On a distant continent, in the land of kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef and emerald lagoons, the seasons are diametrically opposed to ours. When our winter is fierce, in Australia people swelter from the heat. How is life there, on an overturned continent, in a city located in the most beautiful harbor in the world - Sydney?
Where Australia was born
Sydney is the largest city on the Australian continent. The name of the city comes from the English The Harbor City, which translates as “bay city”. This is the oldest settlement on the continent, the capital of the state of South Wales. But 30 thousand years ago, Australian aborigines lived and flourished in these territories. Their calm and leisurely life ended in 1770 with the arrival of the ships of the navigator James Cook in the beautiful harbor. On his Endeavor, Cook moored at Botini Bay (now there is an international airport).
The country's two oldest and largest cities - Sydney and Melbourne - competed for decades for the honorary right to be called the capital of Australia, until the authorities interrupted the dispute by starting the construction of a new city. Thus was born Canberra, destined to become the capital of the continent.
The city of the most beautiful harbor
One short trip is not enough to experience all the wonders of the Australian city. And it’s unlikely that anyone will go on such a long journey for a week. Sydney is worthy of the most careful study. Today we will show the sights of the “Gateway of Australia” (as Sydney is called), those structures that have become the hallmark of the continent along with kangaroos and baobabs.
Opera House – Sydney Opera House
The main attraction of the city, and indeed all of Australia, is the Sydney Opera House, made in the shape of a lotus. This incredible structure was created by Jorn Watson, an architect from Denmark. He won an international competition for the original design in 1957. Construction ended in 1973 and was opened with pomp and ceremony by Queen Elizabeth II of England. True, for the architect, the joy was overshadowed by disagreements with the clients, who broke the contract with him.
A scandalous fact about the “construction of the century” is known: the government initially allocated seven million Australian dollars for the project.
However, the final figure was 105 million. Is this why the contract with the architect was terminated?
- This huge building houses many halls:
- a concert hall with 2,500 seats with a huge organ;
- chamber music hall with 420 seats;
- drama theater with 550 seats;
opera house with 1500 seats.
To get to the opera at this theater, tickets must be booked in advance, and they are not cheap. But you can just sign up for a tour; they are held daily.
The Royal Botanic Garden is located next to the Sydney Opera House and was built in honor of Elizabeth II. Until 1973, a tram depot was located on this site.
Arch Harbor Bridge
On the list of places you should definitely visit is the arched Harbor Bridge (in local parlance, “old hanger”). The weight of the structure is 61 thousand tons, the length of the bridge is 1150 meters, which is only a few meters shorter than its San Francisco counterpart Golden Gate Bridge, and the height is 503 meters. Harbor's cost is 20 million. The city acquired a ferry between the southern and northern regions in 1932.
There are tours on this bridge that last three hours. Or you can rent a taxi and drive across the bridge. The view from this bridge is impressive - you can see half of Sydney from it. The Harbor Bridge area is where fireworks are set off during the holidays.
Sydney Aquarium is the pride of the continent!
Sydney is home to the largest aquarium in the world. It can be found in the city center near the Tower (which will be discussed below). This is the real pride of Australians. Imagine a huge glass tunnel located in the water column. Unprecedented sea creatures swim around you and come very close - you could touch them with your hand, if not for the glass partition. The aquarium houses more than 11,000 fish and marine mammals from three oceans.
About a million people visit the aquarium every year. The interesting thing is that half of them are Australians. According to statistics, it turns out that every indigenous inhabitant of the continent visits marine inhabitants twice a year. That's how popular this attraction is!
Interesting facts about the aquarium:
- its tanks hold seven million liters of water, which is taken from Darling Bay;
- the water temperature in the aquarium is +25 degrees, this is the most comfortable environment for most marine inhabitants;
- The walls of the underwater tunnel are made of acrylic. Its strength is incredibly high. To break through the partition, you will need a submarine accelerated to the speed of a racing car.
All rooms of the aquarium are divided into several interesting zones:
Open ocean
River depths
Shark Domain
Seal Reserve
Replica of the Great Barrier Reef
A stunningly beautiful corridor with the fauna and flora of the famous Reef, reduced by 932,432,432 times!
Sydney Tower: a bird's eye view
Another pride of Sydney residents, one of the top attractions, is the tallest building in Sydney. Its height is 309 meters. The tower cost the authorities 36 million AUD and was built from 1975 to 1981.
AMP Tower (as the Tower is also called) is a member of the World Association of High-Rise Towers.
To climb to the top floor at a height of 260 meters (above there are only technical floors), you need to use a high-speed elevator that will gently and smoothly take you up in just 40 seconds. You will be taken to a raised observation deck with a glass floor. From here there is a simply stunning view of the whole of Sydney, its surroundings, the bay with ships and the endless sea merging with the horizon. From here the Earth appears convex.
Below this site there is an enclosed area with an all-round view, and even lower - a restaurant. Many people mistakenly think that AMP Tower is a television center. No, it has nothing to do with television, although it does have radio signal transmitters. Those who wish can try their hand at climbing the spiral staircase to the top floor, climbing 1,054 steps.
"Golden Basket" Tower
This beautiful name was given to the round convex structure at the top of the Tower, which really looked like a basket. It houses revolving restaurants. The “basket” has as many as eight floors – a full-fledged multi-storey building located at a dizzying height! The 420 windows offer unparalleled views. The “basket” contains not only restaurants, but also expensive shops, boutiques, souvenir shops - everything that a demanding tourist desires.
Restaurant in the Tower
Chinese Garden of Friendship
The name speaks for itself - this wonderful park was laid out in honor of the establishment of friendly relations between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in 1988. The park is designed in such a way that visitors can only take in a small piece of the landscape at a glance. However, around every turn new wonderful, peaceful views open up.
In the Garden of Friendship it is always quiet and calm, only the singing of birds can be heard. The whole atmosphere puts you in a philosophical, contemplative mood. Having found harmony in their souls, walkers enjoy savoring different varieties of Chinese tea in the Tea House.
The Friendship Garden is full of truly Chinese plants and landscape elements: waterfalls, ponds, neatly trimmed small trees, intricately laid out compositions from large boulders. Every meter of this park's area begs to be captured by a photographer.
Cinema IMAX Theater
You say, well, a cinema, and what’s so unusual about it? But the fact is that the IMAX Theater has the largest screen in the world! It is 29.42 m high and 35.73 m wide. The area of the giant monitor is more than a thousand meters. Imagine an eight-story building. The same screen in the IMAX Theater. For greater effect and better brightness, the screen is silvered. It is convenient to view the film from any point in the auditorium; the impression is as if you are inside the action of the film, because the characters of the film and the environment are not only in front of you, but also around you. This achieves the effect of complete immersion in the atmosphere of the cinema. The effect is completed by powerful and surround sound.
In addition to new and classic feature films, the cinema shows documentaries about countries and continents, about nature, the animal world, about space and the depths of the sea. If you are in Sydney, be sure to visit the cinema, the impressions will last for a long time!
Animal Kingdom: Taronga Zoo
And again Sydney is ahead of the rest. This time it has the world's largest zoo, located in the suburbs of Mosman. Taronga Zoo will celebrate its centenary in 2016. This name translates as “beautiful view.” On the territory of the zoo (21 hectares!) there are eight different zones where 2,600 animals and birds find shelter. Residents of Taronga regularly participate in performances: elephants, birds, dolphins and other zoo animals show the highest class.
- In Australia, the national currency is the Australian dollar (AUD). Exchange rate against the US dollar: 1 AUD = $0.92. Further prices are given in AUD.
- There are different ways to get from the airport to the city. A taxi will cost 30, a train – 16, a minibus delivering to hotels – 13, a city bus – 3 AUD. But the bus will only work if you have little luggage.
- The city has a single ticket for all types of transport (buses, trains, some ferries). A daily pass will cost 20 AUD (children - 10). But: on Sunday, for traveling families, the pass costs 2.5 AUD per person.
- Want to rent a car? Be aware of the crazy city traffic jams. It is better not to go onto the streets of Sydney in the morning from 7 to 10 and in the evening from 16 to 17. In addition, on weekends there are always traffic jams on the roads towards the beaches and harbor.
- Parking in Sydney is paid and very expensive, around 25 AUD.
- Special excursion buses Red Sydney Explorer Bus are organized for tourists. By purchasing a ticket, you can travel around all the main attractions of the city in two hours - 27 of them!
- When you walk around Sydney, look up into the treetops. You can see possums there. And whales are swimming into Darling Harbour! In addition, there are a lot of bats at sunset in the area of the bridge and the opera house.
- At Sydney Zoo you can watch the animals from the height of the cable car, or you can go into some enclosures and play with the kids.
- The most popular beaches in Sydney are Bondi Beach and Manly Beach. Bondi, which stretches for a kilometer, has amazing golden sand and raging waves. It's always full of surfers. The best way to get to Manly is by excursion boat. Manly has a picturesque embankment dotted with souvenir shops and cafes.
- Tourists are offered the opportunity to take a ride on a last-century steamship along Sydney Harbor to the sounds of jazz. There they will provide lunch to choose from - Asian or Australian cuisine.
Open your heart to Sydney
The architecture of the city is very interesting, modern skyscrapers are built next to the ancient areas of the city. Walking the streets is a pleasure. The Rocks area is a must-see. There you will find many old shops, restaurants with Mediterranean and Australian cuisine, souvenir shops and much more.
Australia is a multinational country. There were no immigration restrictions here for a long time, so many foreigners came to Sydney. The streets of the Australian city speak Chinese, Russian, Greek and Indonesian.
Sydney is a city with a very good climate and friendly people. Every traveler will find something for themselves here; this city is very well suited for both active recreation and relaxing time on the beach. The best photographs are taken on its streets and embankments, as there are many beautiful places there. Sydney is worth visiting more than once. It is about it that one can say “shining city”.
Yellow and blue tones. In the heraldic symbol of Sydney, the blue color emphasizes the geographical location of the capital - on the ocean coast, splashes of yellow are reminiscent of sunlight, in addition, yellow corresponds to gold in heraldry - a symbol of wealth.
Description of the coat of arms of Sydney
The simplicity of the color palette of the heraldic symbol is compensated by the complexity of the composition, which presents the following elements:
- shield with the image of a white anchor, a golden crown;
- three emblems related to the history of Sydney located at the top of the shield;
- a snake with its tail wrapped around the end of a sea rope;
- the city's motto at the base of the coat of arms;
- a six-pointed star crowning the coat of arms.
In general, the harmony of colors and symbols is felt, the thoughtfulness of the compositional structure and the serious selection of material for inclusion in the heraldic sign of Sydney are visible.
Symbolic meaning of elements
The coat of arms was approved in 1996 by the City Council, but the long history of the country is hidden in the elements of the symbol. The anchor located on the shield emphasizes the importance of the city as a major seaport, and the crown acts as a symbol of state power.
The most interesting objects are the fragments located at the top of the shield. These are simplified versions of the emblems from the previous symbol; they are associated with the history of the city and with famous people who contributed to the appearance of a new point on the world map. The left square is a reference to Thomas Townsend, who played a role in founding the town in 1788.
The central element is a tribute to James Cook, the legendary naval officer who discovered the east coast of the Australian continent. The right square contains a blue chevron and three lion heads, and is associated with Thomas Hughes, the city's first mayor.
The symbolic snake is reminiscent of the aborigines, the first inhabitants of these lands, and their folklore. The rope symbolizes the emergence of immigrants from other lands, and the intertwining of these two elements is a symbol of cultural harmony.
Sydney is considered one of the most brilliant and attractive places on Earth. The city has already received the status of “The Most Beautiful City in the World” several times in a row, and in 2000 the Summer Olympics were held here. What makes Sydney so attractive is its magnificent coastline, bordered by luxurious palm trees and white yachts, and numerous clean beaches.
Today's Sydney population includes more than 200 nationalities and cultures. That is why you can immediately feel at home here. Sydney gives joyful emotions and self-confidence, perhaps this is the reason why the most talented and rich people flock here. Walking along the streets of the city, you can easily meet a celebrity and even feel like one of them!
Climate and weather
The seasons in Sydney, as throughout Australia, are exactly the opposite of European ones: summer falls during winter, although even in winter it is not at all cold here and the sun constantly shines.
Sydney has a subtropical warm climate with lots of sunny days. The average annual temperature ranges from 18-26 °C. The warmest month is January (26.8 °C), and the coldest month is July (17.2 °C). The average water temperature in the ocean in summer is 22.6 °C, in winter - 18 °C.
The city can be visited literally all year round, as it is not at all cold here even in winter (June-August).
Nature
Sydney is located in the south-eastern part of Australia in the Gulf Port Jackson. In the west the city is bordered by the Blue Mountains, and in the east by the Pacific Ocean, and its coastline is indented by numerous bays.
Port Jackson Bay including Sydney Harbor, is the largest natural harbor in the world. In a northern direction from Sydney flows the picturesque Hawkesbury River, lies in the south Voronora plateau.
Attractions
Sydney was founded in 1788, and its very first citizens were convicts. Two centuries later, the city has become a huge metropolis, home to approximately 20% of the population of all of Australia. The main symbol of the city and a masterpiece of modern architecture is the Sydney Opera House. At first glance, the ultra-modern huge building may remind many of a futuristic orange that has not been fully peeled. Every self-respecting tourist strives to get to this theater, regardless of his love for opera.
The famous bridge is also amazing and breathtaking Harbor Bridge, connecting the shores of Sydney Bay. After the opening of the Sydney Opera House, the bridge hanging over the bay was jokingly nicknamed “the coat hanger” by Sydneysiders for its distinctive shape.
The Royal Botanic Garden is also interesting, almost all of whose plants, like most of the city’s residents, are immigrants who have taken root well in the friendly and hospitable land of Australia. And you can look at the rich underwater world of the Australian coast at the no less famous Sydney Aquarium. It is also worth paying attention to the Rocks city quarter, which was originally the site of the very first European settlements in Australia. There are many restored and recreated houses from that era, as well as the oldest pub in the country, the Lord Nelson.
Sydney is famous all over the world Bondi Beach, where many famous films were filmed. A windsurfing festival is held here every year, during which the water rescue service puts on a spectacular show.
40 km from Sydney lies a reserve with wild animals living here in their natural environment. Here tourists have the opportunity to calmly feed a giraffe and a kangaroo, as well as take a photo with a koala, the famous symbol of Australia. And if you drive even further, you can visit the Blue Mountains National Park. In this natural oasis, the oldest forests have been preserved; the age of their trees reaches 2000 years. The park got its name from the color of the haze that forms over the luxurious eucalyptus forests, which more than three million tourists come to see every year.
Nutrition
Fish and other seafood are an integral part of the Sydney menu. The waters surrounding the city are home to a huge variety of fish and invertebrates. Sydney's favorite dish is salmon marinated in lime juice and served with baked tomatoes. Also in many restaurants you can try: eels, green oysters, mussels and crayfish.
Regular items on the menu of any Sydney restaurant are meat pie (layer pie with filling), marsupial steak (made from kangaroo meat) and brains in red wine. As a dessert, it is necessary to note the signature dish Pavlova, which consists of kiwi slices and meringue drenched in cream.
Australia is famous throughout the world for its excellent wines. Of these, the most famous is wine "Shiraz" And "Semillon”, which you can try in almost any establishment in the city. In addition, in Sydney hotels (beer pubs) you can taste Australian beers ( Fosters, Coopers and etc.).
Accommodation
Australia is not a very cheap country, and finding affordable housing here can be difficult. Hostels are considered the most budget-friendly accommodation option in Sydney (from $30). In addition to reasonable prices, their advantage is their location in the city center. YHA is considered the most famous hostel chain in Sydney, offering comfortable rooms and professional service.
Also, the city is full of all kinds of hotels and hotels of different price categories. The most prestigious and expensive hotels in the city have proven themselves to be Shangri-La Hotel 5*, InterContinental Sydney 5* and many others. Cheaper hotels are often located outside the central part of the city, and their prices are much lower ( Base Sydney and etc.).
The most affordable accommodation option would be to stay in campsites and caravan parks (from $75), of which there are quite a few within the city - Campgrounds Lane Cove River Caravan Park, BIG4 Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, Sydney Family Holiday Accommodation and etc.
In addition, in Sydney there is always the opportunity to rent an apartment, studio or furnished room (from $600 per week).
Entertainment and relaxation
Sydney is widely known for its vibrant and vibrant nightlife. Some lovers of nightlife don't even go to bed after a sleepless night. The most famous and fashionable place in the city is the luxurious Black Market Night Club. Jazz lovers flock to Real Al Cafe and Harborside Brasserie at night. In general, the dream of nightlife fans is the City area, where there is an innumerable number of nightlife establishments and bars. The King's Cross area is also popular, although it doesn't have the best reputation, but this gives it a unique flavor.
Sydney also attracts a large number of beach and active recreation lovers. The most popular beaches are Googee, Bronte, Callory and Palm Beach. These places have ideal conditions for recreation and water sports, and there are diving schools. For climbers, Sydney also offers worthy entertainment: climbing the giant Sydney Bridge.
In addition, Sydney hosts various cultural and sporting events all year round - various festivals, gastronomic competitions, yacht races and many other interesting entertainments. The city's main cultural events are the Sydney Festival, which includes opera and theater performances, and the Sydney Film Festival. The city also hosts the largest festival of sexual minorities - Mardi Grass.
Purchases
In Sydney there are entire networks of shopping and entertainment centers and large stores. The most famous chain of shopping centers is Westfield Shopping Centers, where shops and boutiques of a variety of companies are presented. David Jones and Mayer’s are no less popular.
The most elite shopping place is the Queen Victoria Building, which amazes not only with its brilliant interior decoration, but also with incredibly high prices. Every year in January, the most luxurious Christmas tree in the city is installed here. Another historic building and shopping center rolled into one is the pretentious Passage Strand.
The best place to buy souvenirs and things in Sydney is at Peddy’s Market, which is usually open only on weekends. It is there that a variety of inexpensive cute trinkets are sold. The most unusual souvenirs in Sydney are bottle openers and key rings made from kangaroo scrotums. The most expensive souvenirs of the city are opal jewelry.
Other interesting shopping spots include Crown Street and King Street, where you can find home decor, retro items and luxury clothing.
Transport
In Sydney, as in any metropolis, urban public transport is well developed. There are a huge number of buses running in the city (from $2), but a characteristic feature of Sydney is traffic jams during peak hours. Therefore, it is much faster and more convenient to travel in the metro, which is called train here. It is located underground and consists of two-story electric trains with 6-8 cars each. The cost of travel on the train is quite high and depends on the type of ticket and the distance of the trip.
There is only one tram line in Sydney (Sydney light rail), it runs through several city blocks. The city also has an ultra-modern form of transport - Monorail (monorail). It consists of a small round-shaped train that moves on rails located at a height of about five meters above the streets. In addition, citizens actively use numerous water transport.
In addition to all of the above, double-decker tourist (excursion) buses run around the city every 25 minutes. This complete route, including stops, will take about 1.5 hours, the cost of the trip ranges from $25.
Connection
You can make calls in Sydney from pay phones, which are located everywhere. The cost of a call within Australia is 0.3 €. You can also make international calls from the machines. For convenience, shops and newspaper agencies sell telephone cards.
Cellular communications throughout Australia operate using GSM standards. Therefore, you can use roaming or purchase a SIM card at any mobile phone store (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Orange one).
Sydney has many internet cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots, some of which are free. Large hotels also provide Internet access to their guests.
Safety
Sydney is considered an absolutely safe city, and there is practically no street crime here. There are even cases when people return their wallets with significant amounts to those who lost them, without taking a single cent from it.
In general, the thing to be afraid of in Sydney is not people, but sharks; several people die here every year from them. Therefore, it is necessary to swim only in specially designated places and not to swim far, in this case there is no danger. It is also better to take care of sunscreen in advance, as the sun in Sydney can be very active.
Business climate
Sydney is ranked among the top five in the world as the best place to start and run a business. The most developing and profitable industries are mining and chemicals, as well as housing construction, telecommunication systems, programming and various types of tourism and services.
Australia has a special business immigration program that encourages the influx of business people and entrepreneurs who can enrich the country's economy through connections to international markets, export of goods and services, job creation and the production of new goods.
Real estate
Today Sydney is not only the largest city in Australia, but also one of the most expensive cities in the world. Property prices here began to increase sharply in the 90s, peaked in 2003, and then dropped by about 6%. At the moment, many analysts are predicting a possible sharp increase in 2013-2014. This is facilitated by constant migration to Australia and a decrease in construction volumes.
In general, housing in Sydney is always more expensive than in other Australian cities. By the end of last year, the average cost of a home in the city was $600,000, which is higher than in the capital.
Australia provides a tax refund service (approximately 12%) on goods purchased in the country. In this case, it is necessary that their total cost is at least $300, and transportation is carried out in hand luggage. To receive compensation in a store, when making a purchase, you need to take a special receipt and, at the airport, go to one of the Tourist Refund Scheme branches, present your passport, receipt, goods and international ticket.
Sydney is considered one of the most beautiful cities on the planet; it is unique, original and dynamic, and Australia can rightfully be proud of this picturesque and unique place. Here you can see the contrast of skyscrapers typical of big cities and the incredibly huge green space of squares, parks and boulevards. In just two hundred years, Sydney has grown from a small convict settlement into an ultra-modern huge city, which, despite everything, carefully preserves the monuments of its still short history.
General information
Sydney is a business centre, financial capital and the largest city in Australia, located in the southeast of the mainland. It is in this city that most of the country's manufacturing industry is concentrated.
The area of the city is 12 thousand square meters. km, and its population today exceeds 4.5 million people. The foundation of the city dates back to 1788, and its founder is considered to be Arthur Phillip, who led the first European settlement of colonialists who arrived on the shores of Australia.
Sydney can rightfully be proud of being the most important city in the southern hemisphere. It includes more than 38 districts. Despite its relatively short history, there are a large number of attractions and cultural monuments that are unlikely to be covered in full in one trip.
The unspoken symbols of the city are the Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, whose images can be seen on numerous postcards and posters.
Weather in Sydney
Due to the fact that Australia is entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere and is as close to the southern polis as possible, the seasons here are opposite to the seasons in Europe. When we have winter, it is hot summer here, and vice versa. True, even in winter it is not very cold here and the bright sun shines most of the day.
In general, the climate is fully consistent with its subtropical climate zone - warm, lots of sun and never snow. There is no special time to visit here; you can come here all year round without worrying about being in a cold or rainy season. Winter is reminiscent of winter in the best Mediterranean resorts in France or Spain.
In addition, people most often travel to Sydney for its local attractions, and they are available for viewing all year round. Average summer temperatures are 30-35 °C, and winter temperatures are 25-28 °C degrees Celsius.
Transport Sydney
Sydney's public transport system is very confusing and, according to experts, quite expensive and cumbersome. It includes the metro, monorail, trams, buses and water transport. The fare will be directly proportional to the distance and the number of stops. At the same time, there are passes for each of the listed types of transport. A travel pass can be purchased for the required number of days, this is especially true for tourists.
Sydney districts
Sydney consists of about 38 districts, most of which are located on the coast of Sydney Harbour. In turn, the districts are divided into districts, the most famous and popular of which are:
- The Rocks is a historic part of the city, one of the oldest English settlements in Australia
- Darling Harbor is the city's inner harbor with an abundance of museums, parks and cinemas
- Paddington is one of the popular residential areas of the inner city, mainly consisting of two-storey period buildings in the Victorian style.
- City - the business part of the city is easily recognizable by the number of skyscrapers.
- Point Piper and Dove Beach on the north coast are lined with luxury villas for wealthy Sydneysiders
- Woollarah and Double Bay are fashionable suburbs, behind which are the popular beaches of Sydney
Sights of Sydney
Sydney is the continent's largest and oldest metropolis, which is rightfully considered its pearl. In this city, modern skyscrapers of office and business centers peacefully coexist with small buildings and structures in the Mediterranean style. Sydney is often called the “capital of emigrants”, as representatives of all nationalities of the planet live here.
The main attraction of Sydney, as well as its symbol, is the Opera House. This building is absolutely unique and has no analogues. As a rule, familiarization tours around the city start from here.
One of the attractions of Sydney and, at the same time, its tourist center is Darling Harbor. There is a festive atmosphere here with cafes, shops, restaurants, parks, and fountains open around the clock, creating a feeling of eternal relaxation. The Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, Casino, Pyrmont Bridge, Chinese Garden and much more are also located here, which will certainly attract and interest travel lovers.
The Rocks Historic District still contains the homes, bars, warehouses and stores of the early settlers. Today this place is a subject of pilgrimage for all lovers of museums, restaurants, galleries, etc. On weekends there are market fairs here, which are so nice to just go for a walk.
The Sydney Bridge opened in 1932 at a cost to the state government of A$20 million. In order to maintain the bridge in working order, all motorists passing over it must pay a toll of three dollars. From the observation deck of the Sydney Bridge, a magnificent panoramic view of the city opens, from where it is very convenient to take photos and videos.
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in the world, created in the very center of Sydney. The central composition here is the most beautiful fountain of the city, not far from it is the monument to James Cook. Across the road from the fountain is the National Australian Museum.
The Royal Botanic Gardens are a wonderful place to stroll among exotic flowers and trees. From here you have a wonderful view of the opera and the bridge. The garden also boasts a uniquely sized colony of flying foxes.
Paddington is a bohemian area where the crowd gathers, and entire blocks are occupied by clothing stores, galleries, cinemas, trendy nightclubs and restaurants.
Wonderland Sydney is an amusement park located in the Sydney suburbs.
Sydney Holidays
Sydney has some truly great holidays and festivals, such as:
Sculptures by the Sea - a festival held on the city beach, during the month everyone can construct sculptures from a variety of materials and put them on public display. What can you find here - transparent cars made of wire, ocean waves made of branches, etc.
New Year's Fireworks - this truly fantastic spectacle is famous throughout the world; throughout the New Year's Eve from December 31 to January 1, thousands of rockets fly into the sky every minute, painting it in a variety of colors.
Fat Tuesday is an analogue of Russian Maslenitsa; Australians celebrate it before the start of Lent.
Australia Day is a national public holiday commemorating the first raising of the British flag. On this day, public events and grand shows are held in Sydney Harbor, which are incomparable in scale.
Sydney Restaurants
Throughout Australia, Sydney has become famous as a city with the most diverse cuisine, borrowed from around the world. There are also Chinese restaurants (Chinatown). Incredibly delicious Italian cuisine can be tasted in the Inner West area and on Leichhardt's Norton Street. Indian cuisine is presented here on Parramatte Street, but on Liverpool Street anyone can taste the famous fiery Mexican dishes.
Not far from Darling Harbor, one of Sydney's landmarks was built - a three-hundred-meter television tower, on its observation deck at the very top, there is a restaurant where tourists are offered to try dishes from crocodile, kangaroo or possum meat. In order not to make a mistake when choosing a restaurant, it is best to use a special guide to Sydney restaurants.
Shopping in Sydney
Due to the very high competition among stores, many things can be bought in Sydney much cheaper than in other Australian cities. However, in the last couple of years, this trend has been somewhat smoothed out due to the fact that branded boutiques and shopping centers with designer clothing collections and works of art have begun to appear.
If you need to make a large number of purchases, then it is best to go to the City. The center of Sydney is dotted with numerous shops, ranging from very small boutiques to huge department stores. On Castlereagh Street, anyone can choose a piece of jewelry to suit their taste, since this is where all the jewelry workshops and shops in the city are concentrated.
The Rocks area is considered the best place to buy memorabilia and souvenirs. There are about a hundred souvenir shops here.
Sydney Hotels
Sydney is not yet as popular among tourists from Russia as in other countries of the world. Perhaps this is due to too long a journey or expensive ticket prices, but these difficulties are worth it. Australia itself is an extraordinary country with a culture and atmosphere different from other parts of the globe. Of course, we must not forget about the historical identity of the mainland itself, with its natives, unique flora and fauna.
There are cities you want to return to again and again. Sydney is one of them. I have been there more than once, but every time this city inspires and enchants.
The eternal competition for superiority between Sydney and Melbourne (I wrote about this) takes place with varying success, but regularly both cities are recognized as one of the most convenient for living. Melbourne, of course, is very good, but in my personal rating Sydney still wins.
Today we will take a walk through the center of Sydney (in Australia, the business center of the city is called CBD - Central Business Distrcit) - from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour. Other delights of the city - the Sydney Bridge, the famous Opera House, a ferry ride across the bay, views from the Sydney Tower - await us in the next episodes.
Today's points of interest on the Sydney city center map (1):
Circular Key
The view of Circular Quay from Port Jackson Bay is one of the “calling cards” of Sydney, along with the Opera and the Sydney Bridge. Ferries depart from the waterfront piers to different parts of the city, and behind them rise the skyscrapers of the CBD.
The silhouette of the embankment is created (from right to left): Gateway Plaza (black skyscraper on the right, 164 meters, 46 floors), AMP Center tower (188 m, 45 floors). Behind the AMP tower is the Governor Phillip Tower (227 m, 54 floors). To the left of the AMP Center is a building with two flags on the roof - AMP Building (115 m, 26 floors). This skyscraper, built in 1962, was the first high-rise building after the city allowed the construction of buildings taller than 50 meters. Behind the AMP Building is the Intercontinental Hotel (100 m, 30 floors). Finally, the lone high-rise building on the left is Key Apartments (95 meters, 25 floors). (2)
On the embankment. (3)
Circular Quay was once a port area. A reminder of this is the old customs building (Custom House). Nowadays the city library is located here. (4)
The Museum of Modern Art is located by the water. (5)
From Circular Quay you can take a speedboat tour of the bay. (6)
In the CBD, pompous buildings of the Victorian era coexist peacefully with modern skyscrapers, the coolness of Protestant cathedrals and the canopy of parks with the bustle of the streets, and the ever-hurrying white-collar workers with idly wandering tourists.
Let's delve into the labyrinth of CBD streets starting from Circular Quay. However, in relation to Sydney, “labyrinths of streets” is an unjustified cliche. The layout of the center of Sydney, set by Darling Harbor on the west and the parkland on the east, is quite correct - a dozen main streets run strictly from north to south, and the same number intersect them in a perpendicular direction.
Once in the CBD, you find yourself on narrow streets shaded by skyscrapers. However, the vastness of high-rise buildings does not overwhelm - the lower tier of the urban environment with numerous cafes, restaurants, and public institutions is quite friendly.
One of the “vertical” streets of CDB is Phillip Street. On the right is the Sydney Museum, on the left is the Aurora Place Tower, a 41-story Art Nouveau skyscraper 188 meters high. (7)
The Museum of Sydney stands on the site of Australia's first government building, built in 1878. The museum is located at the base of the Governor Phillip Tower, named after the first governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip. (8)
Let's continue our acquaintance with the CBD skyscrapers lining Phillip Street. This is Chifley Tower (216 meters, 53 floors). (9)
The next building is Deutsche Bank (160 meters, 39 floors). The characteristic spire of this structure (and with it the height of the building is 240 meters) is easily recognizable in any panorama of the city. (10)
The tallest building in the city is Sydney Tower. This 309-meter tower is visible from anywhere in the city. There is an observation deck on the tower, which we will climb to in one of the following episodes. On the lower floors of the tower is the Westfield shopping center. The sandy building in the frame is the David Jones department store. (eleven)
The CBD does not live by skyscrapers alone - in the center of Sydney there are many pedestrian areas, malls and arcades. Pedestrian shopping area on Pitt Street. (12)
Classic buildings with establishments founded, like this pharmacy, back in the 19th century have been preserved here. (13)
Sydney's oldest shopping arcade is The Strand. (14-16)
Diverse crowd on Pitt Street. (17-19)
Sydney Square and Queen Victoria Building
The central point of the CBD is the square in front of the city hall (Sydney Square) at the intersection of George Street and Druitt Street.
The Sydney City Hall (Townhall) with its tall clock tower looks quite organic against the backdrop of skyscrapers. On the flagpoles are the Australian flag and the Aboriginal banner. (20)
Near the municipality is St Andrew's Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Australia. (21)
Skyscrapers Sydney Square. On the left is Energy Ostrelia (99 meters, 28 floors). Behind it is HSBC Center (151 m, 37 floors). On the right is the Lumiere residential building (151 m, 47 floors). (22)
George Street is the longest and busiest street in the CBD, running north to south from Central Station to Sydney Bridge. An entire block along George Street is occupied by the Quinn Victoria Building (CVB), a building erected in 1898 as a fruit market. Nowadays there are many shops and restaurants located here. (23)
Monument to Queen Victoria in front of the KVB (24)
KVB should be visited even if shopping is not your thing – the architecture and interiors of the building are impressive. (25-26)
One of the decorations of KVB is the Royal Clock (27)
Another impressive hanging clock, the Great Australian Clock depicts scenes of the colonization of the continent: (28)
Aborigines before the arrival of the whites. (29)
Captain Cook's landing in 1770. (thirty)
Whites take Aboriginal children. (31)
Hyde Park and Domain
Sydney is a very green city. To the east of the CBD there is a vast park area - Hyde Park, Domain Park and the Botanical Garden.
Two blocks from Sydney Square is Hyde Park, with the ANZAC Memorial at the southern end and St Mary's Cathedral at the northern end. The compositional center of Hyde Park is the Archibald Fountain against the backdrop of St. Mary's Cathedral and Sydney Tower. (32-33)
St. Mary's Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic churches in Australia, architecturally more interesting than St. Andrew's Cathedral. (34)
The ANZAC Memorial is dedicated to the Australian-New Zealand Allied Corps, which fought in the First World War in Europe and suffered enormous losses. There are monuments to ANZAC and the victims of the First World War in almost every city in Australia. (35)
The alleys and lawns of Hyde Park are a convenient place for people-watching. (36-40)
Hyde Park is adjacent to Domain Park. Football and rugby are played on the huge lawns of the park, runners and joggers scurry along the alleys, and all this is against the backdrop of a panorama of CBD high-rises. From left to right - Sydney Tower, the multifaceted tower of the MLC insurance company (228 m, 60 floors), Westpac Bank with a red beech W on the facade (119 m, 30 floors) and the already familiar Deutsche Bank and Chifley Tower. (41)
Art Gallery of NSW at Domain Park. (42-43)
View of Woolloomooloo, an upscale bohemian residential area east of Domain Hill. We will also visit Woolloomooloo in one of the following episodes. (44)
Darling Harbor
To the west of the CBD, around the bay of the same name, Darling Harbor is located - a recreation and entertainment area. The Sydney Aquarium, the Maritime Museum, a convention center, a casino are located here, and various concerts and festivals are held. Sydney residents with their entire families and groups of visiting tourists come here to relax and have fun.
The modern appearance of the area is determined by the development of the mid-80s - 90s, and Darling Harbor gained particular popularity after a ring monorail was opened in 1988, the year of Australia’s 200th anniversary, connecting it with the CBD and neighboring Haymarket.
The western shore of Darling Harbor is linked to the CBD by the Pyrmont Bridge pedestrian bridge. There is a monorail over the bridge. (45-46)
At the eastern end of the bridge is the Darling Park monorail station... (47-48)
... and on the western side is Harborside station. (49)
Sydney Aquarium with CBD in the background. (50)
On the other side of the bay is the maritime museum. (51)
One of the museum exhibits. (52)
The lighthouse is also part of the exhibition. (53)
Australian flag over Darling Harbour. In the background are exhibits of the Maritime Museum: the destroyer Vampire and the submarine Onslow. (54)
CBD panorama - view from the western part of Darling Harbour. The white building in the center is the Four Points Hotel. To the right are the three Darling Park towers, occupied by Commonwealth, PWC and Rabobank banks. (55)
Darling Park Towers and Maritime Museum. (56)
King Street Wharf and several other small high-rises (from left to right) - AON Tower (128 m, 35 floors), Veritas Tower (95 m, 32 floors) and Westpac Towers (166 m, 40 floors). (57)
The bay is busy with cruise and scheduled ferries. (58)
If you wish, you can use a water taxi. (59)
Pyrmont Bridge - view from the maritime museum. (60)
The Sydney Convention Center is located on the shores of Darling Harbor. (61)
The spiraling fountain in front of the convention center adds a little coolness. (62)
The Darling Harbor waterfront is one of the favorite vacation spots for Sydney residents. (63-64)
Highmarket and Chinatown
Adjacent to Darling Harbor to the south is the Highmarket area. There are markets, hotels, Sydney Central Station and Chinatown - Chinatown.
Highmarket monorail station. (65)
The main attraction of the area is the huge indoor market Market City. (66)
Signs with Chinese characters indicate that we are in Chinatown. (67)
A gate is a must for Chinatown in any city in the world. (68)
That's probably enough for today.
Icons of Sydney - Sydney Bridge and Opera House
- Ferry ride on Port Jackson Bay
- The Rocks, Darlinghurst and Woolloomooloo
- Sydney: top view
PS. Which photo format suits you best?
Starting with this post, I decided to switch to photographs of a slightly larger format - 1000x666 pixels. I used to use 900x600 format for blog posts.
Unfortunately, I can’t do a poll about this (I have a regular account, not a paid one), so if photo size is important to you, answer in the comments what resolution you prefer.
1000 x 667
- More than 1000 x 667
- 900 x 600
- Less than 900 x 600
