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The sails of the Sydney Opera House from the forecourt

20 of the best · Sydney, Australia

Sydney’s Great Sights, from the Opera House to Bondi

The Opera House and the Bridge, the convict sites on UNESCO’s list, the views from the tower and the heads, the ocean beaches and the harbour ferries.

Our 20 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated November 2026

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Insiders' picks

Three Sydney moments we keep going back to: the Manly ferry out of Circular Quay, the cliff walk from Bondi to Bronte in the early morning, and a tour inside the Opera House.

  1. UNESCO World Heritage

    Sydney Opera House

    Bennelong Point·Landmark

    Utzon’s sails on Bennelong Point: guided tours in seven languages, backstage and architectural tours.

    Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000Explore View on map

  2. Opened 1932

    Sydney Harbour Bridge and BridgeClimb

    The Rocks·Landmark

    The great steel arch over the harbour, opened on 19 March 1932; climb it with BridgeClimb.

    Explore View on map

  3. UNESCO convict site

    Hyde Park Barracks

    Sydney CBD·Museum

    The convict barracks of 1819 on Macquarie Street, now an immersive museum.

    Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000Explore View on map

The full list: Sights, A–Z

Show 20 of 22 places on a map
Neighbourhood
More areas 8

The back story 2

Reading the harbour city’s great sights.

  1. History & heritage

    Sydney: from Gadigal Country to the harbour city

    Sydney·In depth: history and heritage

    Gadigal Country, the First Fleet of 1788, the convict barracks, the railway workshops, the Bridge of 1932 and the Opera House of 1973: Sydney’s heritage, told plainly.

    Explore View on map

  2. The back story

    The harbour city: reading Sydney’s great sights

    Sydney·In depth

    The Opera House on Bennelong Point, the Bridge over the harbour, the convict barracks on Macquarie Street, the ferries to Manly and Taronga, and the beaches of the east: how to read Sydney.

    Explore View on map

The harbour icons 4

The Opera House, the Bridge and the Quay.

  1. Where Sydney began

    Circular Quay and The Rocks

    The Rocks·Neighbourhood

    The ferry wharves of Sydney Cove and the sandstone lanes of The Rocks.

    Explore View on map

  2. Pyrmont Bridge

    Darling Harbour

    Darling Harbour·Waterfront

    The waterfront west of the city, crossed on foot by Pyrmont Bridge.

    Explore View on map

  3. Opened 1932

    Sydney Harbour Bridge and BridgeClimb

    The Rocks·Landmark

    The great steel arch over the harbour, opened on 19 March 1932; climb it with BridgeClimb.

    Explore View on map

  4. UNESCO World Heritage

    Sydney Opera House

    Bennelong Point·Landmark

    Utzon’s sails on Bennelong Point: guided tours in seven languages, backstage and architectural tours.

    Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000Explore View on map

The convict city 4

UNESCO sites and the first colony.

  1. UNESCO convict site

    Cockatoo Island (Wareamah)

    Sydney Harbour·Island

    A former convict gaol and shipyard in the harbour, reached by ferry; camping and heritage stays.

    Explore View on map

  2. Gothic Revival, 1845

    Government House

    Royal Botanic Garden·Historic house

    The governor’s Gothic Revival residence of 1845, above the harbour.

    Explore View on map

  3. UNESCO convict site

    Hyde Park Barracks

    Sydney CBD·Museum

    The convict barracks of 1819 on Macquarie Street, now an immersive museum.

    Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000Explore View on map

  4. First Government House

    Museum of Sydney

    Sydney CBD·Museum

    A museum built over the remains of Sydney’s first Government House.

    Explore View on map

The views 3

From the tower and the heads.

  1. Since 1858

    Sydney Observatory

    Observatory Hill·Observatory

    The 1858 observatory on Observatory Hill, part of the Powerhouse; open Thursday–Sunday.

    1003 Upper Fort Street, Millers Point NSW 2000Explore View on map

  2. 250 metres up

    Sydney Tower Eye

    Sydney CBD·Viewpoint

    The observation deck 250 metres above the city, and SKYWALK at 268 metres.

    Explore View on map

  3. Where the harbour meets the ocean

    Watsons Bay, The Gap and South Head

    Watsons Bay·Headland

    The cliffs of The Gap and the striped Hornby Lighthouse at South Head.

    Explore View on map

The beaches 4

Bondi, Manly and the pools.

  1. The ocean beach

    Bondi Beach

    Bondi·Beach

    Sydney’s most famous beach, with the Icebergs pool at its southern end.

    Explore View on map

  2. Founded 1929

    Bondi Icebergs pool

    Bondi·Ocean pool

    The ocean pool at the south end of Bondi, home of a winter swimming club founded in 1929.

    Explore View on map

  3. Across the harbour

    Manly

    Manly·Beach

    The ferry from Circular Quay, the Corso and the ocean beach under Norfolk pines.

    Explore View on map

  4. Tidal baths

    Wylie’s Baths

    Coogee·Ocean pool

    A tidal pool below the cliffs at Coogee, flushed by the sea twice a day.

    Explore View on map

With children 4

The zoo, the aquarium and the ships.

  1. Ships at the wharf

    Australian National Maritime Museum

    Darling Harbour·Museum

    Australia’s museum of the sea, with ships to board at Darling Harbour.

    Explore View on map

  2. The face by the harbour

    Luna Park Sydney

    Milsons Point·Amusement park

    The amusement park with the giant smiling face, below the north end of the Bridge.

    Explore View on map

  3. Darling Harbour

    SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

    Darling Harbour·Aquarium

    Australian aquatic life at Darling Harbour, from sharks to a penguin boat ride.

    Explore View on map

  4. By ferry

    Taronga Zoo Sydney

    Mosman·Zoo

    The harbourside zoo at Mosman, reached by ferry from Circular Quay.

    Explore View on map

Cathedrals 1

Sandstone Gothic.

  1. Gothic Revival

    St Mary’s Cathedral

    Sydney CBD·Cathedral

    The sandstone Catholic cathedral facing Hyde Park.

    Explore View on map

Explore more of Sydney

18 of the best Restaurants9 of the best Cafés8 of the best Bars18 of the best Hotels27 of the best Arts & Culture8 of the best Parks8 of the best Walks11 of the best Shopping9 of the best Health7 of the best Property6 of the best Developments5 of the best Cars & boats9 of the best Getting Around

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