Sydney
Sydney is generally recognized as being one of the world’s top ten most prosperous international cities. It is located close to both mountains and the sea, and is a gift of nature. It gracefully shows off its lazy bays and legendary beaches and can be called the New York of the southern hemisphere.Sydney is located in the coastal basin between the Pacific to the east and the Blue Mountains to the west. It has the largest natural harbor in the world, namely, Port Jackson, as well as more than 70 harbors and beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach.Sydney is also an international tourist destination, famous for the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House is one of the most characteristic buildings of the 20th century. It is also a world-renowned performing arts center, and has become a Sydney landmark.The Opera House, officially inaugurated in 1973, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 28, 2007. It is located at Bennelong Point at Sydney Harbor. Its unique sail shape, together with the Sydney Harbor Bridge, is a fine contrast with the surrounding scenery.
Address:Bennelong Point Circular Quay East. Take the City Rail or a city bus (no. 333, 399, 555, or 890) to arrive at Circular Quay and then walk for 5-10 minutes.
Hyde Park
Located in the center of Sydney, Hyde Park was built in 1810, over 200 years ago. It has large clean lawns and towering trees more than a century old, and is a great place for relaxing.There is a unique fountain at the center of the park.The fountain is composed of a group of bronze sculptures. In the center is Apollo holding a lyre. There is a fan-shaped fountain behind him and several bronze sculptures in the pool.Hyde Park Barracks was originally intended to be a military camp. However, no armed forces ever settled here after it was built, and instead it became a place for imprisoning convicts.Today, it is a museum for demonstrating what life was like for the convicts and houses some treasures for you to explore.
Address:Elizabeth Street Sydney CBD. Take the monorail to Galeries Victoria.
Bondi Beach
If you want to see what the locals get up to in their free time, take a walk along Bondi Beach.Bondi Beach originally means "noise of the turning tide," which is an apt name for the beach.This is a coastal town, and the surfing center with the longest history in Australia.During summer weekends, there are all kinds of surfing activities going on here and athletes take it in turns to put on a show.Informal concerts are held on the shore.There are lots of folk activities and art exhibitions.Take a stroll along the scenic cliff route from Bondi to Coogee, and pause along the way to have a swim. You can also stop in a cafe for a cup of coffee.
Address: Bondi Beach is about a half-hour drive from the downtown area of Sydney.
In Sydney’s urban area, there is a series of underground shopping malls. The shopping areas are mainly concentrated in Martin Place, George Street and Elizabeth Street. Business hours are usually 9:00 am-5:30 pm Monday to Friday, but many stores in the urban areas, especially stores near the main tourist attractions, are open every day.In addition, auction is the best opportunity for buying cheap commodities. After Christmas and before January and at the end of winter in July and August, you can buy cheap commodities in Sydney Hill and Rui DeFen.
Queen Victoria Building
The Queen Victoria Building was built in 1898. It houses nearly 200 stores selling antiques, handicrafts, souvenirs, and all kinds of fashionable clothing, coats, and hats. It is the largest and most spectacular department store in Sydney.
Address:Cnr George, Market & York Street.
The Rocks Market
Shopaholics simply must pay a visit to the Rocks Market while they are in Sydney, and will not leave empty-handed!The market is located in the Rocks district which has many 19th century classical buildings. On weekends, an array of tents is set up in the streets which form a market with 140 stalls.The products sold here are of a high quality, rather than the regular goods which you can find being sold at the roadside. Products include artworks carved from rough stones, utensils carved from wood, hand-made stained-glass products, and hand-made bags and tablecloths.During the market’s business hours, there are music and song performances in the streets and lanes throughout the Rocks district, creating a real festive atmosphere.
Address:55 George Street Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.
Sydney is a harbor city, making it a great place to sample the seafood.Wherever you are from, you can find your favorite flavors here, with cuisines which emanate from European countries such as Greece, Italy, and France to those of Asian countries such as Thailand, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Indonesia.There is a wide variety of fresh and inexpensive fruit and vegetables. The beef, lamb, and seafood are also fresh and delicious. You can enjoy a real gourmet treat in Sydney.
Oysters
Australia’s oysters are succulent and inexpensive.Oysters can be eaten raw or steamed.The shells of fresh oysters are closed. Open the shell, squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the oyster’s flesh, add a little oyster sauce, and eat it raw. They are truly delicious.
Recommended restaurant:Quay Restaurant
Address:Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000.
Steak
You must try the steak in Australia. The steak here is fresh and succulent – quite different from that in other places.
Recommended restaurant:Pancakes on the Rocks
Address:4 Hickson Road.
Subway
Sydney’s metro lines span the entire city, and offer clean carriages and comfortable seats.A ticket costing $1.10 is valid for 24 hours. You can travel around Sydney on the subway, or by bus or ferry with this ticket.
Buses
Sydney has several bus lines, and bus travel is cheaper than going by rail.For some buses, you need to buy a ticket before boarding during specified time periods.For example, on the CBD line, which runs from Circular Quay to Central Station, tickets must be bought in advance for buses running between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.There is a free bus (line 555) which runs daily between Central Station and Circular Quay, passing by Elizabeth Street and George Street. The bus runs every 10 minutes and is great for getting around Sydney. You can get off along the way to visit the city’s attractions.
Taxis
Taxis in Sydney are expensive and fares are collected based on the number of kilometers displayed on a meter. The fares vary depending on the taxi company. Generally, the starting fare is about $3.30. Additional fees may be charged for booking taxis, car payments, and taking taxis at night.Taxis which have their roof lights on are empty. You can signal for the taxi to stop by waving your hand.Except for in the busy main areas, there are few passing taxis, and so it is best to phone for a taxi if you are not in a main area.
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Power consumption: 230 V/50 Hz
Telephone area code: +00612
Climate
Sydney does not get too hot in summer, or too cold in winter, and there is plenty of sunshine and lots of rain.Sydney’s annual rainfall is around 1200 mm. In summer (December to February), the average temperature is 21 ℃, and in winter (June to August), the average temperature is 12 ℃.
