Discover Sydney

When looking for a hotel in Sydney, it helps to start by asking what you want your stay to focus on: walks along the harbour, gardens, museums or cultural history. The city offers different ways to explore these, from a set waterfront route to a walk you plan yourself.

Harbour and gardens

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney covers 30 hectares, is in the heart of the city, extends around Sydney Harbour and borders the Sydney Opera House. The garden is also a five-minute walk from Sydney city centre. Its plant collections include plants from Australia and overseas, including rare and threatened species, as well as themed gardens. This makes it a destination where both the botanical collections and the harbour setting take centre stage.

Yananurala is a 9 km route along the Sydney Harbour foreshore. It runs from Pirrama (Pyrmont) to Wallamool (Woolloomooloo Bay) and presents a curated series of Aboriginal community stories along the waterfront. The route offers a clear thematic focus for travellers interested in these stories; its length is also a practical guide for planning your trip.

Choose flexible walking tours

The Sydney Culture Walks app offers self-guided walks that let you set your own pace and complete a walk in full or in part. It includes information about Sydney’s streets, suburbs and stories, lets you search more than 400 places, and offers curated walks. You can choose a route or focus on individual places and themes without having to complete a walk in full.

Museums and city history

The Australian Museum in central Sydney showcases science, culture and nature. It features permanent exhibitions, and general admission is free. The listed opening hours are daily from 10 am to 5 pm. As exhibition and admission arrangements can change, check the latest times and details before your visit.

The Rocks Discovery Museum tells the story of The Rocks from before European settlement to the present day, and admission is free. Its permanent exhibitions divide this long period into four sections: Warrane (before 1788), Colony (1788–1820), Port (1820–1900) and Transformations (1900 to today). Interactive exhibitions, objects to touch and audiovisual installations complement the themes. If you’d rather explore history on a guided walk, The Rocks Walking Tours offers a tour of The Rocks focused on Sydney’s colonial heritage. Its historical focus spans from the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 to the convict era. This gives the tour a narrower historical focus than the museum exhibitions, which range from before 1788 to the present day. Check the latest tour details in advance.

The Museum of Sydney was built over and around the remains of Sydney’s first Government House. The relationship between the museum building and the remains offers a distinct way to explore the city’s history. The Sydney Opera House offers another perspective on Sydney’s cultural history: the English-language tour covers the building’s controversial history, unforgettable performances and its future.

Cultural perspectives and getting around

Cadi Jam Ora: First Encounters remembers and honours the Cadigal, the original inhabitants of central Sydney, and explores their relationship with this land. An Aboriginal Heritage Tour is also offered at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The artwork bara is located on the Tarpeian Precinct Lawn above Dubbagullee (Bennelong Point). These examples offer different perspectives: a garden exhibition, a tour and an artwork at a precisely identified location.

For help finding your way around, the Sydney Visitor Centre offers free maps, brochures and walking routes, as well as personalised recommendations for attractions, tours, events and transport. The Customs House Visitor Information Centre is located at Circular Quay. As service details can change, it’s worth checking the latest information before visiting. The Sydney Opera House is also a 7-to-10-minute walk from Circular Quay and can be reached by car, train, ferry, light rail, bus, bicycle and on foot. This provides both specific distance and transport information for planning your visit.

Discover more destinations: Cattai, Revesby, Curl Curl, Kurrajong, Potts Point, North Ryde, Artarmon, Burwood, Randwick, North Sydney, Campbelltown, Palm Beach, Cronulla, Castle Hill, Blacktown City, Brookvale, Parramatta City, Bankstown City, Rockdale, Double Bay, Wollstonecraft, Chatswood, Mount Kuring-Gai, Rosebery, Bondi Beach, Terrey Hills, St Leonards, Penrith, Rosehill, Wentworthville, Liverpool, Greenacre, Arcadia, Newport, Pennant Hills, Hornsby, Rooty Hill, Bass Hill, Narrabeen, Windsor, Como, Manly, Kirribilli, Camperdown, Mosman Municipality, Thornleigh, Clovelly, Carlingford, Miranda, Camden, Kingsford, Berrilee, Engadine, Lane Cove, North Narrabeen, Maroubra.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.