Planning a trip down under? Then you need to spend at least a couple of days in iconic Sydney!
Where to stay
3 main places for you to stay are central (CBD) Bondi and Coogee. Bondi and Coogee are beach towns where you can easily get to the opera house by bus. I stayed in Coogee which I loved- the waves aren’t as strong as Bondi so it’s safer to swim and has a more relaxed neighbourhood vibe (but plenty of fun in the evenings too!)
How to get around
A great thing about Sydney is public transport is reliable and you can tap in and out with contactless card: buses trains and ferries. No messing around with cash or topping up a travel card you’ll only use for a few days.
Where to eat
Tottis- an Italian restaurant in CBD and Bondi the food is delicious. I had the bread and burrata to start with vongole pasta- so tasty.
Opera Bar- we only had drinks but their food looked good and reasonably priced too. It’s the bar beneath the Opera House with stunning views of said Opera House and Harbour bridge. Perfect for place to snap a new Facebook profile pic!
Melon Head- if you fancy a smoothie or açai bowl to take to Coogee Beach then this is your place
Coogee Bay Hotel- busy, fun with great pizzas, salads and fish and chips so great for a group of you.
Speedos Cafe- get yourself some smashed avo on toast in this instagrammable cafe at Bondi Beach- you won’t be disappointed the food tastes as good as it looks!
Chin Chin- Thai restaurant in CBD. High energy music while still being family friendly. Great staff, amazing food you can’t go wrong here.
Charcoal Fish- catch the ferry over to Rose Bay for the best fish and chips of your life. Eat your fancy take away on the beach at sunset for the perfect relaxed Sydney evening.
What to do
Blue mountains- you can access these by train, hiring a car or a trip through Viator/Get Your Guide. The Three sisters are breathtaking and is a change from the city scenery.
Walk around Opera House and Harbour Bridge (and Botanical Gardens)- you can’t come to Sydney and not see these icons you’ve watched on the telly since being a kid.
Get the Ferry to Manly- get the public ferry (again tap in and out with contactless) spend the day looking through the hippy markets and relaxing on the beach. It’s one high street from the ferry terminal to the beach you can even just spend the morning or afternoon there. Plus you get awesome views of the Opera House and Harbour bridge on the ferry. I recommend sitting in the middle on the back row.
New Years Eve- if you can time your trip with NYE make sure you get tickets to watch the fireworks. I got Gold tickets for Mrs Maquires Point in Botanical Gardens and the bucket list event did not disappoint.