Laura stood in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney, Australia

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.

Woolloomooloo sign in Australia

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.

Apartment garden in Woolloomooloo

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.

A view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House from Mrs Macquarie's Chair

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?

Laura in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House
Laura in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge at Mrs Macquarie's Chair

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.

Darling 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.

A view of Sydney Harbour Bridge
A car crushed by a rock near the Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Posing in front of Sydney Opera House

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.

Laura in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Laura in front of Sydney Opera House
Laura hanging off the rails in front of Sydney Opera House in Circular Quay

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.

A view across to Sydney Opera House
Laura and Paul in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Laura and Mum in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge

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.

An aborigine playing the didgeridoo in Circular Quay

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!

Opera Bar, Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge in the summer

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.

An Aussie meat pie at Harry's Cafe de Wheels, Woolloomooloo

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?

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