The Botanic Gardens are located right on the edge of the CBD
Parliament House One building further on is the State Library of New South Wales (free), the main library for New South Wales. The building is in two parts, the modern State Reference Library and the older sandstone Mitchell and Dixon Wing. There are often interesting historical, art or cultural exhibitions in the top floor of the State Reference Library (enter via the Macquarie Street entry), but the library is worth a visit only if to just see the beautiful Mitchell Reading Room. To access this, walk along Macquarie Street to the end of the block. Turn right and admire the sandstone entry, then enter via the main doors. The Reading Room is straight ahead. If you want to go inside, you will need to leave your bag in one of the lockers; they are accessible via the stairs that head down - just ask the attendant at the front where to go. The café between the two buildings is good for a spot to eat.
Head across the road and into the Royal Botanic Gardens (free), one of three botanic gardens in the Greater Sydney area. The gardens, used originally by the Cadigal people as an initiation ground, were set aside as the Governor's private reserve shortly after the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, and at times were used for a zoo and for a massive exhibition palace, the Garden Palace (which burnt down in a large fire in the 1880s, but the gates still survive). Today, they are the home for thousands of different species of plant found in and area the Sydney area. The gardens contain a tropical glasshouse, a herbarium and other interesting areas. There's plenty to see or do here, or you can just walk through. Take the paths that lead down to Farm Cove on Sydney Harbour.
Walk up and around to the Sydney Opera House, located on Bennelong Point. This magnificent building, one of the things Sydney is well known for, was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and was completed in 1973. It contains a large concert hall, large opera theatre, several smaller halls for theatre and drama, a reception room and several restaurants, among other things. The best way to see inside the Opera House is in one of two ways - to attend a show, or to take a tour. After a couple of anti-war activists scaled the sails a couple of years ago, the Opera House massively increased its security, so there's not much to see unless you are there for a good reason. Normal tours, which last for 1 hour and run between 9am and 5pm cost $35, but if you book online and in advance the price reduces by around $5. Backstage tours are also available, though they only run at 7am and cost $150, but you see a lot more than the normal tour. Tours are also available in Mandarin, Korean and Japanese ($22, 30 mins). If you don't want to go inside, just take a walk around the outside and admire the architecture. There are some places to eat and drink inside or on the western side of the Opera House underneath the main level.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about One week in Sydney
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in One week in Sydney - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount One week in Sydney hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
One week in Sydney Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
