Australia

Sydney

Sydney is what happens when a world city is built around one of the planet's great natural harbours. Ferries thread between the Opera House sails and the Harbour Bridge, ocean pools notch the sandstone headlands, and surf beaches sit twenty minutes from the financial district. The lifestyle is the landmark.

Luxury here is sunlit and unstuffy: harbour-view suites, seaplane lunches, coastal walks that end in barefoot-smart dining rooms. With a food scene energised by Asia-Pacific influences and produce from an entire continent, Sydney makes an effortless case for the long flight.

The best hotels in Sydney

City Hotel

Sydney, Australia

9.1

Park Hyatt Sydney

Australia's most coveted hotel address curves along the Rocks waterfront with full-frame Opera House views from rooms, restaurant and rooftop pool.

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Best areas to stay

Circular Quay & The Rocks

The harbour's front row, where heritage lanes meet the Opera House and the city's premier hotels frame the bridge from their windows.

Darling Harbour & Barangaroo

The regenerated western waterfront pairs contemporary towers and top-tier dining with easy access to the CBD.

Double Bay & the Eastern Suburbs

Leafy, boutique-lined and moments from harbour beaches, the east suits travellers seeking a residential, village pace.

Dining & nightlife

Sydney's dining rides its geography: harbourside fine dining, beachfront seafood and a brilliant band of Asian-influenced kitchens across the inner suburbs. Small bars hidden in CBD basements and the wine rooms of Surry Hills keep evenings interesting after the sunset ferries dock.

Travelling as a family

Sydney is a natural family city: Taronga Zoo reached by ferry, gentle harbour beaches like Balmoral, the aquarium at Darling Harbour and endless coastal walks with playground stops. Summer demands sun hats and swim gear as default kit.

Travelling as a couple

Couples should book a harbour-view suite, climb the bridge at dawn or sunset and take the coastal path from Bondi to Bronte before a long seafood lunch. An evening at the Opera House, ferry ride home included, is Sydney romance in full.

Cultural highlights

The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge
The Bondi to Bronte coastal walk
The Art Gallery of New South Wales and its Sydney Modern wing
Taronga Zoo's harbour-view enclosures

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