Sydney Holiday Reviews

We were only in Sydney a few days (arrived on Australia Day and joined the celebrations by the harbour) Shopping was good and we enjoyed the Captain Cook Golden Dinner Cruise - champagne and canapes followed by a 7 course meal with wine whilst having the opportunity to photograph the opera house and harbour bridge from various view points.

I was lucky enough to buy a ticket for an amazing cruise on Sydney Harbour.

It was onboard the Historic DANISH ship Svanen and had a fun Aussie BBQ and ate Australian prawns toooo!!!

I sat back and enjoyed the sunset on the harbour and spoke to the fun crew who let me help hoist the sails.

I reccomend trying the twilight cruise it runs for 2 hours and you can eat as much as you like! Buffett food is my favourite! You also get a complimentary drink so i chose CHAMPAGNE!

It was fantastic, a great afternoon full of fun, laughs and bubbles onboard a magnificent ship on the magic sydney harbour.

There were other cruises on the harbour but i thought i would combine the experience with a tall ship as it is unique and the food sounded good. It was better than i could have imagined!

I even had a turn as captain!

For visitors on vacation, a 10 minute walk to Darling Harbour to sample the delightful cuisine on offer at a waterside restaurant is a must. The Meat & Wine Co. beside the IMAX cinema serves excellect food. 10 minutes walk in the opposite direction will take you to the Sydney Opera House at Circular Quay for a cultured evening.

A short walk up George Street to the Queen Victoria Building is a must for a little retail therapy. The jewels in Pandora are set in a beautiful backdrop in this magnificent building. The Versace Collections are also not out of place. Designer boutiques are in abundance too.

Costs of things was suprisingly expensive at around 20% more than London prices for food, groceries and eating out. Best cheap things to do are the Botanical Gardens (free), walking arounf Circular Quay and Darling Harbour (free) and for museum fans, I would recommend the Hyde Park Barracks Museum for a fantastic insight into the history of the town (they also have a fantastic high quality bistro on site, and the Australian Museum.

The location was beautiful and there were loads of things to do. The prices were reasonable and the food in the restaurants was very delicious. I cannot wait for our return trip there.

Well certainly going back to see more. The Opera house is a beautiful place just to sit and watch the hourbour. Pylon Lookout was very nice if you do not want to climb the bridge. Sydney Tower offer a 360 degree around harbour. Bondi Beach was magical!

Sydney a great place, has something for everybody and is clean and friendly, Darling Habour is great, shops and restuarants by day and street entertainment and bars in the evening.

Sydney is a very good city to visit, not only is the weather generally good but there are lots of things to see and do. If you are into culture or history there are many museums and historic sites (although Australian's concept of history is slightly more recent than a Europeans so do not be shocked if the historic site is actually younger than your house). If you like the beach then there are Manly and Bondi beaches, and if you have children then there is always Luna Park. As to nightlife there are many places to eat and drink (some more reasonably than others) and if you want some late night entertainment and have some spare cash, you could always try Sydney Casino. Away from Sydney there is the Sydney National Park and the Blue Mountains (although make sure you take mobile 'phone or in fact more importantly a map and a compass). If you get bored of Sydney there are many cheap internal flights and so you can explore as much of Australia as time permits.

We spend a wonderful day tasting a variety of different wines in the Hunter Valley in June 2008 with Boutique Wine Tours. Our very entertaining and knowledgeable driver, Steve, provided some wonderful commentary on our scenic drive from Sydney to the Hunter Valley. As mentioned in an earlier review, we visited three wineries - Ernest Hill, Iron Gate, and Audrey Wilkinson. We tasted 5-7 various wines at each winery and learned what it takes to make an award winning Hunter Valley wine. I especially enjoyed our intimate tasting with one of the owners at Ernest Hill. There is a wonderful little candy store and a fudge stop just around the corner from Oscars. Overall, we throughly enjoyed our wine tour in the Hunter Valley with Boutique Wine Tours and would definitely do it again if we go back.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship costs $5 to get in ($3 for students, like me) and it is worth every cent! It was designed so that there is no point in the garden from where you can see the entire garden. There is always something around the next corner, up the next staircase, something hidden down a little footpath that is worth a look! It rained the day we went, which I thought would have ruined it, but it made it even more beautiful, especially when the sun came out and was glistening off all the water! My boyfriend and I huddled under our umbrella or under the lovely pavilions. It was very romantic. They have a little teahouse with decent prices, and you get a free Morning Herald with entry. Beautiful, fun, and well worth the time spent there. Advice, though: take it slow, relax, and take the time to really enjoy it. If you can, sit a while and just relax. Most of the garden is far from outside noise and very peaceful.

We stayed at the Observatory for 4 nights at the beginning of March with our 4 year old and I had been slightly concerned it may be a little stuffy to take our child too. I was very wrong as the staff couldn't have been more welcoming with a welcome plate of a gingerbread man and strawberries on our arrival right down to the 'mini' bathrobe and plastic boat in the bathroom.

The rooms are fantastic with a lovely comfortable bed and make sure you use the pool with its gorgeous ceiling of stars. We were alone in the pool at about 7 at night and even with our child it felt very tranquil. The position of the Hotel is also ideal for both Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.

Would highly recommend this Hotel and would love to revisit in the future.

Sydney is a great city to visit with many ports in and around the area. The beaches of Manly were lvoely to visit and the 5 days we were there is not long enough to appreciate the city.

It is very beautiful place. I sure will go back again. The beaches were gorgeous and very inviting. It would be great for honeymoon.

Amazing in a word - so much to see and do. From unique sights such as the botantical gardens, harbour bridge and opera house to great shops and restuarants.

A lively city which feels really safe and exciting to explore. Great for couples or families.

Whether you're looking for outdoor adventure or cosmopolitan culture, Sydney's got it. Climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge or take a skywalk on Sydney Tower for a 360-degree view of the city...