From Wikitravel

The City [1] of Sydney is understood to be at the very heart of the much larger Sydney Metropolitan area, consisting of the Sydney Central Business District (CBD) and immediately surrounding areas of harbour frontage and parkland. Stretching roughly between Circular Quay and Central Railway Station (north to south), and between the Domain and Darling Harbour (east to west), the area defies precise definition: if Sydneysiders say they are "going into town", "downtown" or "into the City", this is generally what they mean.... Travellers will have no difficulty recognising the area: it is that part of the city that has the most skyscrapers!

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By train 2.2 By bus 2.3 By ferry 2.4 By monorail 2.5 By car 3 Get around 4 See 4.1 Landmarks 4.2 Museums and galleries 4.3 Parks and gardens 5 Architecture 6 Do 6.1 Theatre 6.2 Cinema 7 Buy 8 Eat 8.1 Budget 8.2 Mid-range 8.3 Splurge 9 Drink 9.1 Bars 9.2 Pubs 9.3 Nightclubs 9.3.1 Gig guides 10 Sleep 10.1 Budget 10.2 Mid-range 10.3 Splurge

Understand

Sydney City is primarily commercial in nature (hence the Manhattan-like skyline of skyscrapers and towers), although it is presently attracting an increasing number of prestigious high-density residential buildings.

The City represents the earliest site of European settlement in Australia (from January 1788), and is home - naturally enough - to many of Sydney's landmarks and sites of interest.

Get in

By train

The City lies at the hub of the Sydney Cityrail train service [2], with almost all routes passing through at least some of the city stations. These are collectively known as the City Circle, lie mainly underground (the extent of Sydney's "subway") and run in both directions.

The city stations (running clockwise) are Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St James and Museum. Each of these stations, and the first three in particular (also part of the North Shore line), are regularly serviced by trains. Most of the city is no more than ten or fifteen minutes' walk from a train station.

Another city station, Martin Place exists mid-town on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line, running out through the Eastern Suburbs to Bondi Junction - it links directly with Town Hall and Central stations on the City Circle.

By bus

Many routes on Sydney Buses from parts of the wider city [3] link with the Sydney CBD at a variety of termini. These are often located close to the rail stations and can be found at Circular Quay, Wynyard, Town Hall and Central Station.

By ferry

The most pleasant way to arrive in Sydney City is by ferry [4]. All Sydney Ferry routes (from 41 wharves around the harbour suburbs) go through Circular Quay, at the northern end of the CBD. From the Quay you can walk to the Opera House or the Botanic Gardens. At the Quay you can also connect with City Circle trains or city buses.

By monorail

A one way monorail loop links the southern half of the CBD with the adjoining area of Darling Harbour. Stations are at the World Square, City Centre and Galeries Victoria retail complexes. The last of these is opposite Town Hall station, with an underground passage linking the two.

By car

The city is accessible to private vehicles; however, it can be quite congested and parking will cost upwards of $30 per day.

Get around

See

Landmarks

• Circular Quay foreshore, home to many buskers, the ferry terminal, the Opera House, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
  • the Sydney Opera House [5], Bennelong Point, Circular Quay. ph 02 9250 7111 (information) or 02 9250 7777 (ticket bookings). email mailto:infodesk@sydneyoperahouse.com - the Sydney Opera House in the north east of the city is one of Sydney's most beautiful and unusual buildings; its sail shaped structure is world famous. The Opera House is also host to most of Sydney's major classical music and opera events.
• Sydney Tower [6] - towering above the city of Sydney since 1981, when it became the tallest structure in the city, the Sydney Tower (often called the "Centrepoint Tower") reaches a total height of 305 m - great views are available from the 250 m high viewing level. The tower is Australia's tallest free-standing structure and the second highest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere (after the Sky Tower in Auckland).
• St Mary's Cathedral [7], St Mary's Road, across the road from Hyde Park's eastern edge - the Catholic Sydney diocese's cathedral, built in 1868, tel 9220 0400. fax: +61 (02) 9223 5208
• the Queen Victoria Building ("the QVB") [8], George Street (north of Town Hall and Town Hall station) - the site of a market place since 1810, the QVB, its current Romanesque facade was completed in 1896 and was extensively restored in the late 1980s as a prestigious shopping centre

Museums and galleries

• the Australian Museum [9], 6 College Street Sydney (opposite Hyde Park), tel 02 9320 6000, open daily (except Christmas Day) 9.30am-5pm, general admission adult $10, child / concession $5, family $17.50, temporary exhibitions attract an additional fee - with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies research, community programs and exhibitions, the Australian Museum was established as Australia's first museum in 1827 with unique and extensive collections of natural science and cultural artefacts.
• the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) [10], Art Gallery Road, The Domain, tel 02 9225 1744 - one of Australia's premier collections of Australian, European and Asian art
• the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) [11], 140 George Street, Circular Quay, tel 02 9252 4033 - housed in a fabulous 1930s art deco building, former location of the Maritime Services Board and facing onto the western side of Circular Quay and Sydney Cove, the MCA has been dedicated - since its opening in 1991 - to showcasing great works of modern and contemporary art in all media.
• Museum of Sydney [12], corner of Phillip and Bridge Streets, tel 02 9251 5988, fax 02 9251 5966, open daily 9.30am-5pm (closed Christmas Day and Good Friday), admission adult $10, child / concessions $5, family $20, members free (run by the Historic Houses Trust) - built on the site of the first Government House, erected in 1788 by Governor Arthur Phillip and demolished in 1846. The remains of the building were excavated after rediscovery in 1983 and the original foundations can now be viewed through glass floor panels in the museum. Fascinating changing exhibitions of art and photography, films and state-of-the-art technology spin stories of colonial life, Aboriginal culture, environment, trade, authority / law and everyday dramas and dreams in early Sydney.
• Justice and Police Museum [13], corner Albert and Phillip Streets. Adult $8, child/concession $4, family $17
• Hyde Park Barracks [14], Macquarie Street - built 1818-1819. Adult $10, child/concession $5, family $20.
• the State Library of New South Wales [15], Macquarie Street - includes a large exhibition space with changing artistic, historical and cultural exhibits
• the Museum of Australian Currency Notes [16], Ground Floor, 65 Martin Place, open Mo-Fr 10am-5pm (except bank holidays), free admission - hosted by the Reserve Bank of Australia in its city headquarters, this newly-opened (March 2005) museum displays Australian bank notes and currency from the earliest issues to the present day

Parks and gardens

• Sydney Botanical Gardens[17], a large park on the harbour foreshore and Domain, home to the popular Opera in the Domain, Jazz in the Domain, and Symphony in the Domain events in summer, as well as the Tropfest short film festival. If attending any of these events, arrive in the early afternoon to secure a picnic spot as upwards of 100 000 people attend.
• Hyde Park - an extensive city centre park, elongated in layout and containing a large fountain and the Anzac War Memorial - a favourite with city workers at lunchtime, joggers and sunbakers...

Architecture

• Sydney City is home to a large number of outstanding examples of Art Deco architecture [18], built at a time - during the 1920s and 1930s - when Sydney entered a new phase of confidence and investment in urban infrastructure.

Do

Theatre

• Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St (near the corner of George St and Hay St). http://www.capitoltheatre.com.au/.
• State Theatre, 49 Market Street (between Pitt St and George St). ph 02 9373 6852 fax 02 9373 6537. http://www.statetheatre.com.au/. Hosts a range of events and performances, particularly international comedy acts and musicians. The building itself is heritage-listed, and has a lavish interior dating back to 1929.
• The Wharf, Pier 4/5 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay. The Sydney Theatre Company's home base.
• Sydney Opera House http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/. More than just an Opera Theatre and Concert Hall, the Sydney Opera House also has dedicated theatres for drama: the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse, and The Studio.

Cinema

• George Street Cinemas, 505 George St (near Town Hall). The three big cinema franchises (Hoyts, Greater Union and Village) merged their neighbouring cinemas here into one big complex.

Buy

The Central Business District of Sydney is without doubt the retail centre of the city, having the largest range of shops and outlets in a variety of settings. Sydney's shopping is frequently concentrated within large city malls and arcades (heavily interconnected mid-town through a number of underground walkways), though there are also a number of recognised shopping "strips" around town.

• the Queen Victoria Building ("the QVB") [19], George Street (north of Town Hall and Town Hall station). The site of a market place since 1810, its current Romanesque facade was completed in 1896 and was extensively restored in the late 1980s as a prestigious shopping centre
• the Galeries Victoria, 500 George Street (opposite the QVB). Includes many fashion stores, and also Books Kinokuniya (level 2), with a broad range of English, Chinese and Japanese books.
• the Strand Arcade [20] The last of the Victorian arcades to be completed in Sydney, home to a number of shopping levels featuring design, fashion, antiques and jewellery (the arcade conveniently links George Street with the Pitt Street Mall)
• David Jones [21], 86 -108 Castlereagh Street, tel 02 9266 5544, fax 02 9267 7326. The city stores of this illustrious department store are on Elizabeth Street (main store, women's wear) and Market Street (men's wear). In operation since 1838, David Jones is not only Australia's oldest department store, but also the oldest department store anywhere in the world still trading under its original name!
• Pitt Street Mall
  • Centrepoint
  • Imperial Arcade
  • Skygarden
• Castlereagh Street. Home to a large concentration of fashion houses and big names: DKNY, Cartier, Ferragamo, Gucci, Bvlgari, Stefano Canturi and Chanel

Eat

Haymarket (Chinatown) in the south of the city has large number of Asian restaurants.

Budget

• BBQ King, 18 Goulburn St, Haymarket. phone 02 9267 2586 or 02 9267 2433. BBQ King is Haymarket's most famous Chinese restaurant, famed in particular (unsurpisingly) for the barbecued duck. Long waits on weekends.

• Pho Xic Lo, 215a Thomas St, Haymarket. phone 02 9280 1678. Serves tasty, fresh Vietnamese dishes with a minimum of fuss. The summer rolls and spring rolls entrees are particularly nice!

• Cafe Eos, 515 Kent St. phone 02 9264 0019. Cafe Eos is a friendly little cafe catering mainly to lunching office workers. It is small and not crowded: a good alternative to the crowded food courts for a unrushed lunch.

Mid-range

• Marigold Restaurant, Levels 4 and 5, 683-689 George Street, Haymarket. phone 02 9281 3388. fax 02 9281 5051. email info@marigold.com.au. The Marigold is a very good and very popular yum cha place: be prepared to wait a long time for seating. http://www.marigold.com.au/

• Summit Restaurant, Level 47, Australia Square, 264 George St. ph 9247 9777. fax 9251 2539. This revolving restaurant has excellent views of the city from the harbour to south Sydney and rotates every two hours. http://www.summitrestaurant.com.au/

Splurge

• Tetsuya's, 529 Kent Street, ☎ +61-2-9267-2900 (fax: +61-2-9262-7099), http://www.tetsuyas.com/. Tetsuya's, which serves fusion Japanese and French style food, is one of Sydney's most famous and highly regarded restaurants, generally named in the top three year after year. You should be able to get a weeknight booking (excluding Fridays) a week or two in advance, for weekends you may need to book a month or more in advance. Set menu for $140, wine list from $50 upwards.

Drink

Bars

• the Bridge Bar, Level 10, Opera Quays 2 East Circular Quay, tel 02 9252 6800 - awarded the title of Australia's Cocktail Bar of the Year, by bartender magazine, the Bridge Bar is a tranquil and elegant venue suspended between the tenth floors of two of Sydney's most desirable apartment blocks at East Circular Quay. Fantastic views over Sydney Cove and Circular Quay to the Opera House and the Bridge - a real treat at sunset. Fantastic cocktail list (189 varieties), friendly staff, viby lounge music and good bar food.

• the Orbit Bar, Level 47, Australia Square, 264 George Street, 5pm-12midnight - spectaular views over Sydney from this revolving bar at the top of the 1970s iconic Australia Square office tower, a stylish makeover of the old Summit Restaurant. Sip on designer cocktails in a non-smoking environment while the entire level revolves slowly over 90 minutes. Floor to ceiling windows means that you can gaze from your Kubrick-2001-inspired seating and decor to the city below. Consistently highly reviewed. Cocktails average $15 a glass.

Pubs

• 3 Wise Monkeys Pub [22], 555 George Street. ph: (02) 9283 5855. The 3 Wise Monkeys is a very popular pub only a block south of Town Hall station. It has live music seven nights a week.
• James Squire Brewhouse, King St Wharf, 22 The Promenade. ph: (02) 8270 7999. A new pub on King Street Wharf, the James Squire Brewhouse is a spacious bar with James Squire on tap.
• The Australian Heritage Hotel [23], 100 Cumberland Street, The Rocks. ph 02 9247 2229. The Australian boasts a prodigious range of Australian beers, and very good gourmet pizzas (ranging from vegetarian to crocodile). Parties can reserve the parlour and the balcony.

Nightclubs

• Soup Plus [24], 1 Margaret St. ph 02 9299 7728. Soup Plus is Australia's longest running jazz venue. Entry is $5 Monday to Thursday nights, $8 Monday to Thursday nights for big bands and special presentations, and $30 Friday and Saturday nights. The weekend charge includes a two course meal.
• The Basement [25], 29 Reiby Place. ph 02 9251 2797. The Basement is a music club specialising in jazz, a restaurant and a pub. Open 12pm - 3pm for lunch and 7:30pm until late on weekdays; and 7:00pm until late on Saturday and Sunday nights. General admissions tickets (standing only) range between $20 and $40 depending on the night and the performer.
• 505, Suite 505/342 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills. Jazz jam session first Wed monthly. Tucked away on level 5 of a ramshackle inner city apartment block, this venue is filled with couches and candles and attracts a bohemian crowd.
• Century Theatre 624 George Street. ph 02 9550 3666 (box office). Until recently known as the Metro Theatre, the Century Theatre is a major medium-sized music venue. http://www.centurytheatre.com.au/

Gig guides

• The Drum Media is a free, weekly music publication. You can find a copy at most music stores around the city and the inner suburbs. http://drummedia.com.au/
• Metro is the Sydney Morning Herald's entertainment lift-out, published every Friday.

Sleep

Budget

• Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place, +61 2 9281 9111 (fax +61 2 9281 9199, email sydcentral@yhansw.org.au) [26]. This YHA backpacker's hostel is right across the road from Central railway station. Beds in a dorm room are $28-33 per night, private rooms $82 or $94 with ensuite.
• Cambridge Sydney Hotel 212 Riley Street, +61 2 9212 1111 (fax 02 9215 5111, email reservations@cambridgeinn.com.au) [27]. Economy hotel in Surry Hills with easy access to Oxford Street and the Sydney CBD. Rooms cost approx $110 - $190 per night.
• Maze Backpackers 417 Pitt St, 1800 813 522 [28]. Beds in a dormitory room from $19 per night, single room $45, double $60.

Mid-range

• Menzies Sydney Hotel 14 Carrington Street, +61 2 9299 1000 (fax +61 2 9290 3819) [29].. Good value inner city hotel overlooking Wynyard Park. An easy stroll to Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay ferries and The Rocks tourist precinct. Rooms cost approx $175-$300 a night.
• Mercure Sydney Hotel 818-820 George Street, +61 2 9217 6666, (fax +61 2 9217 6888) [30]. 4 star Sydney hotel with 517 rooms, adjacent to Central Station. Easy access to Darling Harbour, Sydney's shopping and retail centre and major attractions. Accommodation rates range between $149-$300 per night.
• Rydges Capitol Square Hotel Cnr George & Campbell Streets, 1300 857 922. [31]. Incorporated within the Capitol Theatre complex. Near Darling Harbour, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Central Station and Chinatown. Rooms from $78-$120.

Splurge

• Intercontinental Sydney 117 Macquarie Street, +61 2 9253 9000 (fax 02 9240 1240, email mailto:sydney@interconsydney.com) [32]. Close to Circular Quay and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
• Sheraton on the Park 161 Elizabeth Street, + 61 2 9286 6000 (fax 02 9286 6686, email mailto:sheratononthepark@sheraton.com) [33]. The Sheraton on the Park is one of the nicest 5 star hotels in Sydney. It is located at the Hyde Park (ask for a Park view room) and the staff are really friendly. Rooms with one king sized bed: approximately $260 - $300 per night
• Marriott Hotel, 36 College Street, +61 2 9361 8400 [34]. Sydney Marriott is a luxurios hotel, filled with everything that can be expected from a hotel of its kind. The hotel includes renowned cuisine, various bars, 2 pools among many other features. The hotel also enjoys one of the best locations in Sydney. Approx $265-$405 per night.
• The Westin, No.1 Martin Place, +61 2 8223 1111 [35]. Approx $325-$435.
• Four Seasons Hotel 199 George Street +61 2 9238 0000 [36]. The hotel is home to superstar couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes when they travel to Sydney.
• Sheraton on the Park 161 Elizabeth Street +61 2 9286 6000 [37]. Located directly opposite Hyde Park.
• Rydges Jamison Sydney, 11 Jamison Street 1300 857 922 [38]. Rydges Jamison Sydney is located in the north of the CBD, close to The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rooms from $200-$250.

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