Downtown Sydney

Since the Australian season began, we have started and ended each cruise in Sydney.  I’ve already spent about 6 days in the city, and have loved every one of them!  Here are some of my favorite places in Sydney thus far.

At the port in Sydney. Such a great location!

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Climbing the bridge

One sunny day I joined a group of dancers, singers, and skaters to climb the bridge.  Before I got to Sydney, I thought the bridge climb would be just like walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.  I was horribly wrong!  In Sydney, you actually are able to climb a series of ladders to the top of the arch.  We were connected to rails with a carabineer and walked up stairs to reach the center of the arch.  We walked across the top, over 8 lanes of traffic, and went down the other side.  From the bridge, the views are stunning!  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and pointed out attractions all over the city.

Sydney Opera House

Outside the Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is the landmark of the city.  We’ve been lucky enough to port across the harbor from the house, so I’ve seen it in rain and shine, from close up and far away.  I’ve not yet taken a tour of the entire opera house, but I have walked through the lobby and spent much more than I should have at the gift shop.

Botanic Gardens

In the Gardens

The Opera House is on the tip of a small peninsula.  If you continue up the peninsula, you will find yourself in the botanic gardens.  There are beautiful flowers and trees, excellent views of the city, and bizarre birds called ibises roaming around.  It’s a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic.

View from the gardens

Hyde Park

Lovely trees in the park

My first afternoon in Sydney, I had a little picnic in the park.  It’s in the center of the city, and is easily accessible from the port.  Most days, I’ll stroll through the park before returning to the ship.  It’s beautiful!

View from the park

Bondi Beach

Bondi is one of two famous beaches in Sydney.  It’s known for great surfing and great people watching.  I made the journey via bus to the beach last time we were in Sydney.  The weather was gorgeous—sunny and about 75 degrees.  The beach was crowded but not overwhelmingly so.  We found a nice place to set up camp just down the hill from an outdoor gym, meaning when the macho men needed to cool off in the ocean, we were directly in their path.  What a lucky coincidence!  The water was too cold for me to swim in, but I enjoyed wading in it.  When we had had enough sun, we walked up the street and found a fish and chips joint.  It just happened to be the #1 fish and chips spot for about 8 years.  Yum!  I took my fried calamari and fries to go, and we had a picnic in the grass.  The outing ended with a bit of souvenir shopping and a scenic bus ride back to the port.  Although I ended up with a terrible sunburn, the day was perfect!

City Hall

I’m looking forward to my remaining stops in Sydney.  I can’t wait to see what else this amazing city has to offer!