Published: 24.02.2018
We landed in Sydney on Monday morning. From the airport, we took an Uber to our Airbnb accommodation in the Petersham district. After that, we went to the supermarket for some groceries and explored the surrounding area on foot.
On Tuesday morning, we went to the city center of Sydney. We started our sightseeing tour on foot at the Central Station. We used the route suggestions from the Sydney Guide (available for free, e.g. at the airport). We walked from the train station to Darling Harbour, then towards CBD to the Sydney Tower, then to the Queen Victoria Building (a very nice shopping center), and then to Hyde Park for a short lunch break. After that, the route led us along the Art Gallery Road to the Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens, all the way to the top of Mrs Macquarie's Chair. From here, you have a fantastic view of the famous Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Then we walked along the waterfront to the Opera House and further to Dawes Point Park, located under the Harbour Bridge. After that, we went to the Town Hall. After walking several kilometers, we went back to the Queen Victoria Building for a coffee and cake break, where we ended the afternoon in the city center. Most of the sights in the city center can be easily reached on foot, but it's a full day of walking and very tiring.
On Wednesday, we explored Newtown. This district was about an hour's walk from our accommodation. There are many restaurants, bars, cafes, and individual shops. Highly recommended if you're tired of the many tourists and crowds in the city center.
We also visited a similar district, Surry Hills, the next day. It was less crowded with more locals, and we enjoyed strolling through the streets.
On Friday afternoon, we went to Bondi Beach. The bay is really beautiful, and you have a great view from the Icebergs Restaurant and the Ocean Pool. There were also some surfers in the water. It was a bit too crowded for us, so we went to another bay nearby, Tamarama Beach, for swimming and sunbathing. For dinner, we went back to Newtown.
The next morning, we went to the Paddington Markets. This is a medium-sized market that takes place every Saturday. Afterward, we explored the neighborhood along Oxford Road. Towards Paddington, there are some exclusive fashion stores. The neighborhood changes as you get closer to the city center. You can find some shops and restaurants that are more geared towards the LGBTQ+ community. In the afternoon, we went back to our accommodation for a break. After dinner in Newtown, we decided to go back to Circular Quay and see the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House at night. Coincidentally, the Queen Mary 2 was in the Sydney Harbor that evening, which made for a particularly beautiful sight.
On Sunday, February 25, it was time for us to leave, and we flew back to Munich around 10 PM. We spent the last day in the vicinity of our accommodation, visiting a weekly market (Addison Road Markets) and cafes. We were able to leave our luggage at the accommodation.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen events at home, we decided to end our trip early, so we only spent three months abroad instead of the planned six :).