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Built along the shores of one of the world's most beautiful and extensive harbours, and stretching to the Pacific Ocean in the east, Sydney has an immense number of stunning vistas from both land and water. Vibrant and cosmopolitan, the city combines great shopping and alfresco dining with historic sights, golden beaches and a balmy Mediterranean climate. The earliest and largest of Australia's cities, its centre is reminiscent of older European cities, having grown gradually from its 18th-century origins around Sydney Cove, now called The Rocks. To urban visitors, the relaxed outdoor lifestyle that Sydney enjoys is the antithesis of other world-class cities and something that Sydney residents are justifiably proud. What better way to end a hectic day than with a relaxing sail on the harbour or an invigorating dip in the ocean.

Sydney Attractions

Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9298 3777 | Fax: +61 2 9298 3780

The National Maritime Museum charts the history of seafaring in the southern Pacific through displays of ships and artefacts, with sections devoted to exploration, immigration and the early convict settlers.

Museum of Contemporary Art
140 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9252 4033 | Fax: +61 2 9252 4361

One of the city's most exciting museums, housed in a striking art deco building on the harbour, the collection contains a range of art forms, from sculpture and painting to film and video, by both international and Australian Aboriginal artists.

Royal Botanic Gardens
Mrs Macquarie's Road, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9231 8111 | Fax: +61 2 9251 4403

One of the city's most popular green spaces with both residents and visitors, the 24-hectare (60-acre) Botanic Gardens has excellent views of the harbour and an incredible collection of exotic and native plants, orchids and ferns.

Sydney Aquarium
Pier 26, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 8251 7800 | Fax: +61 2 9262 2385

The spectacular aquarium was designed to give visitors the sensation of being underwater with the fish and marine mammals. Displays include seals, sharks, crocodiles and turtles.

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9250 7111

Designed in the 1950s to echo the myriad sailboats on the harbour, the Opera House was not completed until 1973. With four auditoria, it hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the year as well as guided tours every 30 to 45 minutes.

Sydney Tower
Centrepoint, 100 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 8251 7800

Built in 1981 and reaching a height of 305 metres (1000 feet), the AMP Centrepoint Tower is the tallest building on the continent with the highest observation level in the southern hemisphere. The panoramic views from either the observation deck or the revolving restaurant can stretch to the Blue Mountains, 100 kilometres (62 miles) away.

Bondi Beach
Campbell Parade, Bondi, Sydney, NSW 2026

Probably the best-known beach in the world, the one and a third kilometre (one mile) long Bondi Beach is the closest to the city centre and one of the best places to witness Australian beach culture.