Sydney tour

Thanks to Hansen, our guide, we have spent many times to discover Sydney with a lot of very interesting explications and anecdotes. The most impressive places are:

• Opera house,

• Circular quay,

• Harbour Bridge,

• Darling harbour,

• The Rocks.

OPERA HOUSE

Everybody has already seen the opera house as it’s a real symbol of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jorn Utzon and was completed in 1973 for a total cost higher than 100,000,000 AUD (initial budget was only 10,000,000 AUD). Since 28 June 2007, opera house is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

CIRCULAR QUAY

Circular Quay is the hub of Sydney Harbour, situated at a small inlet called Sydney Cove. It is a stepping-off point for most attractions based around the harbour and an exciting place to be on a warm summer's day. The quay is a vibrant, bustling place with ferries leaving every few minutes to different parts of the harbour. There are great views of the Harbour Bridge and opera house, a short distance away.

THE ROCKS

The Rocks is one of the most historic place of Sydney. Just next to circular quay on Sydney Cove. The Rocks became established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The original buildings were made mostly of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. From the earliest history of the settlement, the area had a reputation as a slum, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes. During the late 1800s, the area was dominated by a gang known as the Rocks Push. It maintained this rough reputation until approximately the 1870s. Today it’s really hard to feel the history of the Rocks, because almost everything have been demolished, on re-built and is now circled by modern building.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

It was officially opened in 1932 and is the world's largest (and the 4th longest) steel arch bridge with 48.8 meters width and 1149 meters long. About 97% of its steel comes directly from UK (quite funny when we know that Australia has enormous mineral reserves...) but actually it was a Britannic company who built it. It has eight vehicle lanes, two train lines as well as pedestrian and cyclist access. If you look closely to the left of the flags at the top, you can see that it's even possible to take guided tours to its summit! And with a top height of about 134 meters, the panoramic views on the harbour and the city are really magnific.

DARLING HARBOUR

It is a large recreational and pedestrian precinct that is situated on western outskirts of the Sydney central business district. It was originally part of the commercial port of Sydney but today it’s a famous destination for entertainment. With more than 40 restaurants, bars, clubs, pubs, cinema but also museum (Powerhouse Museum, National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium,...), the Aboriginal center, the Sydney convention center, Darling Harbour is one of the most moving place of Sydney.