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Sydney hotels

Overview                    Prepare                    Get Around                    Highlights

Sydney is, of course, home to the famous Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, but it's also a destination that offers much more, from the dolphins of nearby Port Stephen and the Blue Mountains National Park, to the Hunter Valley Wineries, Circular Quay, and the city's aquariums and wildlife parks. You can also take part in bridge climbing on the harbour bridge, try snorkelling and scuba diving or relax on one of Sydney's fabulous beaches such as the world renowned Bondi Beach.

There are no limitations on extravagance in Sydney...

The luxury hotels in Sydney are largely found in the popular Rocks District and Darling Harbour, and if your hotel is in Sydney Harbour, with views of the water, then the price you pay will rise the closer you are to shore side. With luxury suites and packages available, there are no limitations on extravagance in Sydney. At the opposite end of the scale, cheap hotels in Sydney are widely available and room rates decrease the further into the city's fringes your hotel is situated.

 Some of Sydney's cheap hotels are located conveniently close to the city centre and in such cases it's always best to compare prices and book in advance in order to secure a room at a reasonable rate.

Overview

Overview

Sydney is endowed with natural good looks and charm to match. It's a city that knows it can get away with just about anything. Whether it's glam or gaudy, refined or rough-and-ready, Sydney's fizz can't fail to go to your head.

See

Sydney's jewels are clustered around the famous harbour, with its iconic bridge and that opera house, as well as its beaches and parks. Enjoy the city's unique, high-energy mix of style-consciousness, hedonism and relaxed friendliness in its inner neighbourhoods, such as Paddington, Kings Cross and Bondi.
Spend

Fashionable inner Sydney suburbs like Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Paddington are liberally sprinkled with markets and designer boutiques. Peek into their weird and wonderful gift shops and concept stores. City shopping centres such as the Queen Victoria Building are picturesque and full of excellent stores. Once-tacky Bondi Junction has been transformed into a shopping monolith.
Get Out

Head for one of the city's iconic strips of sand and surf. Bondi, Coogee and Manly are the best-known, but inner Sydney alone has 37 beaches, along with more than 100 public swimming pools. Nature lovers have more than just the Royal Botanic Gardens on their doorstep – Sydney Harbour National Park is also nearby.
Culture

Opera Australia performs in the most distinctive opera house in the world, which is also home to ballet, drama, comedy and cabaret. Outdoor Cinema screens cult movies at Lady Macquarie's Chair and Centennial Park amongst other venues during the summer. Visit the Sydney Theatre Company's enviable home at the Wharf Theatre, while the city's top art galleries throng around Paddington and Surry Hills.
Eat & Drink

Diversity, freshness and innovative fusions of flavour define Sydney's food scene. Mod Oz – modern Australian cuisine, a hybrid of European, Mediterranean and Asian flavours – predominates. Hubs include Surry Hills, Bondi, Paddington and Darling Harbour. Eat in the central business district – it's not short of quality restaurants either.
New Perspective

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a bird's-eye view of one of the world's most beautiful urban harbours – as spectacular as it is thrilling.

Prepare

Prepare

Bring along a swimming costume, your favourite pair of shades, a pair of beach shoes, sunscreen and – for hardcore sun-lovers – some after-sun lotion.

Sydney Year

Help the city welcome the Writers' Festival in May and June's Film Festival during the winter festival season. Hold your breath for the April/May unveiling of the winning portrait of the controversial Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. During the summer, if you're a music fan, flock to Big Day Out and Homebake, while Tropfest is the world's largest short-film festival. Venture out to party in the streets in autumn for Mardi Gras.
Public Holidays

New Year's Day (1 Jan), Australia Day (26 Jan), Good Friday (Mar/Apr), Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), Anzac Day – veterans' remembrance (25 Apr), Queen's Birthday (Jun), Bank Holiday (Aug), Labour Day (Oct), Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec).
Weather

Sydney's climate is temperate year-round. Winter nights can warrant wrapping up warm, while summer highs of up to 40°C make taking a dip all the more pleasant. Mostly temperatures average around 25°C, however, and the heat rarely settles in: summer rains tend to cool things down. Feel at ease out of the shade in spring and autumn. These are the most meteorologically blessed times of year, with cool, sunny days and mild nights.
Electricity

240V AC, 50 Hz, three-pin plugs are standard, but not the same three-pin plugs as Britain's. Adaptors are readily available in electrical goods stores, pharmacies and some travel agencies.
Dialling Code

+61 (national), (2) regional from overseas and (02) regional from within Australia + eight-figure number usually beginning with 9.
Money

Australian dollar ($ or AUD) is the currency.
GMT

GMT +10.
Sydney Tourist Info

Tourism New South Wales website

Fit In

Sydney is a laid-back town where you can be as outrageous as you want, provided you avoid self-importance and stiffness. Dress for daytime comfort and sunshine, and night-time fun.

Get Around

Get Around

Defined by its harbour, Sydney is a place of nooks and crannies. Explore its inner suburbs by foot or with pedal power to a get a feel for their idiosyncrasies.

Circular Quay is where the inner city meets the harbour. Eighteenth-century precinct The Rocks is a mere hop, skip and a jump away, as is the central business district and its adjoining Chinatown neighbourhood. Sparkling Darling Harbour, and Woolloomooloo with its cleverly redeveloped 1900s wharf, overlook the harbour waters.

Further afield – between the centre and the sea, and linked by an extensive bus network – are photogenic Paddington, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, as well as sun-bronzed Bondi. West and south-west of the city are Glebe and Newtown. Slide over to the north shore for establishment Sydney, and coastal Manly is best reached by ferry.
Bus

Explore Sydney's eastern suburbs by bus, as there is only one train line in the area, linking the city centre and Bondi Junction. Tickets are sold by sections: if unsure, opt for the Day Tripper or the SydneyPass tourist ticket.
Ferry

Catching a ferry is not a tourist rarity in Sydney but an everyday part of getting around. The ferry system is extensive and radiates from Circular Quay. A ferry ride to Manly is a must – at peak periods, there are high-speed catamaran services. Special passes for ferries to Taronga Zoo and the Aquarium are available. Tickets are based on zones travelled.
Taxi

Hail one of Sydney's abundant taxis off the street or at taxi ranks at Circular Quay, Wynyard Station and Central Station. Prices are fixed and signposted, and cabs can be booked ahead by phone.
Monorail and Light Rail

A circular monorail line links central Sydney with Darling Harbour every three to five minutes until late at night. Trams run along the metro light-rail line 24 hours a day, linking Central Station with Wentworth Park (west of the central business district) via Chinatown, Darling Harbour and the casino.
Train

Visit parts of Sydney further afield by train. Many suburban lines do a loop of the central business district (CBD), although there are also dedicated lines connecting suburbs. An Airport Link service connects all stations on the City Loop with both domestic and international terminals from 5am to midnight. The main city train stations are Circular Quay beside the harbour, and Central Station at the bottom end of the CBD.
Transport Tips

The Day Tripper ticket offers unlimited travel for a day on all regular Sydney bus and ferry services as well as all suburban City Rail services. More expensive but packed with extra features are three-, five- and seven-day SydneyPass, Sydney Explorer and Bondi Explorer tickets.
Time Travel

Take a walk back to convict-era Sydney along the cobbled streets and alleys of the 1800s The Rocks district, with its distinctive sandstone architecture.
Sydney Transport Link

City of Sydney Public Transport Information website

Highlights

Highlights

Framed by sandstone headlands, sheer cliffs and the elegant curved lines of its iconic attractions, Sydney's waterfront naturally steals the limelight.

Begin your visit at Circular Quay, a short distance from Sydney's two iconic attractions, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The Museum of Contemporary Art is right at the water's edge.

Catch a ferry to laid-back Manly, glittering Darling Harbour and sentimental favourite Luna Park. First European settlement The Rocks is a mere stroll away, while the central business district is just to the south. Within a few minutes you can be taking it all in from the top of Sydney Tower.
Sightseeing Tips

The central business district tends to close down when the offices do. Late-night shopping on Thursday means most stores open a little longer than usual. The inner eastern suburbs have more of an open-all-hours vibe.

Content provided by Frommer's Unlimited © 2009, Whatsonwhen Limited.



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