Something for everyone in Sydney
Of all the cities in Australia, Sydney is probably the most famous and iconic. The Harbor Bridge and Opera House are two of its most prominent architectural icons, and are certainly up there with the natural icons of Uluru, the Kuala bear and kangaroo. As the largest city in Australia, Sydney is also the main tourist centre and each year around 2.7 million international tourists visit the city, not to mention the swathes of Australians who are attracted to Sydney’s sights, surf and entertainments.
In the noughties alone Sydney hosted the Summer Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup (which, much to every Australian’s dismay, was won by England) but unlike other highly developed cities like New York, Paris or London, Sydney offers visitors more variety in terms of enjoyment, because of the incredible versatility of its landscapes and terrains in the surrounding area. To top it all off the country enjoys at least 240 days of sunshine a year, so it’s any wonder why so many Aussie’s end up giving it up and heading over for pastures grey in London or another of the European capitals.
One of the most famous things Australia is known for is its beaches and Sydney’s are no compromise, despite being so near the city. Bondi beach is in contention for the title of most famous beach in the world, and as such few cities can offer visitors such an irresistible combination of city holiday and beach holiday in one, much like Barcelona in Europe or, further afield, Havana, Cuba.
Sydney is also the capital of the New South Wales region, which is home to nearly 800 national parks, ranging from unspoiled coastline to the barren outback, through valleys and peaks of rainforest which separate the dry interior from its lush coasts. In these areas, opportunities for activities such as mountain biking, trekking and climbing are in abundance and are perfect for the more adventurous traveler.
Getting to Sydney can be difficult and tiring because of its lengthy journey times from Europe and North America. The flight is around 24 hours from the UK, and this includes a stop in a Far Eastern country such as Bali, Bangkok, Dubai or Hong Kong to refuel. Although the flight is long, you can at least take solace in the knowledge that prices aren’t as high as they used to be. With DialAFlight for example, you can now easily obtain flights to Sydney from as little as £555, including taxes, so visiting this glorious city and country needn’t cost the earth.
