One day in Sydney

Day by day

1. Day 1: Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge

   Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach and Manly ferry and Manly Beach, then Luna Park Sydney in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sydney Opera House

      For the classic photo of the Opera House with the Bridge behind it, walk through the Royal Botanic Garden to Mrs Macquarie's Chair. Allow 1–3 hours.

   2. Late morning

      Sydney Harbour Bridge

      Reach the footpath by the stairs from Cumberland Street in The Rocks, walk to Milsons Point and come back by ferry for a different angle. Allow 1 hour walk; 3.5 hours to climb.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sydney rock oysters

      Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay, oyster bars around Circular Quay and seafood restaurants in Watsons Bay.

   4. Afternoon

      Bondi Beach

      Swim only between the red-and-yellow flags; the southern end has a well-known rip current that catches visitors every summer. Allow Half a day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Manly ferry and Manly Beach

      Sit on the outside deck on the right-hand side as you leave Circular Quay for the closest views of the Opera House. Allow Half a day.

   6. Evening

      Luna Park Sydney

      Walk across the Harbour Bridge to Milsons Point, finish at Luna Park, then take the ferry back to Circular Quay.

Before you go

• Sydney Opera House: Popular performances and guided tours sell out at busy times; book on the official site, especially for weekend shows.
• Sydney Harbour Bridge: BridgeClimb departures, especially around sunset and at weekends, sell out; book ahead online.

If it rains

• Swap in Art Gallery of New South Wales (The Domain): Walk the short path between the two buildings and finish on the newer building's outdoor terraces, which look across Woolloomooloo to the Finger Wharf.
• Swap in Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (Circular Quay): Pair it with a wander through The Rocks next door; it is also the obvious shelter when a summer thunderstorm rolls in.
• Swap in Australian Museum (Hyde Park): Combine it with a walk across Hyde Park to St Mary's Cathedral and the Hyde Park Barracks on Macquarie Street.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–15 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in June to 14.4 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Train. Sydney Trains run from Central and Town Hall to the suburbs, the airport and the Blue Mountains, with intercity services north to Newcastle and south to Wollongong and Kiama.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Sydney
• 3 days in Sydney
• 4 days in Sydney
• 5 days in Sydney
• 7 days in Sydney

Questions travellers ask