With attractions like the world famous Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach and more, Sydney is a city with lots to offer.

THE phrase ?location, location, location? could have been coined for Sydney. Regularly voted as one of the world?s top cities, Sydney?s position around the natural wonder of Sydney Harbour is the envy of many of her rivals.

Sydney?s people take advantage of its spectacular setting by basing much of their recreation around the ocean. Whether it?s chilling out on iconic Bondi beach, surfing in Manley, dining out at Darling Harbour or watching a performance at the Opera House, the sea is always close by.

Bondi Beach

Darling Harbour

This is a place to be seen both in the day and night, and is indicative of the way Sydney has beautified itself over the past few years. Restaurants, glitzy apartments, bars, museums and visitor attractions surround a large body of deep blue water spanned by a bridge.

The area was re-developed for Australia?s 200th birthday in 1988 with the original dockland buildings being renovated or demolished. the main reason people come to Darling Harbour is to eat good food and drink wine in the outdoor terraces while soaking up the atmosphere, and people-watching.

During the weekends, it also attracts thousands of young people to its bars and clubs, which get even busier during the regular outdoor events and festivals held here. Aside from just soaking up the vibe, you can visit the National Maritime Museum, which features, among other things, submarines and restored ships.

The nautical theme continues at the Sydney Aquarium. This massive complex houses one of the world?s best collections of fish and sea mammals and contains glass tunnels to view sharks up close and personal.

Circular Quay

This is where Sydney?s commercial centre meets the ocean and is a vibrant place full of tourists, locals on lunch break and street entertainers. certainly, it has a lively and cosmopolitan feel. Of course, it?s also home to one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Sydney Opera House.

Built to represent the sails of a ship, the opera house boasts white triangular halls that jut up into the sky and contrast sharply with the blue of the harbour water. Guided tours are available, but the best option is to go and see a performance there. Events take place year-round and tickets can be purchased in advance or on-site.

The Quayside, in keeping with many of Sydney?s attractions, is a place popular with people who just like to hang out and soak up the atmosphere. It?s easy to spend a few hours having a glass of wine or a coffee while listening to an Aboriginal busker playing a haunting melody on a didgeridoo.

Opera House and Harbour Bridges.

The Rocks and Harbour Bridge

Although it?s a relatively young city that was founded in 1788, Sydney takes great pride in its heritage and seeks to preserve its early buildings and institutions. the Rocks is the oldest part of Sydney and contains some historic warehouses, pubs and galleries and is also the starting point for those who want to climb the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Known as the Coat Hanger, this is a landmark that is as famous as the Opera House. And if you?re not afraid of heights, you?ll be happy to know that there are organised tours up to the top of its span. the climb takes over three hours but you are rewarded with sweeping views of the harbour.

After the climb, there are lots of galleries and places to eat and drink and hang around, with one of the more popular places being the 19th century Lord Nelson, which brews some potent on-premise beer.

Bondi Beach

One of the most iconic beaches in the world, Bondi conjures up images of blonde-haired Aussie surfers, beautiful bodies and the laid-back beach lifestyle for which Australia ? and particularly Sydney ? is famous for.

Bondi has all these things in abundance but it also has much more to offer.

Learning to surf at Bondi.

The beach itself is full of the usual activities you would expect to see ? people posing, sunbathing, playing sport, etc, and it has a lively and liberal atmosphere. you will see scores of people surfing, and there are numerous surf schools in operation if you want to learn this most Australian of pastimes.

Although the sea temperature is relatively warm, it does contain large waves. if you?d prefer to get sensation of swimming in the sea without gulping mouthfuls of water, you can proceed to the large saltwater public pool at the southern end of the beach.

Befitting its status as cool place to be seen, Bondi also has lots of bars, cafes and restaurants which are nearly as popular as the beach itself. Bondi is also a starting point for the Coastal Walk which winds its way along cliff tops and down through the popular beach areas of Bronte and Coogee.

Manly

Some 70 years ago the slogan ?Manly ? seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles from care?, was coined for this laid-back beach resort. Occupying the northern shore of the harbour, Manly encompasses a marina, shopping arcades and the famous surf beaches.

Part of the attraction of the place is getting there ? by the Manly Ferry which leisurely cruises its way across the harbour, or by road across Harbour Bridge. Either way, you are assured of great views of the city. the most popular way to arrive, though, is by ferry.

And from the wharf, there is a large pedestrianised shopping arcade called the Corso which leads to Manly Ocean Beach. While not as hip as Bondi, it is also very popular and specialises in water sports, such as surfing, sea kayaking and night dives.

Other attractions which are popular here include Oceanworld Manly and Shark Dive X-treme. the former, while not as big as the Sydney Aquarium, still has an impressive collection of creatures and includes live shows. for the more adventurous, SharkDive X-treme is an attraction within Oceanworld that allows you to dive into a shark tank for 30 minutes.

> Sydney is serviced by an extensive bus network, as well as a subway system and ferries, all of which are cheaply priced and tourist-friendly. for more information, you can go to visitnsw.com.

Seaside Sydney