Sights & Favorites

Finally laying down block by block my Australian trip. I stayed in Sydney (and surroundings) from November 11th (day I landed) until November 14th. Strangely enough, from the moment I arrived I felt right at home. It gave me big city vibes, but with a lot of nature and a relaxed pace of life.

Sydney: Useful info

Not sure if it was the season, or if it’s always like this, but weather in Sydney is unpredictable! It rained for most of the time, but I was lucky enough to also find a few moments with some sun. I managed to go through it without an umbrella, but was very happy to have my coat with me.

Temperatures went high during the day (to the level of wearing a tee and shorts), to be quite chilly during rainy times and nights.

I moved around mainly using public transport that is very reliable and works efficiently. If you’re visiting, you don’t need to buy any transport card, it is convenient enough to just tap on / tap off on the ride.

Traffic is quite bad, but not unbearable. It was relatively easy to get around, both by bus and by walking.

Remember in Australia they drive opposite to many parts of the world, and I wasn’t used to this!

Sydney: Recommendations

I stayed at The Baxley in Bondi Beach. I loved it there, the staff was very nice and the area was really convenient to get around and explore both the city and the beaches.

It was a nice solution with a common kitchen / lounge area and shraed bathrooms thta are cleaned very often. My room was small but very comfortable and cozy.

Sydney: Activities & my personal favs

• Sydney Opera House: sounds mainstream, but I found it majestic. The way it overlooks the Harbour Bay and the architecture is just as beautiful as you would expect it. The icing on the cake, though, was actually attending an Opera ballet. I just asked if by chance there was any scheduled, and I was lucky to get to see Oscar. Tip: do it! get the full Opera experience!
• Harbour Bridge & Pylon Lookout: Taking a walk on the Harbour Bridge it’s a must. Climbing on the Pylon lookout was an optional, but definitely worth it as the sights you get from there over Sydney are incredible!
• Coastal Walks: there’s a number of coastal walks that are so enjoyable and get you to see the beautiful nature out of the city. I did the Bondi to Bronte to Coogee one and the Manly one, loved them all. Plan for at least 3 hours to walk without hurrying.
• Manly Ferry: I wanted to see Manly and the best way was by ferry. plan to take the return one at sunset as it’s breathtaking to see the skyline and the harbour at the Golden hour!
• The Rocks: I loved the vibes of this neighbourhood! Take time to get lost in walking around there and visit some shops.
• National Art Gallery of NSW: Really nice way to spend a rainy afternoon. There is a really nice collection of art pieces from different timings, from Renaissance to Contemporary.

Out of Sydney: Wild Cat

I took time to go and visit the Wild Cat Conservation Centre just out of Sydney, in Wilberforce.

Here they take care of medium sized felines with a rewilding program for most of the cats there. The visit was very intimate as I was the only guest that day and I had plenty of time to look at their big cats there, like Blanca the Cheetah, Clouded leopards, Caracals, Servals, fishing cat (that didn’t show himself!) and more.

Really recommended! Visit their website to book your visit here: https://wildcatcentre.org.au/

After that I drove to Canberra and Victoria to visit Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road. Another post coming soon!

Erli

adventure Ajuy Australia Betancuria Breakfast Cake Canaries Chania Cookbook Corralejo Crete Dessert Elafonissi Escalera Figs Food Fuerteventura Greece health Healthy Healthy lifestyle Kedrodasos Knossos Life Matala Melbourne Oats Off Topic Pears Places Porridge Pumpkin recipe Recipes Ricotta Roadtrip Snack Solo trip Spain Sydney Travel Travel Tips Vegetarian Wandering Wildlife

---

More from the blog