Why visit Sydney?
For the world's best beaches, beautiful weather, incredible shopping, exciting entertainment options and range of restaurants and dining experiences from around the world - just to get you started.
Sydney is a cosmopolitan, vibrant and multicultural city, made up of a series of precincts each with its own unique character and appeal to both national and international visitors.
Central Business District ( Sydney CBD)
The
Sydney CBD is home to Sydney’s major shopping centres, hotels and
entertainment venues, as well as many of its important financial and
business institutions. The architecture ranges from contemporary chic to
important historical buildings.
Chinatown Sydney - lively Sydney
Sydney’s
original Chinese community settled at The Rocks but moved to the
Haymarket area in the early 1900s. The precinct today is filled with
restaurants, market stalls, and an exciting Chinese New Year festival in
the summer. Nearby on Liverpool Street, Sydney’s growing ‘Spanish
Quarter’ is peppered with Tapas bars and Latin dancing.
Darling Harbour Sydney, Cockle Bay Wharf, King Street Wharf
Once
a busy harbour and industrial region, the Darling Harbour precinct was
redeveloped in 1988 with shops, restaurants, bars, museums and
entertainment. Many Sydney cruises leave from Darling Harbour, and the
Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre fronts its waters. Cockle Bay
and King Street Wharfs are home to a number of premium Sydney
restaurants.
Eastern Suburbs - home to Sydney's world famous Bondi Beach
Sydney’s
eastern suburbs stretch from Watsons Bay at the South Head entrance of
the Harbour and follow the ocean coastline, east of Sydney’s central
business district. These fashionable suburbs are home to stunning
beaches, from secluded hideaways to the world famous Bondi Beach, as
well as major restaurants and entertainment areas.
East Sydney and Darlinghurst - gay Sydney
This
area, between William Street and Oxford Street, is the heart of
Sydney’s gay scene, and the home of the vibrant, world-famous Gay and
Lesbian Mardi Gras in March each year. The precinct is best known for
its historic pubs, the restaurants in ‘Little Italy’ (Stanley Street),
the Australian Museum and the NSW State Library.
Inner west Sydney - artistic and multicultural Sydney
Sydney’s
inner west, while not a precise geographical region, is often used by
Sydney-siders to describe the suburbs along the southern shore of Port
Jackson, stretching south to the shores of the Cooks River. The area has
a number of eclectic cafes and multicultural restaurants. For
diversity, visit bookish Glebe, alternative Newtown and ‘little Italy’
Leichhardt.
Kings Cross - eclectic Sydney entertainment
Kings
Cross (called ‘The Cross’ by the locals) was once a home for bohemian
artists and writers, and much of that flavour remains today. It is
Australia’s most densely populated district, and famous for its
nightlife and dining. Down the hill in Woolloomooloo, beautiful
redevelopments like the Finger Wharf, house a glamorous hotel and fine
dining restaurants.
Northern beaches - Sydney's beach wonderland secret
Sydney’s
lovely northern beaches are a natural wonderland for relaxing, swimming
and strolling the many beachside shops and cafes. Visit the Baha’i
House of Worship; experience the incredible Shark Dive Xtreme at
Oceanworld Manly; and take a trip to Waratah Park Earth Sanctuary to see
Sydney the way it was before Europeans arrived.
Paddington - Sydney fashion, wealth and bohemia
Paddington
is one of Sydney’s most wealthy and fashionable suburbs, and shops
along Oxford Street and its surrounds are among Sydney’s best. Every
Saturday, the Paddington Markets sell original clothing, multicultural
food and hand-crafted jewellery and homewares. A number of Sydney
designers started out with a humble Paddington market stall.
Surry Hills - inner city Sydney art and dining
Once
filled with slums and notorious for gangs and brothels, today Surry
Hills is known for its art galleries, antique dealers, cafes, pubs and
fashion. The area houses Sydney’s ‘garment district’, where ‘rag
traders’ will often sell their clothes to the public at drastic
discounts. A number of Sydney’s most awarded fine dining restaurants are
also in Surry Hills.
The Rocks - Sydney Harbour entertainment and shopping
Next
to the ferry hub of Circular Quay, The Rocks is Sydney’s oldest
residential precinct: convict tents were erected here in 1788. Traces of
the early settlements are still found in The Rocks, along cobbled
laneways, historic pubs and churches. The Rocks today is also a place
for excellent shopping and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Note: Information on this page was sourced from the City of Sydney website.