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Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and home to some of the greatest tourist attractions and landmarks in the world. If you’re preparing to visit Sydney and want to know which top attractions to add to your itinerary, this travel guide can help. We’ve rounded up the 22 best Aussie attractions in Sydney that you can’t afford to miss.
1. Featherdale Wildlife Park
- Address: 217 Kildare Rd, Doonside NSW 2767
- Website: featherdale.com.au/
- Opening hours: 8 am – 5 pm daily
Featherdale Wildlife Park boasts the largest collection of native Australian animals in the world, and it’s the perfect place to get up close and personal with the likes of koalas, kangaroos, emus, and wallabies. A day tour here lets you see and learn about more than 260 species, including a diverse range of reptiles and birds.
2. Luna Park Sydney
- Address: 1 Olympic Dr, Milsons Point NSW 2061
- Website: lunaparksydney.com
- Opening hours: Friday and Sunday: 10 am – 6 pm / Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm
Known for the huge, smiling moon that beams at visitors from its entrance, Luna Park is Sydney’s best-loved and oldest amusement park. There’s a variety of rides to suit the whole family, and you can enjoy beautiful views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from its grounds. You can reach the park from CBD by taking a ferry from Circular Quay or a train from Town Hall, Central, or Wynward Station.
3. Sydney Opera House
- Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: sydneyoperahouse.com
- Opening hours: Various
The most iconic landmark in Sydney is, without a doubt, the Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shaped like billowing sails, the building perches on a slim finger of land that juts into Sydney Harbour. You can book tickets for an event here to get a glimpse inside or take a guided tour to get behind-the-scenes insights into the multiple theatres that make up the Opera House.
4. The Rocks
- Address: NSW 2000
- Website: therocks.com
- Opening hours: 24/7
The Rocks is a historic area of Sydney that was once home to Gadigal Aboriginal people. When European settlers arrived in Sydney, they landed on The Rocks and colonized the city from there. There are lots of attractions to explore in the area but check out The Rocks Discovery Museum to learn more about its history.
5. Circular Quay
- Address: NSW 2000
- Website: sydney.com/destinations
- Opening hours: Various
Circular Quay is a major transport hub where you can catch ferries, trains, and buses to various parts of the city. One of the best ways to do sightseeing in Sydney is to take a ferry ride or Sydney Harbour Cruise from Circular Quay. This is the perfect way to take in the city skyline, and you’ll be able to witness the ‘Coathanger’ (Sydney Harbour Bridge) from a variety of vantage points.
6. Darling Harbour
- Address: NSW 2000
- Website: darlingharbour.com
- Opening hours: Various
There’s no shortage of attractions in Darling Harbour, which is Sydney CBD’s waterfront precinct. Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, and the Australian National Maritime Museum are all here. There are also plenty of cafes, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues to explore, as well as a colorful street art trail.
7. Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
- Address: Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
- Opening hours: 7 am – 6 pm daily
If you’re craving a break from the bustling city, get a fix of nature in the Royal Botanic Garden which is just a short walk from the Opera House. This is the oldest botanic garden in Australia and boasts 74 acres of themed gardens, including a beautiful rose garden. Be sure to check out the Aboriginal cultural tours here to learn about the Gadigal people and their relationship with the land.
8. Queen Victoria Building
- Address: 455 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: qvb.com.au
- Opening hours: Monday: 9 am – 6 pm / Tuesday: 1 pm – 5 pm / Wednesday: 9 am – 6 pm / Thursday: 9 am – 9 pm / Friday & Saturday: 9 am – 6 pm / Sunday 9 am – 6 pm
If you love shopping, you’ll love the Queen Victoria Building (known simply as QVB) which is a beautifully restored Romanesque-style structure. It has a huge central dome roof surrounded by 20 smaller domes. Stained-glass windows and interior mosaics give it a grand, elegant atmosphere that perfectly matches the 200-plus high-end shops and galleries that reside here.
9. Sydney Tower Eye
- Address: Westfield Sydney, Level 5/108 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: https://www.sydneytowereye.com.au/
- Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm daily
The Sydney Tower Eye is the tallest building in the city. Topped with a golden spire, it’s an iconic landmark and one of the most popular attractions in the Sydney CBD. Take one of the express elevators up to the observation deck for amazing views, or if you’re feeling brave, head out onto the Skywalk which has a glass floor to let you peer down at the city below.
10. Sydney’s Beaches
Some of the best beaches in the world are in Sydney, with Bondi Beach being the most famous. This busy beach is a must-visit for surfers, no matter if you’re brand new to the waves or an old hat. Don’t miss out on Coogee and Manly beaches, both of which are nearby and a little quieter than Bondi. You can also head north to find excellent waves at Dee Why, Narrabeen, and Collaroy.
11. Snorkelling Spots in Sydney
Snorkeling is a fantastic way to witness some of Sydney’s vibrant sea life. More than 500 species reside in Sydney Harbour, including seahorses, cuttlefish, blue swimmer crabs, starfish, octopus, and Port Jackson sharks. Head to the North Shore coastline for the best calm, shallow waters. Little Manly Cove, Cabbage Tree Bay, and Shelly Beach, all in Manly, are popular for snorkeling. Fisherman’s Beach in Collaroy and The Basin in Ku-ring-gai are also great spots.
12. Barangaroo Reserve
- Address: Hickson Rd, Barangaroo NSW 2000
- Website: barangaroo.com
- Opening hours: 24/7
Barangaroo Reserve is a large nature park that opened in 2016 after having been an unsightly container terminal. Now, it’s home to over 75,000 native trees and the perfect place for a peaceful walk, bicycle ride, or picnic. The site is home to a range of shops and restaurants as well as an event and exhibition space, so look out for events during your trip.
13. Taronga Zoo
- Address: Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088
- Website: taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo
- Opening hours: 9.30 am – 5 pm daily
A day trip to Taronga Zoo is essential for families. Here, you can see a variety of native and exotic wildlife, including koalas, giraffes, meerkats, Asian elephants, tigers, chimps, and seals. Animal shows and keeper presentations take place regularly so you can learn more about your favorite critters.
14. George Street
George Street is Australia’s oldest street, having once been a nameless track that European settlers walked to fetch water. Today, you can see a variety of architecture here representing Sydney through the ages. Highlights include Queen Victoria Building, Town Hall, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and the General Post Office building. You’ll also find plenty of independent boutiques and a variety of restaurants, cafes, and bars.
15. Hyde Park
- Address: Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks/hyde-park
- Opening hours: 24/7
Created in homage to London’s Hyde Park, this is Australia’s oldest park and a quiet sanctuary at the heart of Sydney. The 40-acre area is home to extensive lawns, elegant fountains, and beautiful flowerbeds and fig trees. Look out for the Anzac War Memorial, the Archibald Fountain, and Hyde Park Barracks. The Australia Museum, which houses the country’s biggest natural history collection, also resides in Hyde Park.
16. Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Address: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: artgallery.nsw.gov.au
- Opening hours: Wednesday: 10 am – 10 pm / Thursday to Tuesday: 10 am – 5 pm
Set in a building that dates back to 1885, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s most distinguished art museums. The collections here feature a wide range of artworks including those from old masters and cutting-edge contemporary artists. There’s also a large collection of Indigenous artwork.
17. St. Mary’s Cathedral
- Address: St Marys Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
- Website: stmaryscathedral.org.au
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 5 pm / Saturday: 10 am – 1 pm
The neo-Gothic St. Mary’s Cathedral is modeled on the UK’s Lincoln Cathedral and is reminiscent of Paris’s Notre Dame. It has beautiful stained-glass windows and is crowned with twin spires. Fans of architecture must pay a visit to this impressive sandstone landmark. Take advantage of the free guided tours that take place every Sunday morning to learn about the cathedral’s history.
18. Macquarie Street
Macquarie Street, which runs from Hyde Park to Sydney Opera House, is home to a series of elegant public buildings and grand private residences. One of the biggest attractions is the State New Library of South Wales, Australia’s oldest library. It houses the journals of Joseph Banks and Captain Cook, and the log of Captain Bligh of the HMS Bounty.
19. Chinatown
The pedestrianized zone of Dixon Street is the heart of Sydney’s Chinatown, which happens to be one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. There’s a huge variety of Asian cuisine available here, as well as the renowned Paddy’s Markets, where stallholders sell a range of fresh produce, clothing, accessories, homewares, and souvenirs.
If you happen to be visiting Sydney during Chinese New Year, be sure to visit Chinatown at this time to see the streets come alive with celebrations.
20. Kings Cross
Kings Cross was once deemed Sydney’s red-light district, but over the last couple of decades, it has gradually cleaned up its reputation and is now home to trendy restaurants, cafes, and backpacking hostels. It has excellent nightlife and an edgy art and theater scene. The area lies just 1.2 miles from the Central Business District so take a walking tour of the area to learn more about its fascinating history.
21. Royal National Park
- Address: Various entry points
- Website: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
- Opening hours: 7.30 am – 8.30 pm daily
The Royal National Park is an hour’s drive south of the city center, or you can take a ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena. The park boasts 37,290 acres of bushland and you can walk, hike, bike, picnic or swim on its grounds. Experienced hikers will love the coastal walk here, which takes two days to do in its 16-mile entirety.
22. Cockatoo Island
- Website: cockatooisland.gov.au
- Opening hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily
For thousands of years, Cockatoo Island was used as a meeting place for Aboriginal people, who knew it as Wareamah. European settlers began using it as a convict jail in the 1800s, then an industrial school and a shipbuilding facility. A visit to the island today is the best way to learn about its complex history, particularly if you take the self-guided audio tour available to buy from the visitor center. You can reach Cockatoo Island from Circular Quay by ferry.
Plan Your Sydney Sightseeing Itinerary
Now you know which world-class Sydney attractions you can’t afford to miss, it’s time to get started planning your visit to this vibrant city. From bustling George Street to the quiet escape of Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney has so much to show you!
Featured Image Credit: Ira Sokolovskaya
