of the entire City of Sydney. Guests can also enjoy a dining experience in the Sydney Tower Restaurants with 360-degree panoramic views of Sydney and a revolving floor.
The Skywalk platform is at Sydney's highest point and enjoys breathtaking 360-degree views of beautiful Sydney. Skywalk is a planned tour and lasts approximately 1 hour an 30 minutes. Tickets for the Sydney Tower also include OzTrek, a unique 180-degree 3D visual tour about Australian cultural, history and geography. |
| Address: | Corner of Pitt Street and Market Street |
| Enquiry: | 61-2-9333-9222 |
| Transportation: | Right above Pitt Street Mall and easily accessible from Town Hall Station or George Street |
| Hours: | 9:00am to 10:30pm from Sunday to Friday, 9:00am to 11:30pm on Saturday |
| Website: | http://www.sydneytoweroztrek.com.au/ |
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Pitt Street Mall
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| Pitt Street Mall is the shopping mecca of Sydney; the area is full of people most of the time. Large departmental stores and shopping centres such as David Jones, Myer (Grace Brothers), The Strand Arcade, and Sky Garden are located here. Shops range from fashion boutiques, jewellery shops, and book shops to sports retailers and music shops. |
| Transportation: | A short distance from Town Hall Station and Queen Victoria Building (QVB) |
| Attraction: | The Strand Arcade |
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Queen Victoria Building (aka QVB)
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The Queen Victoria Building is a must-see destination for Sydney visitors. The QVB was built in 1898 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. This elegant Victorian building is home to a wide range of fashion boutiques and jewellery shops.
Inside it houses a large clock called The Great Australian Clock that exhibits Australian history. A figure of Queen Victoria surrounded by royal jewelleries and costumes and a life-size Imperial Chinese Bridal Carriage made in jade, weighing over 2 tonnes, can also be found at the QVB. |
| Address: | Corner of George Street and Market Street |
| Enquiry: | 61-2-9264-9209 |
| Transportation: | Easily accessible from Town Hall Station |
| Hours: | 9.00am to 6.00pm from Monday to Saturday; 9.00am to 9.00pm on Thursday; 11.00am to 5.00pm on Sunday and public holidays |
| Fees: | Free |
| Website: | http://www.qvb.com.au/
St Mary's Cathedral
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 | St Mary's Cathedral with its Gothic design is a major church in Sydney as well as Australia. Its architecture is impressive in both interior and exterior design and attention to detail. The amazing mosaic paved on the floor of St Mary's Cathedral's crypt took sixteen years to complete and is a must-see during a visit to the cathedral. |
| Address: | St Mary's Cathedral House, St Mary's Road |
| Enquiry: | 61-2-9220-0400 |
| Transportation: | Walk across Hyde Park from Museum Station |
| Hours: | 9.00am to 5.00pm on Monday to Friday |
| Website: | http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Cathedral/
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