Welcoming, multicultural, dynamic and young: Sydney is a city not to be missed! It is among the most visited in the world and the largest in Australia. Here you will find great weather all year round, work, no shortage of entertainment and cultural events, a city that has a lot to give!
Considering that going to Australia is a major investment, it's best to be prepared with an itinerary, especially if your visit lasts one or a few days, or maybe you're just passing through. Here's a one-day itinerary of Sydney!
Sydney One-Day Itinerary
This itinerary covers the main sights of Sydney, but excludes museums and attractions that would take too long or be too far away.
The itinerary starts at the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, large gardens that offer unique views of Sydney's landmark: the Opera House! Then stroll through the Circular Quay area to get to The Rocks, one of the city's most distinctive neighbourhoods, for a closer look at the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
After a lunch break, walk down beautiful York Street to the historic Queen Victoria Building, then visit nearby Hyde Park with St. Mary's Cathedral. End the afternoon admiring the sunset and views from the Sydney Tower Eye!
For dinner, head to the Darling District, where you can dine and spend the evening near Darling Harbour, one of Sydney's liveliest areas in the evening. Then consider staying within the city center for easy access to all these attractions. You can book here >> for comfortable accommodations.
Morning: Royal Botanic Gardens (free), Sydney Opera House (free exterior / guided tour A$37.00/€23.70), The Rocks and Sydney Harbour Bridge (free)
Afternoon: Queen Victoria Building (free), Hyde Park (free), St Mary's Cathedral (free), Sydney Tower Eye (A$24.80/€15.90)
Evening: Darling District and Darling Harbour (free)
Distance travelled: 6.3 km
Where to eat: Lunch at Ribs & Burgers The Rocks, 88 George St(Get directions) / Dinner at Pumphouse Bar & Restaurant, 17 Little Pier St(Get directions)
1 - Royal Botanical Gardens
Photo by Mike Lehmann. Start your day at the beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens, open as early as 7am, where you can stroll around and maybe stop for breakfast at the Botanic House, completely surrounded by greenery!
Particularly suitable for nature lovers, the gardens extend over no less than 30 hectares, with a huge variety of plants within them! But that's not all: the Royal Botanic Gardens offer a wonderful view of the Opera House and the bay! So we suggest you reach the second stop of the day, the famous Opera House, just by walking along the seaside path!
Admire the view from Harbour View Lawn 33: it is one of the most beautiful vantage points of all the gardens! Located right on the opposite side of the Opera House, here you can see the city skyline, with the theatre and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the foreground!
2 - Sydney Opera House
And here you are at the symbol of Sydney and Australia in the world: the world-famous Opera House. Unmistakable with its futuristic-designed architecture, it's no wonder it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, it is definitely one of the city's must-sees!
Located in Sydney Bay, it is among the most visited attractions in the whole of Australia, and has two main halls inside: the Concert Hall and theOpera Theatre. In addition to these, there are over 1,000 concert halls and other rooms. If you particularly love theatre, we recommend attending a performance in the evenings - the calendar is packed!
SEE ALSO: Visit the Opera House: opening hours, prices and tips
Visit the interiorwith a guide: as this is a major theatre, the interior can only be visited by guided tour! We recommend that you book your place as soon as possible! Departure 10:30 a.m., duration 1 hr.
3 - The Rocks and Sydney Harbour Bridge
After visiting the Opera House, walk through Circular Quay to The Rocks, Sydney's old quarter. Stroll through its historic streets, take in the views and glimpses of the Opera House! Here there are often markets and events, including street food, ideal for sampling local specialities such as crocodile or kangaroo meat kebabs! Alternatively, the area is full of all kinds of places for a tasty lunch break!
From this neighbourhood you can walk under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the city's landmarks, which connects the CBD(Central Business District) to the northern part of the city(North Shore)!
Enjoy the best views of the bay: head to Campbells Cove Lookout, a vantage point with the best views of the bay, Harbour Bridge and Opera House!
4 - Queen Victoria Building
Photo by Kgbo. After lunch, walk almost all the way down York Street, until you dive into the CBD, the city's business and financial district! Here visit the Queen Victoria Building (daily 9am-5pm), a wonderful building completely at odds with the skyscrapers that surround it! It was built in the late 19th century and designed by architect George McRae. If the neo-Romanesque exterior is distinctive and elegant, wait until you see the interior!
The interior will leave you speechless with its beauty and elegance and houses numerous shops and small bars and clubs. A small shopping centre full of personality, so we could call it!
Take alook at the clocks in the gallery: in the central gallery of the building you will find, hanging from the ceiling, the marvellous Royal Clock and the Great Australian Clock, both of which are extraordinarily beautiful!
5 - Hyde Park and St. Mary's Cathedral
Photo by JohnArmagh. After visiting the Queen Victoria Building, head to nearby Hyde Park, one of the city's best-known parks and Australia's oldest botanical garden! It covers about 16 hectares and is open all week. Don't miss the fountain donated by J. F. Archibald, journalist and creator of the award of the same name. In addition, numerous events and festivals are held in the park, such as the Sydney Festival,Australia Day celebrations and the Food & Wine Fair.
On the northern side of the park is the grand St Mary's Cathedral, the first Christian building constructed in Sydney and its main Christian place of worship. As you enter you can admire its wonderful stained glass windows, which on sunny days create wonderful plays of light and colour on the walls!
Take part in a game of chess: inside, don't miss the unique Giant Chess, a truly giant chessboard on which you can play with the pieces provided! The chessboard is available daily 8.30am-4.30pm.
6 - Sydney Tower Eye
End the day by climbing the Sydney Tower Eye, located just a 6-minute walk from Hyde Park. It is the tallest building in the city, standing 309m high! From its viewing platform, located about 250 m above the ground, the views are absolutely stunning.
We recommend going up around sunset, even though it is one of the busiest times, but the spectacle will be worth it! The perfect way to end this wonderful day in Sydney, before heading to the Darling Quarter. Here, in Darling Harbour, also known as Tumbalong Bay, you'll find plenty of entertainment for dinner and to spend the evening! While you're there, you can also make your way to Chinatown, in the Haymarket district, where Dixon Street, with its nightlife, is the place to be.
Buypriority entry: if you're going up the Sydney Tower Eye, you'll need to buy priority entry to the observatory due to the queues and the time of day. don't miss the sunset!
Activities and alternative itinerary ideas
Sydney is a huge city and there are so many things to do! But in one day you have to make some sacrifices! There are several museums in the city, but budget on average at least 2 /3 hours for the visit! Among them, theHyde Park Barrack's Museum (A$12.00/€7.70), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Museum of Contemporary Art (free) and the Australian National Maritime Museum (free) are worth a visit.
If you are travelling as a family, the little ones will certainly love the Taronga Zoo, but the visit takes a whole day! You could take advantage of the harbour cruise, Taronga Zoo and Sky Safari package! Alternatively in the city centre, right in the Darling Harbour and Tumbalong Bay area, is the famous Sea Life Aquarium, one of the most beautiful in the world!
SEE ALSO: What to see in Sydney: top attractions and things to do
Family city tour: morning Royal Botanical Garden, Opera House and The Rocks. Afternoon Bondi Beach or Sea Life Aquarium. Alternatively, full day harbour cruise, Taronga Zoo and Sky Safari
Undiscovered Places itinerary: Morning Sydney Observatory, Barangaroo Reserve and The Rocks. Afternoon ferry to Manly, sightseeing and walk along Manly To Spit Bridge Coastal Walk. Evening The Rocks
Nature and City Itinerary: morning Coogee to Bondi Coastal Walk and arrival at Bondi Beach.
Before you go: useful tips
Getaround on foot or by Uber: to use transport you should apply for the Opal Card, a rechargeable card to be validated each time you board a vehicle. The suggested itinerary can easily be followed on foot, but if you do, we recommend using an Uber.
Consider the Sydney Attraction Pass: depending on the itinerary and attractions you choose, you may wish to purchase a city card to save money on admission.
Consider thesightseeing bus: If you want to get the most complete view of Sydney, including the beaches, we recommend the sightseeing bus, which even goes as far as Bondi Beach!
Beware of the Australian sun: in summer it will take you a second to get sunburnt, even in the city! So always carry some sunscreen with you, especially if you want to visit a few beaches and relax a bit.