30 BEST Places to Visit in Sydney 2026 Guide

Newtown is located off to the southwest of the CBD and Surry Hills. Take a walk down King Street for an eclectic selections of quirky stores, second hand and vintage boutiques, and lots of restaurants and bars. While it’s a popular tourist attraction, it’s also a regular traffic and pedestrian bridge, so you can cross it for free and enjoy the breathtaking view of the harbor and Sydney Opera House on the way.
Primarily a haven for wholesalers, many of the market stalls also cater to the general public. You can feast on a cornucopia of fresh fish, sashimi, seafood, and even oysters. To get there, take the direct ferry service from Circular places to visit in sydney city Quay to Manly. It’s super-convenient and offers spectacular views of Harbour Bridge and the Opera House as an added bonus. If the sea is too rough for swimming, head for one of the two seawater pools instead. Queenscliff Rockpool is located at the northern end of Manly Beach.

You can choose to climb at either a dawn, in the middle of the day, twilight, or even a night climb. If you walk along to North Head, you can catch some incredible views of the harbour and Sydney skyline. A ferry ride to Manly is a great and cheap way to experience Sydney Harbour with stunning views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. You can visit the street level at all times, although the lower chambers, accessible by an elevator and stairs, are only open during daylight hours. There are lots of boutique hotels in Potts Point, but Spicer Potts Point is our pick.
From Bennelong to Hubert, start planning an extra special date night at some of Sydney’s most romantic restaurants here. Another signature Sydney landmark, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is regarded as the largest steel arch bridge on the planet. Colloquially referred to as the Coathanger by locals, the Harbour Bridge climb is a bucket list experience and presents a bird’s eye view of the city worth the trek and the dollars. In a city that’s far from shy about showing off its natural beauty, it’s a surprise that one of its prettiest corners may well be one of its best-kept secrets. Adjacent to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney’s north, there’s a whopping 123 hectares of wildflower gardens surrounded by Sydney sandstone bushland.

Get in touch with one of our Travel Experts today to start planning a group trip. Use the store finder tool above to locate your nearest Flight Centre store and talk to one of our Travel Experts to get the ball rolling on your holiday. Your Travel Expert will work with you to understand what kind of travel experience you’re looking for and together you’ll build the perfect itinerary for your next trip.
You'll find us on the waterfront, directly adjacent to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and Madame Tussauds Sydney. Experience the best of Australia’s wildlife right in the heart of Sydney! Discover some of the most endangered creatures in the world including Tasmanian Devils, a friendly Goodfellow Tree Kangaroo and adorable Bilbies. Plus, get up close and personal to Kangaroos, Koalas, our Wombat and Platypus. In the spirit of reconciliation, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
The Opera House is also famous for its programs and performances. The building is one of the most photographed structures in the World. The opera house features a concert hall, studios, theatres, reception room, rehearsal rooms, a restaurant and an open air fore court that overlooks the Sydney Harbour. Booking a bougie seaplane flight over Sydney is a bucket-list activity that’s worth the splurge. You’ll get to see the city like never before, swooping over Sydney Harbour, the iconic Opera House and famous beaches up north, all the way to Palm Beach (the Home & Away filming location).

Catch the ferry from Circular Quay for the 12-minute trip across the harbour or jump on the 100 bus from the QVB to Mosman, which runs every 10 minutes. For those who have chosen to hire a car, all-day parking is available for $22. For those visiting with children, consider taking them to one of their many fun and lively events. They offer concert series, light festivals, and seasonal events for the entire family to enjoy. Both St James and Martin Place stations are a 10-minute walk to the gallery. There are also several nearby bus routes and bike and car parking is available on Art Gallery Road, depending on your transport preference.
It's an easy amble, and you can reward yourself for that lil' bit of cardio with a drink or two at the Watsons Bay Hotel afterward. Shelly Beach feels like a secluded island in comparison to the huge stretch of sand that is Manly Beach. Here, the waves are calmer, the sunbakers are quieter and the mood is more chilled. Getting here is a short cycle or walk around Cabbage Tree Bay and along the walk many people stop and take a seat on the rocks or take a dip in the aqua-coloured Fairy Bower Pool.

Luna Park is only open from Friday to Monday, and I recommend buying your day pass in advance online. Day passes vary from $34-$75 AUD online, and you can shop around for cheaper dates, whereas you’ll have to pay $75 AUD at the gate. In fact, it covers over 150 square kilometers (58 square miles), and a lot of it is pretty wild, so going with a guided tour ensures that you won’t get lost! If you only have a short time to spend in Royal National Park and want to see as much as possible, reserve your private full-day tour here. There’s also the Wedding Cake Rock, which is a large sandstone rock that looks like – you guessed it – a slice of wedding cake!
So much so that it even has its own idyllic Cherry Blossom Festival that will transport you to Japan without leaving the city. The Museum of Contemporary Art often hosts exhibitions by huge international artists, including heavyweights like Anish Kapoor, Yoko Ono and Grayson Perry. The waves at Bronte Beach can get a little hairy for less experienced swimmers, but here you can enjoy the best of both worlds with a protected saltwater pool that has waves crashing at the walls. The gallery presents nearly 40 exhibitions annually, and there are workshops, talks and film screenings each week – most of which are free to access. Don't miss the aforementioned new Sydney Modern Project (named Naala Badu to honour the traditional custodians of the land, the Gadigal people).
We've also included some unmissable things to do just outside the city too. Unique experiences to share with your partner, friends, family or colleagues. Later tenants used the building for office space, and the structure began to fall into decay during the Great Depression. More commonly referred to as the QVB, the Queen Victoria Building is a five-story shopping center that fills an entire city block and houses nearly 200 retailers. Built by architect George McRae in 1898, the building was designed as a marketplace and concert hall. Situated between the Harbour Bridge and the northern edge of Sydney’s Central Business District, The Rocks is the city’s oldest neighborhood.