Sydney – The city leaves its visitors spellbound

Blessed with tremendous natural beauty as well as some of the best man made structures, Sydney has been ruling the heart and soul of travellers and its own denizens for a very long time. Be it the Sydney Harbour area or the Sydney Opera House, every place of the city is an enigma in itself. In fact, Sydney’s residents trumpet it as the world’s most liveable city. A legendary culinary heritage recently earned three of its restaurants a place in the S Pellegrino list of the top 100 restaurants in the world. This makes Sydney the undisputed food capital of Australia. These restaurants are Marque, Tetsuya’s, and Quay. Although Sydney is crawling with infinite attractions, let us take a look at some of the biggest charmers.

Sydney Harbour

Often claimed to be the world’s most beautiful harbour, this coastal landscape of picturesque headlands and isolated bays is the setting of Sydney’s most coveted spots like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Rocks. Kayaking around the harbour is an all time popular activity.

Sydney Opera House

This lavish specimen of architectural genius is the most expensive building in Australia. A number of auditoriums, bars, and theatres dot the interior of the complex. Every year, the main auditoriums of the Opera House come alive with thousands of performances.

The Rocks

Discover the birthplace of Sydney at ‘The Rocks’. Full of quaint pubs, sandstone cottages, and winding streets, this area is perhaps the biggest reminder of Australia’s colonial past. Not to be missed here are the Sydney Observatory, Susannah Place, Cadman’s Cottage, and the Hero of Waterloo Inn.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Coathanger, as the bridge is called claimed 16 lives during its construction. Today, this 50 storied bridge is a hit among adrenalin junkies who climb to the top way above the automobiles and locomotives thundering through the deck under their feet. One may also take the Discovery Climb for an awe inspiring tour of the interiors of this gigantic steel structure.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Offering majestic views of the harbour, this 74 acre tranquil haven is the country’s oldest scientific institution housing more than a million samples. The Rose and Sydney Tropical Centre are two of the major highlights.

Bondi Beach

This kilometre long world famous stretch of sand becomes sea of humanity during summers. Besides the seaside cafes and bars, Campbell Parade is mainly known for its Sunday market. If you are a beach bird, then it goes without saying that you should book your flights to Sydney during the summer months.

Shopping

Sydney is a virtual shopper’s paradise offering scores of options to choose from with David Jones and Myer counting among the flagship stores. MLC Centre, Chifley Plaza, and Castlereagh Street are full of designer outlets. The Oxford Street alone is home to a mind boggling plethora of shopping varieties. The Rocks Opal Mine is the place to be for those looking to pick gems. In fact, if you want to pick up opals from Australia’s premiere mines, then boarding one of the cheap flights to Sydney is your best bet.

Taronga Zoo

Nature enthusiasts may treat themselves to over 350 species of wildlife denizens like wallabies, kangaroos, koalas, snow leopards, seals, giraffes, gorillas, elephants, echidna, and platypus. The zoo also operates a cable car facility giving visitor’s a bird’s eye view of the premises.