In a normal year, around 16.4 million people visit Sydney. Unsurprisingly, given the strict lockdowns, Australia experienced during the CoVid pandemic those numbers are down. But, despite that in 2020, 9.3 million people still stayed in the city. Most, 7.4 million were domestic tourists and the rest were from abroad.

Many far bigger cities in the world do not attract anywhere near that level of tourists. The fact that Sydney is such an attractive city plays a significant role in why so many people choose to stay there. It is a very picturesque place, which is easy to travel around. Meaning that you can see and do a lot in a relatively short space of time. Here is our round-up of the best of them:

 

 

 

Visit the suburb of Alexandria

Alexandria is an inner-city suburb of Sydney which has a Ming Temple and several historic buildings. But it is the park that attracts the most visitors. It is a beautiful place to chill out and get close to nature. As a bonus, you will also be able to enjoy most Instagrammable cafes in Sydney, during your visit. The entrance is a riot of beautiful, vibrant flowers and the food is tasty too.

Bondi Icebergs swimming pool

Bondi Beach is on most holidaymakers’ must-do lists. If you do go, be sure to visit the pool. The view of the sapphire ocean from here really is something special.

 

Sydney Opera House

No visit to Sydney would be complete without seeing The Opera House. It does not disappoint and looks even better than it does in the pictures. If you want to take your photos, use this guide to help you to do so. There are 15 on the list and each of these locations also has something to offer. You could even spend a couple of days visiting each of them and get snaps of The Opera House from all angles.

 

The view from the deck of a Sydney ferry

If you want to save a bit of cash and experience Sydney like the locals, get on the ferry. Darling Harbour, Circular Quay and Manly beach all look great from the river.

The top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

While you are in the area visit Sydney Harbour Bridge, the views both up and down the river are good. Plus, there is the option to climb to the top of the bridge and take some snaps from there. It is incredibly high, so it is not for the faint-hearted and you will need to pre-book.

Visit the eclectic suburb of Newtown

The suburb of Newtown is not exactly picturesque. But there are plenty of interesting things to photograph and experience. Start with a bit of antique shopping on King Street and enjoy a coffee from one of the many colourful and unique hole-in-the-wall joints. Then take a walk around the graffiti art-decorated lanes. It is also an excellent place to enjoy an evening meal.

 

Shipwrecks at Homebush Bay

Hidden among the mangroves is a World War 1 shipwreck, which you can see from the banks of Homebush Bay. It does not sound like a very promising view, but it is quite picturesque. Plus, the bay itself is nice and is surrounded by parklands, which offer some great picture-taking opportunities.

 

Hornby Lighthouse, Sydney Harbour National Park

Few cities have a National Park within its boundaries, Sydney does. Do your best to visit here twice. Once at dusk to get a snap of the lighthouse as the sun sets. It is a beautiful sight. Then go back to photograph the scene in daylight. During the winter months, you may be lucky enough to get one or two whales to appear in your shots.

 

Sydney Zoo

We know this is an unusual suggestion, but Sydney Zoo is quite pretty. It is very green and laid out to give you the impression that you are on safari. Giving you the chance to take some stunning photos of the fauna of the area as well as of the animals that live in Australia.

 

The Blue Mountains

You really can´t beat taking a bush walk through The Blue Mountains. They are an easy one-hour train journey away from the city. While you are there, visit The Three Sisters rock formation which changes colour as the day progresses. Also, ride the steepest passenger railway in the world, which also happens to be one of the most scenic. This long forum post tells you where and when you can capture the best shots, during the journey.

The great thing about Sydney is that the above photo opportunities are only the tip of the iceberg. If you want more ideas, visit the TripAdvisor Sydney page, it is packed with them.

 

 

Picturesque Places to Visit in Sydney is a feature post