Enjoy the Harbor Views from Sydney's Opera House
Not yet published by Jason Hussong, Writer
Country: Australia ![]()
The Experience
Glimmering in the day's sun, Sydney's skyscrapers cluster on the south side of the harbor. It is the central business district for one of the world's largest cities. It is also home to the oldest dristrict in Australia, the Rocks; just a short walk around the quay from the Sydney Opera House, the Rocks is a perfect place to sip on an afternoon coffee or a late night drink.
Stretching from the Rocks is one of the most photographed bridges in the world - the Sydney Harbor Bridge, also amusingly known as the Coathanger. It is a quick drive across the 2.4 mile (1.5 km) bridge, but the nearly 80-year-old bridge is much better appreciated from either the Sydney Opera House; climbing tours of the bridge are offered daily and offer spectacular views of the surrounding harbor for those willing to brave climbing to the top of what was Sydney's tallest structure for 35 years.
High on the hills of the north side of the Sydney Harbor, a short distance from the harbor bridge, is the beautiful Sydney Taronga Zoo. Impressive views of the south side of the Sydney Harbor are afforded while walking down the zoo's cobblestone pathways - which is the way to go after a relaxing gondola ride to the hilltop. From there it is a short ferry ride back across the harbor to the second-most-photographed building in the world: the Sydney Opera House.
Neighboring the Sydney Opera House are thirty hectares of what can be described as an oasis: the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust of Sydney. Established in 1816 and constructed in 1831, the Sydney Botanic Gardens are the perfect spot to get away from all of the hustle of the city. Relaxing on the green, walking the pathways, or looking out on Sydney Harbor from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair - a sandstone bench cut by convicts for Governor Macquarie's wife, Elizabeth - are all fantastic ways to get away from the concrete and recharge.
The Sydney Opera House is the center of the Sydney Harbor and near all of what is happening in the city. The opera house is within reach of everything - the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney's Taronga Zoo, nearby Darling Harbor or Bondi Beach, the hustle of the business district, and the leafy escape of the botanic gardens - and the heart of the town. The Sydney Opera House is, without a doubt, the place to enjoy all of the best of Sydney; so, sit back, enjoy a drink, and take it all in from the perfect perch after a tour of the Sydney Opera House.
When to Go
Odds n' Ends
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