Sydney & New South Wales
Sydney Harbour is one of the world's great natural harbors and the heart of Australia's most beautiful city. Deep blue inlets reach in among leafy headlands and golden coves, ferries crisscross the water all day long, and the whole glittering scene unfolds beneath a sky that seems permanently washed clean. For most travelers it is the first taste of Australia, and it sets the tone for everything that follows: easygoing, outdoorsy and impossibly good-looking.
Two landmarks frame that blue water and need no introduction. The Sydney Opera House spreads its white sail-shells out over the harbor at Bennelong Point, as sculptural and surprising up close as it is from across the bay, while the great steel arch of the Harbour Bridge strides over the heads of the city beside it. Seen together from a ferry deck or the steps of Circular Quay, the two of them are the picture of Sydney, and somehow they live up to it every single time.
The pleasure here is in giving yourself over to the harbor and the coast around it. Ferries fan out to Manly and Watsons Bay, the historic sandstone lanes of The Rocks climb up beside the bridge, harborside paths wind between the coves, and a short ride east brings you to the golden crescent of Bondi Beach. We love to build a day around the water itself: a private cruise on the harbor, a climb to the very top of the bridge, or a sunset glass of wine at Circular Quay with the Opera House lit gold in front of you.
