About the author: The HRC team have a sound, collective knowledge of holiday destinations around the world. They have pooled their holiday experiences, ideas, travel facts, other resources including available public information, for the benefit of visitors to this website.
Exploring Sydney
by Holiday Rental Centre Team
August 2010
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, approximately the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and not much smaller than Europe in its entirety. Australia boasts not only beautiful beaches, crystal blue waters and native rainforest but is also home to numerous cities each with their own unique and vibrant atmosphere. Popular cities to visit in Australia include Adelaide, Melbourne and the nation’s capital, Canberra, but arguably the most popular and famous city in the country is Sydney.
Sydney has a population of almost four million and covers nearly 700 square miles, however, despite its size the city is surprisingly easy to explore with excellent transport links from the train, bus and ferry service. Sydney is awash with shopping centres and dining establishments offering a diverse selection of food and drink from Asian and Mediterranean to African or traditional Australian fare.
If you only have a short amount of time to explore the city, you would be best advised to take a stroll around the central business district area; home to endless galleries, shops and dining establishments there is something for everyone. Visiting the Rocks, often called ‘the foundation’ of Sydney and the Harbour should also be top of the list.
Top attractions within Sydney include The Taronga Zoo; this is the nation’s leading zoological garden and is home to Australia’s finest collection of native animals and diverse collection of exotic species. The zoo is located along Sydney’s waterfront offering visitors stunning views of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. An increasingly popular exhibit within the zoo is the Great Southern Oceans exhibit; this opened recently and features an array of animals such as Australian Sea Lions, New Zealand Fur Seals, Penguins and Pelicans.
Sydney is famed for its magnificent harbour which is home to not only the world famous Sydney Opera House, considered by many as one of the great wonders of the modern world but also to The Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. The Harbour Bridge offers visitors a chance to take in breathtaking views of the city via the Pylon lookout. This can be accessed from the pedestrian walkway on the bridge and boasts a fascinating display on the history and construction of the bridge. Various companies also offer bridge-climbing tours if you feel like being a little more adventurous.
Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney is The Blue Mountains, a stunning collection of dramatic cliffs and deep canyons. The Blue Mountains was declared a World Heritage Park in 2000 and features a diverse collection of plant and animal life and natural landscapes of beauty and tradition. Whilst here why not enjoy one of the many activities on offer from bush walking to antique shopping. The region also offers a large selection of eateries and shops for you to explore, with Ugg boots being a particular speciality in this region.
For cheap flights to Australia visit Dialaflight.com where you can obtain flights to Sydney for as little as £535 including all fees and taxes.