What to do in Sydney

Advice on what to do in Sydney, including culture, relaxation, nightlife, sport and food.

Cultural attractions in Sydney

The Sydney Opera House is the city's most distinctive and well-known landmark, and operates as a centre for the performing arts. Its concert hall is renowned for its world-beating acoustics, while there is also an opera theatre, drama theatre, playhouse and Boardwalk music and dance venue.

The Rocks is considered to be the birthplace of Australia because it is the site of the country's first European settlement in 1788. Visitors can walk around cobbled streets that seem to have evaded the passage of time, and there are a number of historic houses and pubs to explore.

The gothic grandeur of St Mary's Cathedral sits proudly in the heart of Sydney, and is a big draw for tourists interested in its architecture and Australian Catholicism.

Relaxation in Sydney
Harbour Bridge offers some spectacular views for those walking across it from the north shore to the south shore of the cove, but even more breath-taking views can be seen by climbing to the top – with supervision of course.

The even more daring can put their tolerance of heights to the test with the Skywalk, where you climb to the top of the Sydney Tower, more than a quarter of a kilometre in the sky. At the top of the tower is a glass platform you can walk out on, providing you with a 360 degree view of the city, directly beneath your feet.

Darling Harbour has a host of activities on offer, including museums, fairground rides and Australia's biggest cinema screen. However, a more tranquil side to it can be found in the Chinese Gardens, a haven of intricate pathways and pools.

The Sydney Aquarium can also be found at Darling Harbour, and includes walk-through tanks containing all kinds of marine-life and a plexi-glass room suspended inside a seal pool.

A giant green oasis can be found at the Royal Botanic Gardens, which features a huge range of plantlife and an on-site farm, making it a great place to relax, picnic and entertain the family.

And of course, there are the beaches, such as the big Bondi, to go and soak up the sun and surf in the sea, on.

Nightlife in Sydney
Those into their house and cheesy trance can stay up late/early at Sublime, a large and celebrated club on Pitt Street in Sydney's centre.

The more musically adventurous can make their way to the Asian-themed Chinese Laundry on Slip Street, which invites top DJs to play techier-edged music in another of Sydney's favourite clubs.

For a more sedate evening out, try the Old Fitzroy Hotel, which is a pub, bistro and theatre all rolled into one. Newcomers to the stage flaunt their wares, while you enjoy cold beers and good food.

Sport in Sydney
The most popular sports in Sydney are Aussie Rules Football and football, of the soccer variety.

Enjoy the rough and tumble of a game of Aussie Rules with the Sydney Swans at the Telstra Stadium.

A normal game of football can be caught at Sydney FC, at Aussie Stadium.

Recommended restaurants in Sydney
If you are missing the taste of home you can find some of the best fish and chips in the city at A Fish Called Coogee, at Coogee Bay.

BBQ King on Goulburn Street does what it says on the door, with oodles of sizzling barbecued meats such as duck and beef to tuck into.

Kilimanjaro on King Street provides a cheap yet top quality taste of African cuisine, with standard cous cous staples rubbing shoulders with more exotic fusion experimentation.