City Breaks in Sydney

For pace and pizzaz, nowhere else comes close to Sydney – but the city has its quieter side as well. Here are some insider tips to get you going.

Best view of the Opera House

For a wonderful view of this famous Australian landmark, head for Mrs Macquarie’s Point. From the Opera House, walk around the curve of Farm Cove – Sydney’s favourite corporate jogging track – to the point. The view is great at sunset, but it’s at its best when the rising sun is burnishing the sails of the Opera House.

Best sunset cocktail

At Horizon Bar in the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney (176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks), floor-to-ceiling glass and 100-plus metres of altitude provide an unbeatable vantage point for watching the sun set on Sydney Harbour.

Best window shopping

At Chifley Plaza, Sydney slips into something a little more comfortable – by Max Mara, Pancaldi 1888 or Bruno Magli. Drool over baubles at Tiffany & Co, scents by Crabtree & Evelyn, plus some great home-grown designs.

Best city stroll

From the city, cross Macquarie Street to the Royal Botanic Gardens – a serene, green wonderland of tropical and temperate exotica furnished with palm trees, duck ponds, cactus gardens, classical statuary, a restaurant and acres of lawns.

Best pies

Near the W Sydney, The Wharf at Woolloomooloo at the water end of Woolloomooloo, Harry’s Café de Wheels dispenses meat pies and casual conversation to just about everyone. After midnight, opera singers, actors and rock stars rub shoulders with shift workers and taxi drivers at this humble dockyard food stall.

Best on a warm evening

Sydney’s all-seasons playground, Darling Harbour, has waterfront cafes and bars galore, as well as several of Sydney’s headline restaurants in the Cockle Bay complex. In the evening, the buildings on the western side of the city cast molten images across the water.

Sydney City Accommodation and hotels