Places to Visit & Things to Do in Sydney
In Sydney, you’re never far from the serene aquamarine of the ocean, glorious beaches, and eucalyptus-filled mountains – as well as some of the best food and wine in the world. ‘Harbour City’ has all the ingredients to inspire the hearts, minds, and appetites of travellers.
Sights and Attractions in Sydney
First, stop by Circular Quay to take a walk past the buzzing bars and restaurants right on the water’s edge. You’ll get a close-up view of the white ‘sails’ of the Opera House. Stroll through the 30-hectare Royal Botanic Garden, which hosts community festivals and exhibitions. The Rocks, a historic neighbourhood south of the Harbour Bridge, is buzzing with pubs, buskers and open-air markets. Test your mettle with the BridgeClimb experience and observe the city from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. For a great view with a little less exertion, head into the central business district and ascend The Sydney Tower Eye for 360-degree views of the city and beyond. Swimming or surfing at Sydney’s signature Bondi Beach is always a winner, as are Bondi’s cafés and its chilled-out vibe.
Art, Culture and Museums in Sydney
You can count on catching some of the nation’s best productions at the Sydney Theatre Company at Walsh Bay, which launched Aussie Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett. Around the bay, Sydney Opera House plays host to symphonies, orchestras, ballets, musical theatre and dance, with productions from the Australian Ballet and Sydney Symphony Orchestra held year-round. A spacious, art deco building in The Rocks is home to The Museum of Contemporary Art which has over 4,000 works of Australian art in its collection and a special focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander The Art Gallery of New South Wales is a cultural stalwart that presents around forty exhibitions a year and houses major collections of Australian, European and Asian art. If you’re in town in late June/early July, be sure to pay a visit to the National Indigenous Art Fair. The ethical marketplace allows you to buy direct from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is a cultural stalwart that presents around forty exhibitions a year and houses major collections of Australian, European and Asian art. If you’re in town in late June/early July, be sure to pay a visit to the National Indigenous Art Fair. The ethical marketplace allows you to buy direct from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
Shopping in Sydney
Beautiful, sustainably mined Australian opals are a favourite with tourists. Reputable places to buy them include Altmann & Cherry and the National Opal Collection. For hand-crafted and intricate jewellery with an Australian touch, head to Kailis Pearls – available at David Jones and Calleija Jewellers – and Nicola Bannerman at the Bridget Kennedy Project Space. For international high-street brands, start at Pitt Street Mall, then head up and down Market Street, King Street and Castlereagh Streets. Find top Australian designers at David Jones, or head to Paddington (Glenmore Road) for unique finds and new-gen designers at indie boutiques. There are many markets around Sydney held on Saturdays too – check out those at Bondi Beach and Rozelle for second-hand treasures and new looks for the season ahead.
Food and Drink in Sydney
Sydney’s food and drink scene is all about paddock-to-plate produce, bespoke cocktails and craft beer. Landmark eateries Quay, Tetsuya’s and Rockpool are the stars of the show, while brasserie Restaurant Hubert dominates headlines for a swinging cocktail-food experience and specialities such as whole Australian rock lobster in Armoricaine sauce with cognac and chives. Quench your thirst in the tiny, homely setting of Ambi’s Chai which offers traditionally brewed Afro-Punjabi sweet and spicy teas, made by Ambi himself, as well as delicious rotis.
Pubs in the leafy Paddington district have also been trending on the Sydney scene, with gastro drinking holes The Bellevue, Four in Hand and The Paddington all serving hearty pub grub. For fresh seafood with marvellous views over the beach, both North Bondi Fish and Icebergs are a good bet.
Westwards from Bondi is Bennelong, situated in the Opera House. It’s fine dining Aussie-style with dishes like roasted coral trout and a fantastic wine list - and breath-taking views of the harbour and bridge.
Sights unique to Sydney
Firmly, uniquely Sydney is, of course, the Harbour: a true global treasure, Sydneysiders swim in it, fish in it, sunbathe next to it, boat on it and set fireworks off on it. But, while the Harbour Bridge and Opera House that occupy it are the two standout structures people know the city for, they also come here for the beach life – and few realise you’ll find beaches as nice as Bondi without the big waves (most of the time) and crowds, plus small fishing villages loaded with great eateries, national parks where you can walk for kms without seeing a single soul but meet plenty of wildlife – including whales and dolphins. Top spots include Watsons Bay, Manly, Double Bay, the brilliant Taronga Zoo (get that selfie with the giraffe and the Harbour Bridge behind) and Balmoral. The city is also paradise for sport experiences: watch the Sydney Swans playing Australian rules football on their home turf, the Sydney Cricket Ground or catch a Rugby League/Rugby Union game at ANZ stadium.
Membership Rewards® Programme
Cardmembers enrolled in the American Express Membership Rewards® programme will earn one additional bonus Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate (for a total of 2 points) for every full £1 spent on flights, prepaid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through the American Express Travel website americanexpress.com/en-gb//travel. Specific Card products or limited time promotions may offer additional Membership Rewards points, please see individual Card or promotion Terms and Conditions for more information. Additional Membership Rewards points cannot be earned on products which are not prepaid but are paid directly to the supplier, including cruise bookings and select hotel bookings. These bookings will not earn two Membership Rewards points for every £1 spent but will be earned at the normal rate of one point for every £1 spent. Full Terms and Conditions apply, please visit americanexpress.co.uk/termsandconditions.
To use Pay with Points, you must book your eligible purchase through American Express Travel and charge to a Membership Rewards programme-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding amount will be issued to the American Express® Card Account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. When paying with a combination of your American Express Card and Membership Rewards points, only the value applied to the Card is eligible to earn Membership Rewards points.
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Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through Platinum Travel service, Business Platinum Travel service, Centurion® Travel service or American Express Travel Online with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Centurion® members and Cardmembers who hold The Platinum Card® (Charge) and or The Platinum Card® (Credit) only. This excludes The Platinum Credit Card (acquired prior to July 2022). Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 Credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit. To receive the credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/) with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Preferred Rewards Gold Cardmembers, Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Cardmembers, Platinum Cardmember's or Centurion® Cardmember’s. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
International Airline Program (IAP)
1. Current International Airline Program Partners: Air Europa, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
2. American Express reserves the rights to change these conditions from time to time with 21 days prior notice and/or to discontinue the whole program.
3. Airlines reserve the right to change, cancel or restrict flight operations without notice. IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares may be limited by airlines to certain flights and/or dates (“blackouts”). IAP is subject to the terms and conditions of each participating carrier. American Express does not guarantee that seats or tickets will be available. Cabins of service and discounts vary by airline and route. Discounts are applicable to adult fares however some airlines extend savings to child fares.
4. To qualify for the IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares:
a) Your journey must start and end at the same port as designated by the participating airline and be completed within the period during which your selected carrier participates in the program. You will be advised of any applicable dates at the time of booking;
b) IAP tickets must be purchased through the Platinum Travel Service and must be charged to a valid American Express Platinum Card which is in good standing;
c) The Platinum Cardmember who purchases the ticket(s) must be one of the travellers;
d) IAP tickets are non-transferable and non endorsable.
5. Any travel on non-participating airlines must be ticketed and paid for separately and is not part of the IAP. Certain code share or flights on the worldwide partners of the participating airlines may not apply.
6. Certain IAP airlines or non-participating airlines impose restrictions such as ticketing time limit on advance booking to indicate a timeline for ticketing upon making your reservations. For each individual airline Terms & Conditions, please check with the Platinum Travel Service for details.
7. IAP upgrade offers or specially negotiated fares may not be combined with any other promotion, discount, negotiated or corporate rate.
8. American Express acts only as an agent for travel service providers and does not own or operate any airline or means of transportation. American Express is not liable for service deficiencies on the part of airlines or other service providers, including but not limited to: accidents and injuries; delays; changes in routes or itineraries; loss, theft or damages to possessions. American Express strongly advises travellers to insure themselves against travel risks. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have valid documentation and for complying with the health, customs, currency and other laws of any country they enter or attempt to enter.
9. IAP is available to Platinum Cardmembers from a variety of participating airlines each with specifically designated ports of departure and arrival. Please refer to the Platinum Travel Service for details of participating airlines, applicable routing and timetables and fares in force at any particular time.
10. Other International Airline Program Terms & Conditions may apply.
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