Sydney Spotlight

• Main
• 1. Attractions
• 2. Hotels
• 3. Restaurants
• 4. When To Go
• 5. Getting There

Only a handful of world’s cities compare to Sydney. It may be far down in the Southern Hemisphere, but Australia’s shining urban star has abundant delights for visitors who brave the long trip Down Under. With its fantastic ocean-side setting, inimitably laid-back attitude, stellar beaches, fabulously beautiful people, and eternally sunny subtropical climate that rarely drops to sweater-wearing temperatures, Sydney is rivaled only by San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, and boasts a small-Aussie-town flavor that makes it one of the most distinctly individual and enchanting cities on earth.

It often surprises visitors that Australia’s most famous city isn’t the country’s capital – that would be Canberra. Even so, Sydney is home to the legendary trio of Aussie icons – the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach. While the city is known for its fun-loving hedonism, it’s not all about the sun, the surf, the sand, and the outdoors. Reminders of its aboriginal and colonial past make for some captivating historical journeys through the cosmopolitan streetscapes.

In recent years, the city has also undergone a major boom, jumpstarted by the 2000 Olympics. The restaurant scene is on the rise, state-of-the-art architecture now graces the ultra-modern downtown skyline, bustling nightlife rocks the city till the wee hours, and the edgy art scene attracts international art bigwigs from abroad.

On a whirlwind three-day visit, you’ll be able to glance at the main sights of this utterly delightful city and hit the beach, while a weeklong stay will ensure some true beach time, as well as a day trip or two to the astounding Australian wilderness and wine country lying just a short drive away.

• Tour and performance at the Sydney Opera House

• Pylon Lookout & Museum at Sydney Harbour Bridge

• A cruise around the Sydney Harbour and ferry trip to Manly

• A wander through Sydney’s historic enclave, The Rocks

• Lazy afternoon of people-watching on Bondi Beach

• A stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens

• Excellent modern art at The Museum of Contemporary Art

• Modern Aussie cuisine

• A cold beer at one of The Rocks’ historic pubs

See Fort Lauderdale Travel Guide