After an awesome time exploring Melbourne and Phillip Island, we reluctantly left Victoria early in the morning for the airport. Soon enough, we felt excited to discover what Sydney had to offer after an amazing time in Melbourne. We boarded our flight, and in just over an hour, touched down in beautiful, sunny Sydney! We’re here for a few days so I hope you enjoy following our adventures in this remarkable Aussie city.
Arriving in Woolloomooloo
What immediately struck us after leaving the airport was the hot sun. The weather in Melbourne is notoriously temperamental, with locals saying you often experience four seasons in one day. Not in Sydney – it’s pretty much glorious summer all year round.
We stayed in an apartment in Woolloomooloo, a trend suburb famously known as Hollywood actor, Russell Crowe’s, neighbourhood. There was an adorable tropical patio garden with a little water feature for us to enjoy in the sun too.
The Wharf area of Woolloomooloo is lovely, with a beautiful view across the water and plenty of classy restaurants alongside. Some other parts of Woolloomooloo, however, are a little more run down and home to a fair amount of homeless people and sex workers. Woolloomooloo was, however, a great base with just a short walk into central Sydney.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Sydney
After dumping our suitcases off at the apartment, we were keen to get out and explore. One of our first stops was the viewpoint known as Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Although it isn’t literally a chair, it’s a sculpted area of rock on the Sydney Harbour peninsula handcarved by convicts in the nineteenth century. Legend has it, Mrs Macquarie, a former New South Wales governor’s wife, used to sit on the rock and watch the harbour for ships coming in from the UK. It really was an incredible first view of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
After being so excited about seeing these two icons, it really was amazing to see them at last! What do you think of the view?
Darling Harbour
We soon moved on and walked around to Darling Harbour, an area primarily aimed at tourists. It’s packed with lots of bustling restaurants, cafes, and bars. Several of these are chains, so expect to see the Hard Rock Cafe, a Madame Tussauds, and some other usual suspects. All of them do, however, offer stunning views across the harbour.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Not far from Darling Harbour, we walked around to explore another view of the bridge. I love how you can walk around to get a new angle of the bridge from all around the city.
It really is such an impressive piece of engineering, and no pictures can truly do the Sydney Harbour Bridge justice. No matter which angle you see it from, it still looks incredible. It really is the heart of this amazing city, and you can tell Sydney-siders are proud of their creation. As much as I love the iconic bridge, I was secretly terrified for the bridge climb which I’d booked myself onto for in a few days’ time! Watch this space.
One of the best things you can do in this city won’t cost you a penny. Thanks to the glorious sunshine which rarely changes, you can simply sit back and enjoy one of the many awesome views.
Circular Quay, Sydney
We then set off for Circular Quay. This area is where all the huge cruise ships dock, but it’s also the gateway to the Sydney Opera House. The quay offers more fantastic views in the sunshine along with some great cafes and bars.
You’ll often be accompanied by the sound of didgeridoos while you sit and watch the world go by. The Opera Bar is one of Sydney’s most famous bars thanks to its unique positioning views and unrivalled views across to Sydney Harbour Bridge. Grab a cold one and settle in for the evening!
The sun soon came out and made the water sparkle. There’s honestly no better view and it almost feels as though it’s always summer in Australia.
To end our first day in Sydney, we finished our long walk with a trip to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo. A favourite with locals, this little kiosk offers great street food pies at affordable prices. It boasts photos of a whole plethora of celebs who have also visited for a classic Aussie meat pie. Make sure you ask for a Tiger, complete with mashed potatoes, mushy peas, and gravy! You’ll see why.
It’s been a very long but brilliant day arriving in Sydney! Time to sleep, ready for another day full of antics and adventures tomorrow. What are your favourite things about Sydney?
