Tours

The Essential Tours

The most famous of Sydney's icons, the Sydney Opera House, offers Opera House Guided Tours. Or for a fantastic view of the harbour, climb Sydney Harbour Bridge, with BridgeClimb—bookings are essential. Centrepoint spire also offers guided tours of its 360 degree panorama. There are also two revolving restaurants at the top.

If time is of the essence, take a full-commentary harbour cruise. Captain Cook Cruises is aptly named since Captain Cook was the first Englishman to discover the spectacular beauty of these waters. Tours are well priced, well organised and depart regularly from Circular Quay.

Explorer Bus ServicesExplorer Bus Services offer a flexible way to get around town. A day pass allows you to travel from Kings Cross to Bondi and beyond. You can disembark whenever you like, because another bus comes along every 15 to 30 minutes. Alternatively, take a tour into Sydney's past, with The Rocks Walking Tours. These 90-minute tours visit the streets and alleyways built by convicts.

On a Shoestring

For those on a budget, a good option is to climb to the top of the South-Eastern Pylon of the Harbour Bridge to the Pylon Lookout for an exhilarating view. Alternatively, you can walk across the bridge on the railed-off pedestrian lane or head down to Circular Quay and take your pick of harbourside ferry destinations. Manly is the most popular, but other routes, like McMahons Point/Balmain or Rose Bay/Watsons Bay are just as scenic. Peak hours will see you share the deck with thousands of commuters who travel to work by water.

Sydney has some beautiful historic houses such as Elizabeth Bay House, Rouse Hill Estate, and Vaucluse House. You can purchase the "Ticket Through Time," which includes entry to 11 properties including the Museum of Sydney, Hyde Park Barracks Museum and the Justice & Police Museum. Tickets are valid for three months and available from any Trust property.

Walking through the regal, glass-domed 19th century Queen Victoria Building (QVB), provides an alternative form of retail therapy. Guided tours depart daily from the customer service desk on the ground floor. Also, be sure to check out the sandstone columns of the Art Gallery of New South Wales guard paintings by Australian masters Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbin and Sidney Nolan. Guided tours are a great way to learn more about the gallery's local and international collections; and they are free.

Behind the Scenes

Sydneysiders really do "throw shrimp on the barbie," and the Sydney Fish Market is where they go to buy their seafood. Guided tours of the market and the docks are available, where you can watch thousands of fresh fish be unloaded.

Sydney's Fox Studios is the location for the filming of such blockbuster hits as the Star Wars prequels and The Matrix trilogy. There is plenty to see at Fox—a fabulous collection of shops and cinemas, restaurants and cafes, and a great weekend market.

The Tarmac Tours of Sydney's airport provide great insight into the workings of this busy international hub. If you have ever harboured dreams of being a pilot, this tour is for you. For a look into Australia's political process, try the Parliament House.

Sydney In Style

Sydney Harbour Seaplanes will take you just about anywhere you want to go. Choose from secluded beaches, silver-service harbourside restaurants, five-star waterfront hotels, or just go for a spin over the city. For a gentler form of air travel, take an early morning balloon ride above the city, Camden Valley or Hunter Valley with Cloud 9 Balloon FlightsCloud 9 Balloon Flights; champagne breakfast is included. If the sea is more your style, then the tall timber masts and white sails of the Bounty are a faithful recreation of Captain Bligh's historic ship; and lunch and dinner cruises are available. Also, the Great Australian Pub Crawl is a fun tour that comes with a twist—a helicopter and designated pilot. So, sink a quiet schooner or two, before flying to the next pub.

Take a good look at a map of the peninsula between Avalon, Palm Beach and up to Barrenjoey Head, then get your motor running on the back of a Harley with Easy Rider Motorbike Tours. Or if you want something romantic, the islands of Sydney harbour are the ultimate spot. Most of the islands, including Shark Island, which is the biggest, are accessible from 9a-6p (8p in summer), but you will need to arrange your own water taxi, chartered ferry or private yacht. Guided tours are also available for other islands, including Goat Island.

Get Out Of Town

Within a day's travel, you can travel to Newcastle, the Hunter Valley or the Central Coast; including the quaint antique-filled charm of the Southern Highlands, the scenic South Coast, or the breathtaking Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. There is even time for a day trip to Canberra, the national capital. Tours out of town include AAT Kings Sydney Day Tours. Sailing adventures are organised by Imagine, Port Stephens, or take a river run with the Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman, or the Murrays Canberra Day Tour. Or if you are adventurous, try a day trip with some true blue larrikins on WonderBus, or train travel from a bygone era aboard the 3801 Limited Steam Locomotive. For a fine tour and a unique experience check out Worldwide Shopping Tours (http://www.worldwideshoppingtours.com.au). They offer an insiders guide to some of the best products in the region. Email them at: sales@worldwideshoppingtours.com.au.