Sydney's harbour, with the Opera House's sail-like shells and the Harbour Bridge arching across the water, is one of the most photographed urban scenes on earth, but the city's real charm extends well beyond that postcard view, into a chain of ocean beaches and coastal walking paths that few global cities can match.
The Harbour
Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge (BridgeClimb) gives a genuinely thrilling view over the entire harbour, Opera House, and city skyline, book a twilight climb for both daylight and city-lights perspectives in one session.
The Manly Ferry, a short and inexpensive harbour crossing, delivers some of the best skyline views in the city en route to Manly's own excellent beach and coastal walk.
Beaches and Coastal Walks
The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, about six kilometres along ocean cliffs and beaches, passes Bronte and Tamarama along the way and is one of the best free activities in the city, allow two to three hours at an easy pace.
Bondi Beach itself gets crowded, but the Bondi Icebergs pool, an ocean-fed swimming pool cut into the rocks at the beach's southern end, offers a quieter, iconic alternative to swimming in the surf.
Recommended Stay · Sydney · The Rocks
Park Hyatt Sydney
Positioned directly between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, with rooftop views that take in both landmarks at once, the single best-located hotel in the city.
