One Week in Sydney, Australia

After months of planning and anticipation, I was finally heading to Australia for a working holiday visa. Eventually I would look for a job, but first I wanted to spend some time traveling. I arrived in Sydney and spent one week exploring the city and its beautiful surrounding areas.

Day 1 – Surviving Jet Lag

I arrived at 7 AM after a 17-hour direct flight from Dallas, Texas. Unfortunately I couldn’t check into my hostel until the afternoon, but I was at least able to drop off my bags. It was a rainy day which made it even more difficult to fight off my exhaustion. Nevertheless, I powered through and headed to the Australian Museum first. Upon arrival I learned that most museums in Australia are free which was a nice surprise! After learning about Australian culture and nature, I went to The Walrus café for brunch where I had a very nice avocado toast (or “avo” as the Australians call it).

After brunch, I walked past St. Mary’s Cathedral and then visited the Hyde Park Barracks museum. This was a very interesting place; it was originally used to house convicts and later served other purposes as well. After spending some time here, I walked to the iconic Sydney Opera House and got my first glimpse of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. Finally, it was check-in time and I could head back to my hostel to get some much-needed rest for the coming days.

Sydney as seen from the Opera House

Day 2 – A Free Walking Tour

After sleeping for a very long time, I joined a free walking tour the next morning through I’m Free Walking Tours. These tours are indeed free; most of us tipped our guide, but this is technically optional. You do need to book the tour beforehand, however, since they put a limit on the number of attendees. Our first stops were the Sydney Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Building. We then walked to Martin Place and admired the nearby artwork, while learning about Sydney and Australian culture along the way. From there we headed to the Sydney Opera House, which was much more beautiful in the sunshine than the rain.

Our guide then took us to The Rocks neighborhood and the nearby Rotunda Observation Deck, where we had incredible views of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. After the tour, I went to the markets in The Rocks that our guide had told us about. There were lots of vendors selling artwork, souvenirs, and all kinds of food and drinks. I tried some kangaroo and emu skewers which probably would have tasted better if they hadn’t been overcooked. I then spent the rest of the afternoon running errands and shopping for some items I would need for my time in Australia. Later that evening, I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant in the World Square shopping center near my hostel and then had another early night.

The Rotunda Observation Deck

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Day 3 – Darling Harbour & The Art Gallery

I spent the morning figuring out how to get an Australian phone number. I ended up purchasing a prepaid Boost SIM card; this plan gives you your own phone number and lets you choose how much data to purchase. Boost also uses Telstra’s cell towers, which is the only network with coverage if you venture into the Outback. Once that was taken care of, I headed to Darling Harbour where I tried the popular Betty’s Burgers chain; I was already craving fast food. I then walked around the outside of the National Maritime Museum and sat outside enjoying a coffee.

Darling Harbour

After some much-needed caffeine, I visited the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I spent a couple of hours here, admiring the various pieces of art. My favorite was one of a young girl with her dog and a book; it made me miss my dogs back home! This museum is also free, and it featured many different kinds of artwork. Afterwards, I had an early dinner and yet another early night.

My favorite piece in the Art Gallery

Day 4 – Watson’s Bay & Bondi Beach

I started the morning taking the Sydney Harbour Ferry from Circular Quay to Watson’s Bay, a harborside suburb of Sydney. The boat ride was very relaxing, and I admired all the beautiful homes and the city center from afar. Once we arrived, I walked to Hornby Lighthouse which was a ways from the port. I then walked back towards the port, wandering through nice neighborhoods in the meantime. It was a good way to get some exercise while exploring a different part of the city.

Hornby Lighthouse

Eventually I made it to a bus stop and headed to the famous Bondi Beach. I wasn’t planning to swim, but I walked up and down the boardwalk admiring the surfers and the surrounding area. Before too long I headed back to the hostel and got ready for the evening, where I would be meeting up with a friend I met in Africa. We went to the Slip Inn for dinner, which is a Mexican restaurant where King Frederik X of Denmark met his now-wife! Afterwards, we went to an art battle that one of his friends was participating in. I had never been to one before, and it was cool seeing several artists painting entire works in a short period of time. I was thankful that I had had a fun night out and reconnected with a travel friend; it made my time in Sydney even better!

A live art battle

Day 5 – Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

I spent the morning resting since I had a big afternoon planned. I had bought tickets for the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, which consists of climbing to the summit of the famous Harbour Bridge. This was an expensive excursion at around $250 USD, but I thought the experience would be worth the expense. I had booked a few days prior since tickets do sell out; I would be doing the afternoon climb, although they have sunset and nighttime options as well.

I made my way to the bridge climb office, where we checked in with the receptionist and then had a few safety briefings. Before long we were making our way up the 1,332 stairs to the top of the bridge. It was a bit strange seeing all the cars moving below us, but the way up was very safe and secure. We had several photo opportunities once we reached the summit, and we had perfect views of the Opera House and downtown Sydney. I wouldn’t really describe it as adventurous since we were just walking up stairs, but it was a unique experience. After descending the bridge and getting out of all our climbing gear, I went to Rivareno Gelato for a snack. I then headed back to my hostel until dinnertime where I had Guzman y Gomez, which is similar to Chipotle. It was a fun but long day, and I was tired after such a big climb!

View of the Opera House from the Harbour Bridge

1,332 steps later

Day 6 – Day Trip to the Blue Mountains

I woke up early the next morning to take the train from downtown Sydney to the Blue Mountains, named for their blue haze from the surrounding eucalyptus trees. The train ride takes about two and a half hours and drops you off at Katoomba station. After arriving, I bought a day ticket for the Blue Mountain Explorer Bus, which is a hop-on/hop-off bus that takes you to the main sights in the area. The bus provides you with a map that is very easy to read, and the drivers are very helpful as well.

First I went to the Honeymoon Lookout stop, and then I rode to Echo Point which had beautiful views of the Three Sisters rock formation. All of the trails were easy to follow, and while there were other tourists, it didn’t feel overly crowded. From there, I rode the bus to Katoomba Falls which had amazing views of the Scenic Skyway (you can choose to ride this, but I was on a budget after my bridge climb). Afterwards, I rode to the Blue Mountains Chocolate Company where I had a coffee, a tart, and of course some chocolate. I headed to the Gordon Falls Lookout next, but noticed that there weren’t any tourists in the area and took the bus back to the train station. It was a very relaxing day trip, and the area was beautiful! I would highly recommend taking time to visit if you are in Sydney.

The beautiful Blue Mountains

Katoomba Falls lookout

The Three Sisters

Day 7 – The Opera House & A Coastal Walk

I started the day with a tour of the Sydney Opera House. The tour takes around an hour, and it’s recommended to book beforehand. We learned about the history and the architecture of the Opera House, and we got to tour some of the theatres and the concert hall. After seeing how beautiful it is on the inside, I hope to attend a show here someday! We also learned the story of the Opera House’s Danish architect, Jørn Utzon, who was banned from Australia when he got into a disagreement with the government regarding the materials and fees. Sadly, Utzon never got to see his completed work in person! I couldn’t imagine creating something so beautiful and famous and not being able to see it with your own eyes.

The inside of the Opera House

A beautiful concert hall

After the tour, I took a bus to the Spit Bridge to begin the famous Spit to Manly scenic walk. The full walk took around 3 hours, but it was an easy excursion. The coastline along the way was beautiful, and I saw several wild brush turkeys and big lizards as well. It was a peaceful way to enjoy the afternoon and the beautiful weather, especially since the trails weren’t crowded. Eventually I arrived in the Manly neighborhood, where I took the ferry back to Circular Quay.

A very big lizard

It was close to sunset, so I headed to the Luna Park amusement park where I was greeted by an extremely creepy face at the entrance. I had a snack and then headed to Milsons Point to admire the Opera House and Harbour Bridge after dark. The lights from the city were beautiful, and I spent some time there relaxing and watching the boats go by. Finally, I headed back to the hostel to get some rest before my departure the next day. Overall, Sydney was the perfect introduction to Australia. Although I could have spent fewer days here, a week was a good amount of time to combat jetlag while exploring the city at a leisurely pace.

The disturbing entrance to Luna Park

Sydney Harbour after dark