Sydney - New South Wales Travel Highlights

Sydney is the capital city of the south-eastern Australian state of New South Wales, situated on Port Jackson, a waterway including Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour, and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers. With a population of just over 4.25 million, Sydney—the "Harbour City"—remains the largest, oldest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia.

Sydney holds a reputation worldwide as one of the world's most beautiful and liveable cities, brimming with historical associations and globally influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, cuisine and design. The city is also home to many unique architectural styles, including the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, two of the most iconic structures on the planet.

Sydney is a dynamic centre for Australian economic activity and one of the most important cities for finance in the Asia-Pacific region. Sydney was also the host of the 2000 Olympic Games, which successfully raised the city's global profile. Though comprised of a large, sometimes sprawling population, Sydney nonetheless retains many large public spaces and lush green parklands—the city is literally surrounded by national parks, which extend even into the suburbs and the shores of the harbour.

Districts of Primary Interest for the Tourist in Sydney

Central Sydney

• Sydney City - the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney, the historical centre of government, retail, finance, culture and entertainment
• The Rocks - bordering Sydney Cove to the west, includes the first colonial village of Sydney and the iconic Harbour Bridge
• Darling Harbour - an extensive, enjoyable leisure and entertainment area immediately to the west of the CBD, the area is also home to many luxury hotels
• Kings Cross - chic bars, blinding neon signs and hip night clubs, Kings Cross is also well known as Sydney's red light district
• Darlinghurst - once the site of countless brothels and speakeasies, now the site of chic and stylish eateries and the heart of the gay community
• Paddington - ranging from the camp (Darlinghurst end) to the posh (Woollahra end), Paddington is a must for upmarket fashion addicts and drinkers
• Chinatown - Amazing Chinese culture and cuisine!
• the Inner West - Sydney's original suburbs are now bohemian, but still affordable. Newtown and Glebe in particular are hubs of cheap eats, shopping and inner-city culture.

North

• North Sydney - located across the Harbour from the city centre, linked to the CBD by the famous Harbour Bridge and the Harbour Tunnel, a major business and shopping district
• the North Shore - leafy suburbs stretching northwards from the Harbour, its inhabitants tending to be wealthy "well-to-do" middle-class families. The North Shore area includes a large number of the most expensive and prestigious private schools.
• the Northern Beaches - from Manly to Palm Beach
• the Hills District is a largely residential area around 30 minutes to the North and West.

East

• the Eastern Suburbs - between the City and the sea, includes the world-famous Bondi Beach and other city beaches, which are all hubs for visitors and residents in the city during summer.

West

• Homebush Bay - home of the Sydney Olympic Park, providing venues for sports and outdoor activities.
• Parramatta - the historical core of western Sydney, now a thriving commercial, tourist and retail center, around thirty minutes from Sydney by car, train or ferry.
• the Outer West stretching from Parramatta out to the Blue Mountains and the South West with the centers of Liverpool and Campbelltown are a large swathe of residential and commercial Sydney containing over half its population.

South

• Southern Sydney - the area south of the CBD and north of the Georges River, including the area surrounding Sydney Airport and Botany Bay
• Sutherland Shire is the district to the far south and east of the city center including Cronulla

Things to See at Sydney

• The Sydney Harbour Bridge crosses the harbour from the city to North Sydney. You can walk or cycle across the Harbour Bridge free of charge. You can climb the arch with BridgeClimb . 
• The Sydney Opera House . Located in the city, millions of tourists a year throng the building just to see it, even if they have little or no interest in Opera. The Sydney Opera House is easily one of the most famous structures ever built.
• Darling Harbour is a large tourist precinct and includes a range of activities, restaurants, museums and shopping facilities.
• Sydney Olympic Park - Home of the 2000 Summer Olympics, in Homebush.
• Luna Park,-  Is a large theme park situated near the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it's mouth-shaped entrance can be seen from many areas of Sydney as well as the large Ferris Wheel.
• Sydney Tower also called Centrepoint Tower. The tallest structure in Sydney, the tower contains a buffet, cafe and a rather large restaurant and attracts many visitors a year. You can stand over the city on a transparent platform, over the edge of the top of the tower with Skywalk

• See The Rocks in the city.

• Taronga Zoo in North Sydney.
• The Koala Park Sanctuary in the Outer West.
• Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour
• Featherdale Wildlife Park, in western Sydney.
• Australian Reptile Park  about an hour north of Sydney, with much more than just reptiles.

• The Australian Museum in the city.
• The Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street in Darling Harbour
• The Art Gallery of NSW  in the city.
• The Powerhouse Museum  in Darling Harbour.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art  in the city.
• The Museum of Sydney  in the city.

Events and Festivals in Sydney

• The Sydney Festival is an arts festival held in January each year. It aims to be international in reach, inviting acclaimed international artists to exhibit their work or perform in Sydney. A number of free outdoor events are held alongside the festival including the hugely popular Jazz in the Domain and Symphony in the Domain concerts held in the Domain in the city.

• The  Royal Easter Show is the major agricultural show in New South Wales,, and is held around Easter each year at Sydney Olympic Park in the Outer West.

• New Year's Eve has become a major event in Sydney over the last few years, with the fireworks display ranking among the world's best. Displays of pyrotechnics center around Sydney Harbour, near the Harbour bridge ( including fireworks shot from the bridge itself ). There are two shows, a "family show" at 9pm, and the major fireworks display at midnight. Many of the hotels and bars near the Harbour hold special parties as well.

• TThe Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a festival organized by and for the queer community. It includes sports, cultural and arts events that run throughout February, culminating in the Mardi Gras parade in Darlinghurst on the first Saturday of March each year. The festival began as a street protest, and has grown into a huge celebration.

• Chinese New Yearar is widely celebrated by Sydney's Chinese community, with the center of festivities being at Chinatown. Look out for Lion dancing, Dragonboat races at Darling Harbour, and of course plenty of good food.

• The Bacardi Latin Festival in Darling Harbour is held in early January as part of the Sydney Festival, and contains a week of Latin dancing and music.

• The Biennale of Sydney is a contemporary arts and multimedia festival held in winter in even numbered years.

• The Sydney Fringe Festival  runs from mid-January to mid-February each year, and features fringe art in the form of film, TV, performance and sport.

• The Sydney Film Festival is held in June each year and shows over 200 movies in 16 days, including an enormous number of Australian movies, most of which will premiere at the festival.

• The Big Day Out, an Australia-wide rock/alternative music festival with a side of dance, plays to up to 60 000 Sydneysiders at a time for one or two days in late January (normally on the January 26th public holiday).

• The Homebake ifestival s a rock/alternative/dance festival featuring only Australian acts. It is held in the Domain in the city each year in December.

•  Carols in the Domain are held annually in the Domain in the city on the last Saturday before Christmas. 100 000 people with candles sing along as night falls and the show is also telecast live.