The Ultimate Sydney Guide

Are you wondering what to do in Sydney? Sydney is, so far, my favorite city I have ever been to. It ticks off everything for me: sunny weather, beaches, friendly people, many events happening, it’s clean and modern… Check, check, CHECK!

I have spent quite some time in Sydney and have lived in a few different areas. In fact, I have been exploring this city so much that I can probably tell you more about Sydney than about my own hometown… I almost listed everything in my blog “Best Places to Visit in Australia”, but I figured Sydney needed a blog for it’s own.

Since there are so many things to do and see here, I made this article to help you a little bit. I will also tell you about the weather, public transport, safety, events, the best neighborhoods AND I will give you some tips on how you can save money in this ‘expensive’ city.

Things to see & do

There is always so much going on in Sydney, I usually looked at the events on Facebook to see if there was something happing that I could be interested in.

However, these are some things you can see and do throughout the whole year.

To see:
Opera House
Harbour Bridge
Botanic Gardens
Manly Beach
Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park
Centennial Park
Palm Beach
Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Queen Victoria Building
Sydney Tower
Avalon
St. Mary's Cathedral
Street art in Newtown
Darling Harbour
Circular Quay
The Rocks

To do:
Walk the Harbour Bridge (or on top of it!)
Go snorkeling at Clovelly Beach
Watch an Opera
Surf at Manly Beach
Go whale watching at the Barrenjoey Lighthouse (between May and September)
Watch Sydney from 250 metres high at Sydney's Tower Observation Deck
Take the coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee
Have fun at Luna Park, Sydney's amusement park
Take the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly (especially at sunset time)
Watch the sun go down behind the skyline at Dudley Page Reserve
Take a day trip to the Blue Mountains - or go camping at Perry's Lookdown (for free)
Stroll along The Grove in Manly Beach

Getting around

The easiest way to get around is by public transport – it can be quite cheap and it’s very easy to use. And in case you’re not sure about which bus or train you have to take: just simply ask someone. Australians are usually very friendly and helpful.

The best way to pay for the public transport is by using an Opal card. Although the card itself is free, there is a minimum top up amount. Read this if you want to know how it exactly works and where you can get one.

The only thing I didn’t really like about the buses, is that you can’t really tell when you have to get out. What I did was, either ask the driver to tell me when we reached my end destination, or I’d keep an eye on Google Maps.

Weather

The weather is one of the main reasons why I love Sydney so much. There is a lot of sunshine, it doesn’t rain that much and even in winter the temperatures are pleasant. Make sure to look at the UV index when you are in Sydney as it’s very easy to get a sunburn in Australia.

The temperatures per season:
Summer: between 24°C (75°F) and 40°C (104°F).
Autumn: between 18°C (64°F) and 30°C (86°F).
Winter: between 14°C (57°F) and 24°C (75°F).
Spring: between 18°C (64°F) and 32°C (90°F).

The best neighborhoods

Of course it really depends what your preferences are, but my advise would be to either stay in the CBD (Central Business District), or close to one of the beaches.

As a backpacker, the CBD, Manly Beach and Bondi Beach are the most fun areas – where you will also meet a lot of friends.

If you are looking for a bit more quiet and don’t mind being 1,5/2 hours away from the city centre – Avalon and Palm Beach are amazing. The sand here has a beautiful golden color, and there are not many people on the beach. Make sure to hike up to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse when you go.

Furthermore, all the beaches inbetween Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach are very nice to spend some time at too, with Bondi Beach being the busiest of all.

Events

New Year's Eve
If you are lucky enough to be in town around these times, you definitely have to make sure to check it out. New Year's Eve Probably the biggest spectacle of the year. I'd say it is absolutely worth it to be in Sydney to watch the fireworks. I have seen it twice, actually.

The first time I paid to watch the fireworks from Bradley's Head. It was a nice view for sure, but if you want to have a good spot you have to go there very early - we got there 13 hours before the show started.

The second time I simply walked to The Rocks and kept walking until I stood very close to the bridge. It was free to watch the fireworks from this area.

Even though it was very cool to watch the show from up close, I would still recommend to from further away as this gives you a nice view of both the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It also will prevent you from getting ashes in your eyes...

Vivid Sydney
This year, Vivid Sydney will take place from 22 May - 13 June 2020. Vivid is the famous light show, during which a part of the city will be illuminated with beautiful colors.

My advice would be to head towards the Opera House first, as this is the most spectacular one in my opinion. There are many points where people hand out maps or will be able to tell you where to go, so just go to one of those to check where else you want to go.

Money saving tips

Sydney can be a bit expensive, but it definitely doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips to make your stay in Sydney a bit more affordable:

Eat and cook at your accommodation if it is possible. This will save you a lot of money! Buy your food at the supermarkets Coles or Woolworths, they are a lot cheaper than the convenience stores.
Use the Opal Card for public transport. If you really want to save money on public transport, make your biggest travels on Sunday - as the maximum amount you will pay is $2.60, no matter how many buses or trains you are taking!
Drinking alcohol can be quite expensive in Australia, so make sure to buy your drinks at Happy Hour. Or, buy goon (cask wine) and drink some at your accommodation.
Find a free walking tour.
The best things in life are free and this really shows in Sydney. Most of the sights I named above are free to visit.

How to stay safe

Sydney is very safe and the people are generally very friendly and helpful. So many times when I was lost and staring at my Google Maps, someone would walk up to me to ask me where I had to go.

The only neighborhood where I was always a bit more careful was Kings as it can be a little bit dodgy. Just take general safety precautions like you would do in any (big) city.

And: always make sure to protect your skin from the sun.

I hope you are going to have and amazing time in Sydney, and if you feel like anything in this article should be added or changed – definitely let me know.

Also, if you are planning on traveling around in Australia, make sure to check out my blog about the best places to visit in Australia.